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 > 2012 > June > 05 > Entry
Pirates: no more homecoming games
CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips looked at the interviewer as if he had just been told the world was ending in the next hour.
The question was something about what it feels like to be playing the second place Pittsburgh Pirates in an argument over first place and Phillips’ face took on a look of total bewilderment.
“Pittsburgh is what?” said Phillips. Told that the Pirates were second, only three games behind the Reds, Phillips said, “You’re lying. Slap me in the face right now.”
Nobody had the intestinal fortitude to smack hiss cheeks, but a few hours later those Pittsburgh Pirates did it to him and the Cincinnati Reds, 8-4. Phillips was grounded and ground up with a 0 for 5 with four strikeouts.
Not even the scepter of Homer Bailey on the mound frighted the Pirates, despite his 6-0 lifetime record against the Pirates with a 1.79 ERA.
The Reds took a 2-0 first-inning lead, but the Pirates disposed of Bailey by the end of the third inning by raking him for six runs and eight hits.
Said Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle of his resurgent Pirates, “They can no longer schedule us for the homecoming game.”
And Phillips?
“Man, we already knew you can’t take them lightly because they are a major league team and they are where they are for a reason. They’re playing good. You have to go out there and beat them, sink their battleship, make them walk the plank,” Phillips added.
“I’m happy to see them playing good because it is good for baseball,” he said. “Normally you see them always at the bottom and it’s great to see them playing good, as long as they don’t do it this week against us.”
THE PIRATES STARTED fast last year and hung around the top and on this date last season were one game under .500. This year they are one game over .500. Last year, though, they faded to 18 games under .500, 24 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, their 19th straight losing season.
ALTHOUGH THE REDS are playing well and own squatter’s rights on first place, Phillips isn’t ready to anoint them as baseball’s best team.
“I still feel like we have holes in our lineup,” he said. “We’re missing some things, but we’re playing to the best of our ability with what we have. We’re playing smart baseball, though, and that’s what wins games. We’re doing the small things and our bullpen is very nasty. The starters are doing their job.
“A lot of our batting averages aren’t where we’d like and we’re not happy about it, but as long as we’re winning we don’t worry about those things.”
PITTSBURGH MANAGER Clint Hurdle on managing against the Reds in Great American Ball Park: “They remind me of the teams I had in Colorado, The Blake Street Bombers. They are scary. No matter what the score, in this ball park they have the confidence to believe they can come back from any deficit.”
THE ALL-STAR balloting came out and Brandon Phillips is second in the voting to Atlanta’s Dan Uggla at second base and, yes, that surprises Phillips.
“I am surprised that I’m second in the voting,” he said. “Obviously, I haven’t been doing my job to get the votes. If I make it, I make it. What can I really do? I haven’t been playing as well as I normally do. But my average was .210 earlier this season and I’m up over .270 now, so I’ve been playing a lot better.
“What’s important to me, though, is winning,” he added. “Making the All-Star team is a great individual award, but I made it once and it was an honor and it would be a privilege to represent the Cincinnati Reds in Kansas City. If I don’t, it won’t kill me.”
FIRST BASEMAN Joey Votto is the No. 2 vote-getter overall in the National League balloting and manager Dusty Baker was asked if that surprised him.
“He is an MVP, a two-time All-Star and everybody knows Joey Votto,” said Baker. ‘He is almost a household word. But he isn’t getting those votes because he is a household word, he is getting them because he is playing like an All-Star.”
BEFORE REGULAR BATTING practice Tuesday there were four guys wearing Cincinnati Reds uniforms taking batting practice, as pitcher Bronson Arroyo stood behind the screen sipping water.
One wore uniform No. 3, but it wasn’t Chris Valaika, the player who wears that uniform when he is up with the big club. The name on the uniform was ‘Flea.’
The four guys were the singing group The Red Hot Chili Peppers and ‘Flea’ is bass guitarist Michael Balzary. But Arroyo is friends with lead guitarist Josh Klinghoffer for the group that was inducted last year in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
Not many balls left the infield while the RHCP’s swung the bats.
MANAGER DUSTY BAKER was stunned when somebody asked him about the passing of Reds Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Borbon. He didn’t know.
“What?” he said. “Oh, man. Borbon was a great guy, we had a lot of fun with each other. I faced him when I was with the Braves and the Dodgers. I didn’t do that good against him. He’d crowd me all the time. He’d throw that sinker inside and drive you off the plate, then get you with a slider away.
“Man, this makes you appreciate every day you have,” Baker added.
FORMER PITTSBURGH pitcher Pete Vukovich and a star first baseman Clu Hayward in the movie Major League, is a scout now and has trimmed 28 pounds from his frame.
When I told him I’d lost 38, he smiled and said, “I don’t about you, but I’m doing it with heroin.” He was kidding, it was a joke — not about the weight, about the process.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “In the next 10 to 20 games fans are going to see the Reds be better than we are right now.” — Third baseman Todd Frazier.
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By Ebes
June 6, 2012 2:32 PM | Link to this
Frazier has the right attitude. Nothing like believing in yourself! Wonder what it would take to switch him and Rollen on the all star ballot? “In the next 10 to 20 games fans are going to see the Reds be better than we are right now.” — Third baseman Todd Frazier.
By Mike in the Creek
June 6, 2012 12:49 PM | Link to this
Last time Reds lost 2 in a row - they went on a 6 game winning streak, so there’s something to look forward too! Go Reds - bounce back by JC tonight?
By DONNJOO
June 6, 2012 12:28 PM | Link to this
PIRATES HAD THE SABERS AND THE RED STOCKINGS THE EPEE. THE PIRATES LOOKED GOOD. SURE WISH THE REDS LOOKED AS GOOD. DUSTY’S TEAM WILL DO THE LITTLE THINGS OR SO HE SAYS. REMEMBER, HE HAS SAID THAT MANY TIMES. WELL, AT LEAST HE THINKS SO. SURE BE NICE TO SEE SOME SHORTEN SWINGS AND BUNTS THAT WORK. GO RED STOCKINGS……..
By Nathan H.
June 6, 2012 12:01 PM | Link to this
Well, the team average is on the up and ups and we lost a game to a very hot team at the moment; don’t call in the cavalry yet, leave your torches and pitch forks at home Reds fans, we’ll win this series!
By Mr. Magoo
June 6, 2012 11:44 AM | Link to this
Hal,can you bat left handed? Can’t be any worst coming off the bench! Dare we say bring back Willie Harris?
By bobmc
June 6, 2012 10:02 AM | Link to this
Game after game there seems to be an inordinate number of players who get most of their HRs against the Reds, have the first HR or have their best stats vs. the Reds. Is that my imagination since I see far more Reds games than any other team? It appears to me that Dusty needs to give Castanzo far more ABs to get him game sharp. Can you believe there is no one at any level that can do better than this? I’d activate the batboy; he couldn’t do worse. I was pulling for this guy due to his determination to hang around at 28 still with dreams; but obviously he is slump ridden like so many of his current team mates. Without the HR, don’t expect too many runs or wins.
By Florida Buckeye
June 6, 2012 9:57 AM | Link to this
I’m stunned that BP Actually thinks that this team is doing all the little things right: Unsucessful bunts, not moving runners over, not manufacturing runs, mental errors, and giving up extra outs…I shudder to think how much better the Reds would be with a Talented Bench, AND, paying attention to the details of the game…
By steven ross
June 6, 2012 8:52 AM | Link to this
I still feel like we have holes in our lineup,” BP said. “We’re missing some things. There’s an understatement.
By A slap in the face
June 6, 2012 8:39 AM | Link to this
Rrrrrrr. Bring on the homecoming games. ‘Tis plunder awaited.
By ron
June 6, 2012 7:29 AM | Link to this
How much longer do we have to watch Mike Castanzo go up to the plate and strike out in key situations? Do we not have anybody in Louisville that can swing the bat with some chance of getting a hit or at least making contact? It is hard to believe that with our bench as bad as it is that the Reds are in first place. Go Reds,
By Brad
June 6, 2012 2:22 AM | Link to this
Hal, can you ask the players if they ever look at their twitter accounts after a rough game? I have, and people can leave nasty comments. I’m curious how they react to it. I don’t leave nasty comments, just for the record.
By Martha
June 6, 2012 12:37 AM | Link to this
That was about as torturous a game as I care to experience ever again. However, being a baseball masochist, I’ll always be back for more.