Ask Hal: Bring back socks in baseball

Q: Can we put all the Reds back in “red legs” like Bill Bray and Mike Leake and others, showing red socks between their pants and shoes because nothing else seems to be working? — Larry, New Carlise

A: Being an old-school dinosaur, I love the socks-showing look and abhor the current-day pajama-style baseball pants. Major League Baseball does have rules mandating how the uniform should look, but they’ve never made it a rule that socks should show. They should. I’m wondering how many pajama-wearers have tripped over their pants running the bases.

Q: Dusty Baker makes some of the most simple mistakes that hurt the team, so why doesn’t the media ask him questions about the big mistakes he makes during the game? — Jim, Louisville, Ky.

A: They might seem like mistakes to you, but they aren’t always his. Blame the players for most of the so-called mistakes. And Baker not only is asked about those things, sometimes he offers reasons on his own after the game. You are indicting the Cincinnati media for not doing their jobs? He is asked about everything, he gives his answers and reasons, and they are reported. Of course, they aren’t the answers most fans want to hear, but Baker has reasons for everything he does and patiently explains them to the media. You apparently aren’t reading close enough.