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 > 11 > Entry
Reds put the wood to themselves
UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave while wondering how The Cathay House in Chinatown is staying open without my patronage and what are they doing with all the General Tsao’s chicken, egg noodles and won-ton soup they used to serve me?
Everybody expected a disaster movie from the Cincinnati Reds on this seven-game west coast trip and they sor of shocked everybody Thursday by shutting out the San Francisco Giants in Game One.
And there they were on Friday night, leading the Giants, 2-1, in the fifth inning in AT&T Park.
Could it be? Could they start Trip Terrible with a 2-and-0 record?
Uh, no. The Reds lost, 3-2, but how they achieved that defeat is an encyclopedia of how to leave more people stranded than the Minnow on Gilligan’s Island.
THE GIANTS TIED it in the fifth. Miguel Tejada, who could hit against the Reds while wearing a sleeping mask, came to bat with two outs and a runner on second. With first base open, how about an intentional walk?
Nope.
Travis Wood fell behind 2-and-0, then grooved a fastball and Tejada drilled it to left field to tie it, 2-2.
And that’s the way it stayed into the ninth inning. Wood pitched eight innings and gave up two runs, 10 hits, walked three and struck out four for his 109 pitches.
For his hard night’s work, Wood got nothing because the Reds’ bullpen doesn’t seem to have all its eggs in the basket these days.
JOSE ARREDONDO started the ninth by walking Andres Torres on four pitches. Emmanuel Burris bunted Torres to second and this time the Reds wisely walked Tejado intentionally.
Bill Bray came in to face rookie left-hander Brandon Crawford and struck him out on three pitches for the second out.
Logan Ondrusek replaced Bray and walked Cody Ross on five pitches to fill the bases. Nate Schierholtz ended the game abruptly by pumping Ondrusek’s second pitch into left field for a walk-off single.
The Giants won this one, 3-2. Incredibly, 18 of the 29 games in AT&T this year have been decided by one run. And with their Friday win, the Giants are 18-9 in one-run games this year.
WHEN IT COMES to execution on this night, the Reds were perfect — they executed themselves every way possible.
—They had two on with one out in the second, but Paul Janish bounced into a double play.
—The Reds had two on with two outs in the third, but Jay Bruce flied to center.
—A bad inning surfaced in the fourth. The Reds did score a run, but it was like kissing your mother. They had two on with nobody out and scored only one run. Scott Rolen led the inning with a triple, Chris Heisey walked and Ryan Hanigan singled to right to score Rolen. But Janish struck out, Wood bunted the runners to second and third, but Drew Stubbs struck out.
—Think that was bad? If it didn’t get worse, than Jeremiah isn’t a bull frog. The Reds did score a run, but it was like kissing your grandmother. They had the bases loaded with no outs and scored one run. Rolen struck out, a run scored on Heisey’s weak ground out to first base and Hanigan grounded out.
GET THE PICTURE? Get the pattern? The Reds had enough chances to choke a sword swallower and did nothing.
The eighth inning was astounding. San Francisco relief pitcher Sergio Romo struck out the side and his first 10 pitches were strikes (counting foul balls). He threw 13 pitches, 12 for strikes.
The ninth inning was a Message in a Bottle, the message being, “The Reds aren’t going to win this one.”
It was 2-2 and pinch-hitter Fred Lewis led the inning with an infield hit against Giants closer Brian Wilson.
That called for Stubbs to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Oh, my. For those who constantly chirp and harp and hoot that Stubbs needs to bunt more, well, if they saw his feeble effort on this occasion they’d be saying, “Please, don’t ever try to bunt.” His two attempts were butt ugly and then he struck out.
And, of course, Brandon Phillips then grounded into an inning-ending double play — and, as it turned out, the game-ending double play when the Giants scored in the bottom of the ninth.
Put this one in a satchel and drop it off the Golden Gate Bridge with a concrete block on it.
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By StuttgartTim
June 12, 2011 8:12 PM | Link to this
@Gem. Not everyone in the world lives in your time zone. Come on man.
By Colgar
June 12, 2011 2:38 PM | Link to this
Hal and Bob: Why would anyone walk Miguel Tejada in that fifth inning situation? Why put the go ahead run on first base? That makes no sense. Ok Tejada is hitting .371 against the Reds lifetime. That means you are going to get him out 63% of the time. The pitcher needs to execute his pitches but the odds were still with Woods. An intentional walk in that situation just tells the pitcher you don’t have faith in him.
By sam
June 11, 2011 11:54 AM | Link to this
Votto seems to be so obsessed with trying to get a walk he that has lost hisaggressiveness at the plate hence his power numbers-Hrs,RBIs,slugging pct-are way down. It is OK to try to walk to get on if you are leading off but not batting third. He needs to swing at balls on the edges of the plate to make things happen. A walk is better than an out but does not the kind of production the Reds need from the 3 spot.
By SteveF
June 11, 2011 11:49 AM | Link to this
To this point the the Reds are not coming through like they did last year. I think their missing Rhodes and Cabrera who are both on first place teams.
By Randy
June 11, 2011 11:23 AM | Link to this
The fans don’t have a right to complain. They should be thankful that they have Dusty as a Manager. Hopefully Jock will give him a 5 year extension because “We’re almost there”and “Yes, We can! I’m sure the Economy, I mean team is about to turn around. Just wait a little longer. We’re almost there.
By bob
June 11, 2011 9:35 AM | Link to this
Close games. Dusty sits waiting for something good to happen. He had several opportunities to have a positive effect on the game. Too busy chewing on his toothpick. Not only didn’t walk the hottest batter they ever face, Stubbs finally didn’t strike out and got on base with 2 outs, Baker let Phillips swing away on the 1st pitch instead of giving Drew a chance to steal 2nd. Phillips was hot. Walt Alston always said it was his game to win in the 8th-9th tied. Who is running this club? Is it on autopilot? The Reds lead the world in batter K’s and pitcher BB’s. And, just maybe this is 3-4 on team who know the ABC’s of sacrifice bunting. Dusty, the word “sacrifice” is a hint in executing this bunt. Next, move up in the box, square around early and let the whole world know your intentions and don’t bunt at any pitch above your hands. Got it? Don’t tell anybody, though. You’d lose focus on your toothpick and maybe swallow it.
By Gem&Heater
June 11, 2011 9:24 AM | Link to this
Amazing to see comments posted at 3AM, no wonder they are so negative. Comparing Stubbs to Dunn is kind of silly. Both were/are accomplished major league players who don’t have the ability to be super but are certainly better than average. Rolen hit a triple so that means he probably wont play again for a week. That is an issue and will continue to be one as long as he is counted on as an every day player. He isn’t anymore and last year may have been his last productive semi-full time year as a player. As for Reyes, sure trade for him and lose him after you finish third at the end of the year. Give up a prospect as well, so this becomes a completely stupid trade. The only benefit would be to take pressure off of BP. Reyes would quickly become the most disliked and controversiol Red and BP would look like a choir boy compared to him. Bring up and play the kids more, give up on Gomes, and see what happens. Forget about Reyes and Kemp.
By Sam
June 11, 2011 9:04 AM | Link to this
Hey Huh, a sleeping mask is nothing more than a blindfold. People who sleep during the daytime wear them. You can get one at a drug store.
By Mike-Cinci
June 11, 2011 8:50 AM | Link to this
Stubbs needs to make more contact. 200 K’s from a lead-off guy is awful. Janish can’t hit. He is a utility reserve much like Juan Castro. Give Cozart a chance and while doing that let Heisey play every day for a month. Reds still have a chance to win the Central but the starting pitching needs to be more consistent.
By willbill
June 11, 2011 7:45 AM | Link to this
As Dusty Baker said we’re almost there
By huh?
June 11, 2011 6:54 AM | Link to this
what the hell’s a sleeping mask?
By KNOW IT ALL
June 11, 2011 3:47 AM | Link to this
Terrible game It reflects the hitting coach and Baker the manager. Phillips should be moved to lead off. Stubbs and Janish may as well ride the bench they do not want to listen when it comes to hitting or Baker won’t make them improve their offense. Come on sit them down it is so sad to see them whiff with runners on. Bruce and Votto are not producing anything. Why did Baker go with relievers that are questionable? Again Chapman’s absence is haunting them big time and he is not even close to coming back maybe this season now. Reds are not even playing with pride
By jim m.
June 11, 2011 3:17 AM | Link to this
Stubbs reminds me of Dunn. REFUSES to better their game and work harder on weaknesses to make themselves Better!! Watching Stubbs Strike out about every at-bat and not be able to bunt with his speed I am tired of it. the approach of these hitters is the total blame on the hitting coach Jacoby. Rolen hit a outside pitch for a triple. Both Hanigan and Heisey took that pitch for strike 3!! Lets pray Billy Hamilton is getting better instruction to bunt to use his speed!!!The Reds have to get a leadoff hitter. If they could trade for Reyes (Who cares if he walks after the season thats an extra 1st round draft pick(He will be a A Type Free Agent and you have Cozart for next year). Now see what it would take to get Kemp. if its Heisey and can expand it to get Kershaw then include Wood and Alonso. Now they have to get a power threat off the bench. our bench is not even as scarey as last year. No Nix, No Edmonds and no Fransisco. Lewis isnt the answer off the bench for power. I am just throwing ideas out there as this team doesnt have enough to win it.. PLUS a NEw hitting coach would do wonders. I dont see improvements from players that need too STUBBS and Janish.