QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Q: With last week’s death of Milt Pappas, all of us senior citizen fans recall the worst trade in Reds history and wonder if The Big Red Machine might have arrived sooner without that trade? — JEFF, Springdale.
A: You are referring to the December 1965 trade of Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles for Pappas, pitcher Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson. Robinson won the triple crown in Baltimore and the Reds received a triple flop. The Big Red Machine didn’t arrive until the 1970s and the only Big Red Machinists on the 1966 team were Pete Rose and Tony Perez. Robinson wouldn’t have made up the difference.
Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy knows a thing or two about our nation’s pastime. Tap into that knowledge by sending an email to halmccoy1@hotmail.com.
Q: If MLB is really interested in player safety, why not make first base flush to the playing surface like home plate? That may have saved Zack Cozart from his knee injury last season? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek.
A: Man, there is a good idea rattling around in your noggin now and then. Not a bad idea at all. Let’s take it further and put all the bases flush to the ground. There are injuries at second and third, too. It might make it more difficult for umpires to see if guys actually touch the base, but they use instant replay for everything else, so why not?
Q: With Jay Bruce hitting so well, do you see his trade value going up and is a trade still likely? — DENNIS, Colerain.
A: Scouts already are talking about the “New Jay Bruce,” a guy spraying the ball to all fields and making more contact. So there will be interest. There is no hurry, though, even though they Reds nearly traded him twice in the last year. He is making $12.5 million this year and is under contract to make $13 million next year. That’s a huge bargain for a productive player. But if the Reds can get two or three prospects for him he probably will be gone by the trade deadline.
Q: What is your favorite minor-league park? — TIM, Kettering.
A: That’s easy. Fifth Third Field in Dayton. Why? Not only is it fabulous, it happens to be one of only two minor-league parks I have visited. I’ve been in 52 major-league parks, so I haven’t had time. I visited historic McCormick Field, a great place with its 36-foot outfield walls, last year in Asheville, N.C., a team owned by the Mike DeWine family, to speak at the South Atlantic League All-Star luncheon.
Q: It is now 40 years since the days of The Big Red Machine, so why are fans in this area still so obsessed with that team that won only two World Series? — RON, Fairborn.
A: Three members of that team are in the Hall of Fame (Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez) and two more should be (Pete Rose, Dave Concepcion). More likely, though, that team is iconic because Reds fans have had nearly nothing to hang their baseball caps on since, other than the 1990 team. You place your memories mostly on the good times and those were the best of times.
Q: The Chicago Cubs hired general manager Theo Epstein and manager Joe Maddon and revamped the team. It took them about four years to become good. Why can’t the Reds do that? — KEVIN, Troutman, N.C.
A: You answered your own question. You said it took four years when really it has taken them about 107 years. The Reds began their restructuring in the middle of last season. It probably will take a few years, and that’s if everything they are doing right now works. Just remember, though, the Cubs have more money than Apple (well, almost) and the Reds don’t, so we shall see.
Q: What do you see MLB doing next to speed up games? — JAY, Englewood.
A: They keep trying and not much changes. Adding replay/challenges isn’t helping. A challenge last week in a Reds game took almost four minutes. They put in a rule that a pitcher must complete his warm-ups between innings in two minutes. I’ve watched the clock and a lot of times it is ignored. They try to keep hitters in the batter’s box and that doesn’t work, either. And I’d still like to know who is complaining about the length of games. What difference does it make if a game goes 2 ½ hours or 3 ½ hours if it’s entertaining.
Q: Who are the second- and third-fastest runners on the Reds and who is the slowest? — PAT, Chandler, Ariz.
A: We all know Billy Hamilton is the fastest. To find the answer to your questions, we’d have to stage some match races. My guess is that Jumbo Diaz was the slowest, even though he once stole third base in the minors, where he now resides. Tyler Holt is probably the second-fastest (just a guess) and third is a mystery.
Q: Do you have the first column you wrote covering the Reds and how about re-printing it in your blog? — ALAN, Sugercreek Twp.
A: I don’t even have a copy of the last column I wrote. I’ve written about 27,500 baseball stories and I haven’t saved even one. The first game I covered as a beat writer was April 5, 1973, and the Reds lost to the Giants, 4-1. Pete Rose had two hits and Don Gullett was the losing pitcher, so I imagine I mentioned both — but I can’t be certain. And in my first game I got to see Juan Marichal pitch a seven-hit complete game.
Q: Is there any bullpen help hiding in the farm system? — JOHN, Centerville.
A: The Reds are in such desperate need that no relief pitcher in his right mind would be hiding. He would be jumping up and down and yelling, ‘Me, me, me.’ If there was any help in the system he would be wearing a Reds uniform right now.
Q: Do you think pitchers have figured Joey Votto out by pounding him inside and shifting everybody to the right? — BILL, West Milton.
A: As of this writing Votto is hitting .182. Even if you turn that around to .281 that isn’t the real Joey Votto. He is a notorious slow starter but riding on the interstate is a new experience for him. They’ve only played 10 percent of the season, a minuscule sampling, and Votto will figure it out.
Q: With so many pitchers getting hurt and needing surgery and all the money teams invest in pitching, how long before MLB outlaws any pitch over 70 mph? — Stocc, Miamisburg.
A: So you want pitchers to obey the speed limit on the interstate? That would be tough for Aroldis Chapman, both on the mound and in his Lamborghini. Throwing fastballs isn’t what ruins arms. Breaking pitches take more of a toll. Maybe they should outlaw sliders, sinkers and curveballs and allow only fastballs. If you like 22-18 games, that’s the perfect solution.
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