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 > 2011 > June > 08
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Ludwick could be available to the Reds
CINCINNATI — If the Cincinnati Reds are interested in upgrading left field any time soon, or even at the July 31 trade deadline, they might cast a glance westward to San Diego.
It appears the Padres are willing to trade outfielder Ryan Ludwick and would do oit straight up for outfielder Chris Heisey or take some minor-league prospects for him. Ludwick and Reds’ general manager Walt Jocketty already have a history: Jocketty signed him as a free agent for the St. Louis Cardinals in December, 2006.
Ludwick makes $6.7 million on the final year of his contract and the Reds would owe him about $#4 million if the deal is done soon.
Ludwick is 32 and is hitting .256 with eight homers and 37 RBIs, an upgrade over the .197/8/25 owned by Jonny Gomes.
Since shaving off his Mohawk hair-do, Gomes hit .381 with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs. But he is tempting fate. He visited the barber Wednesday morning and showed up at the park with the Mohawk-style back in place.
SPEAKING OF HAIR, Edinson Volquez shaved off his gerry-curled beaded dreadlocks hair-style before his start Tuesdayu night, sporting a bald look. And he brought his old hair to the clubhouse Wednesday in a bag.
As fellow pitcher Johnny Cueto looked on, still sporting his dreadlocks, somebody asked Volquez if he was going to make a wig out of his old hair or if he was going to offer it on eBay.
“Nobody would buy it,” he said.
“You’d be a surprised,” said a media member.
Cueto was asked if his dreads are coming off soon and he said, “Not yet. I’m not ready for that.”
AROLDIS CHAPMAN did not have a good outing Tuesday night for Class AA Carolina against Tennessee: Only two-thirds of an inning, three runs, a home run, a wild pitch that let in a run, a walk, 24 pitches, 12 strikes.
“He hadn’t pitched for a while (May 29 in Louisville),” said manager Dusty Baker. On Tuesday, Baker said Chapman would make two minor-league appearances, but on Wednesday morning that was revised.
“We have him down for four minor-league appearances and then it depends on how he feels and how well he does as to what happens after that. Maybe he’ll be back with us after the road trip (a week from Friday), but it’s all a guess,” said Baker.
IT APPEARS Scott Rolen had more than his self-diagnosed strep throat.
“I talked to the doctor yesterday and he said it is not strep throat as diagnosed by Scott,” said Baker. “It’s a viral infection in the throat and it takes three or four days to run its course. And it’s worse in the heat, so it will be better for Scott once we get to San Francisco (tonight). So in the cool air of San Francisco he should be OK to play Thursday.
“And Edgar Renteria (sore lower back) is better, too,” Baker added. “He hit on Tuesday, he ran and he threw and so he should be better and ready in San Francisco as well.
“And I’ll be better, too, in my own bed and with my family — because my allergies have been bothered me here, too. And I’ll get to get to go fishing Saturday afternoon after the game and that’ll make it even better.”
And a win or two might help even more.
PITCHER JARED BURTON, who has been on the DL (shoulder tightness) since spring training is about to resume activity, but he’ll do it in Arizona, “A process of starting spring training all over again,” said Baker. “He’ll report Sunday and start all over. He’ll pitch one inning in a game June 23, skip two days and pitch another inning and see if he progresses from there — just like spring training.”
FORMER REDS Minor-league pitching coach Bill Maloney, an outstanding man, didn’t have a good night this week.
Maloney is a minor-league pitching coach for Tampa Bay and is with the team’s Class AA team in Montgomery, Ala.
After a game this week, he was followed home from the ball park by two men. When he reached his apartment door, the men approached and demanded money. When he told them he didn’t have much, they gun-whippd him above the eye, opening a large gash.
He handed them his wallet and the muggers took the $20 he had and then shot him in the knee. After the men left, he dialed ‘911’ on his cell phone and told the operator, “I’ve just been mugged and shot.”
Said the operator, “Is this a life-threatening situation?”
Ah, your tax dollars at work.
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