Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > April > 01 > Entry
Breaking it down
Tim is a frequent e-mailer, first from Singapore and now from Hong Kong, which impresses the heck out of me, for some reason. It’s the same with an e-mailer from Stuttgart, Germany and another from Norway and one from Alaska.
When I get one from the North Pole, I’ll be stunned.
Isn’t the internet just grand?
Anyway, Tim is concerned that I am being too harsh, too critical, too negative with his beloved Reds and notes that a lot of the national media are predicting awesome things from this year’s team.
He said he sensed I was not pleased with some of the roster moves to get down to the final 25 and wondered why I picked apart the Opening Day game with my blog entitled Bad Beginning.
I’m not picking on Tim. He’s a great guy who e-mails me often and is always sane about it.
First of all, I’m on record as saying this team could finish above .500 for the first time in seven years and that it should battle Milwaukee for second place. I picked the Cubs to win, but we all know what the Cubs are all about, so first place is there for the grabbing.
As for the makeup of the roster, the only disagreement I had was shipping out Jay Bruce and bringing in Corey Patterson. I stand by that. Everything else suited my fancy - dumping Mike Stanton, sending out Homer Bailey, putting youngsters Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez into the rotation.
I do have concerns about the catching. If The Real David Ross was the 2006 version, it would be OK. If The Real David Ross was the 2007 version, that’s trouble. Even a David Ross who is somewhere between 2006 and 2007 would be OK.
As for the Bad Beginning blog, well, it was a dissection of Opening Day, one game. Yes, it was only one game, but games played like Opening Day turn into games played in July and August the same way.
If this team is going to win, it has to do everything right. No mistakes. There is no margin for error. Everybody must run out every ball (right, Javier Valentin?). The pitchers must get down bunts (right, Aaron Harang?) Routine throws must be made accurately (right, Edwin Encarnacion?). The leadoff hitter must get on base once in a while (right, Corery 0 for 4 Patterson?).
Those were the glaring mistakes, mistakes that must be eradicated on a daily basis.
We could add the absence of hits, only three. But with Brandon Webb on the mound and Arizona’s strong bullpen, we’ll give the offense a pass on this day.
So, Tim, don’t read too much into what you perceived from my Opening Day blog. As they say, facts are facts are facts.
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By Florida Buckeye
April 2, 2008 11:43 PM | Link to this
I have serious concerns over a non-productive leadoff hitter who’s lifetime OBP is hovering around 300. I’d rather have Freel or Hopper in, and with Keppinger and Phillips behind him, we’ll generate more runs…which btw, we’ll need if Encarnacion can’t figure out how to toss the ball from point A to point B with some regularity!
By steve t.
April 2, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
just read about A. Dunn being a leader on team site and just don’t see it. this team needs exactly that a leader that excepts nothing less than 100% our top two $$ guys dog it quite often so who can look to for a leader. ex. if Griff does not have to run out perceived hr’s then why should Javy?
By Bill
April 1, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this
I have said it before—and here it is again—pay Javy Lopez whatever he wants to come out of retirement! Young pitchers need competent catchers. What I saw of him this spring indicated he can still swing the bat—and, HUSTLE.
By Brian Baute
April 1, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Exactly, Hal. Especially when this year is supposed to be a beginning and instead it starts with more of the same. And it’s great the Dusty said “it will be addressed” to errors and poor effort in the spring, but him saying it on Opening Day is a red flag for me. Shouldn’t it have already been addressed? Shouldn’t the temptation to be lazy happen on the 9th day of a 10-day road trip in August, not on Opening Day?
By Brian Baute
April 1, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
Exactly, Hal. Especially when this year is supposed to be a beginning and instead it starts with more of the same. And it’s great the Dusty said “it will be addressed” to errors and poor effort in the spring, but him saying it on Opening Day is a red flag for me. Shouldn’t it have already been addressed? Shouldn’t the temptation to be lazy happen on the 9th day of a 10-day road trip in August, not on Opening Day?
By Bill
April 1, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
The national media is not predicting great things for the Reds this season—with Hatteburg and Patterson in the lineup!Those predictions are because of new pitching prospects, and Jay Bruce and Mr. Votto! Mr. Dusty needs to get over his loyalty to old school, and past team members!
By fred
April 1, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this
to early to call. agree with bruce and thats about it. hattelburg still one of best hitters. go with who’s hot.