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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 > 15 > Entry
More of the same in Wrigley
So the Reds put their first three runners on base in the second inning Tuesday in Wrigley Field and, wow, they scored a run. A run. One run.
The Pittsburgh fungus must have followed them to Chicago.
It the end, it was more of the same. Those runs they could have scored were needed at the end when the Reds lost for the fourth stragiht time, this time by 9-5 to the Cubbie Bears.
Aaron Harang gave up a two-run home run to Mark DeRosa, who hits the Reds as if they are a tee-ball team. A home run? Shocking. The Reds now have given up 21 home runs, four more than any other team in the majors.
Ken Griffey Jr., wearing No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, turned it back around in the third. After Jeff Keppinger singled, Griffey plowed his second home run of the season into the left-center bleachers - a special Cracker Jack prize for all those dissenters who plead for Griffey to hit the ball to the left side. That’s no. 595, for those keeping track.
So there.
Then a big o’ whoops. With the Reds down 5-4 and runners on first and third in the seventh, Griffey hit into an inning-ending double play. After the game, with a media horde surrounding his locker, Griffey quickly slipped into a black knee-length jacket and fled into the chill night.
The last thing Griffey wanted to do was talk about home run No. 595 when he and the Reds are swirling the drain of a four-game losing streak.
The atmosphere before the game was strictly Ringling Brothers minus the elephants. It was manager Dusty Baker’s first trip to Wrigley since the Chicago Cubs fired him after the 2006 seasons.
The man who fired him, GM Jim Hendry, walked up to Baker and they chatted amiably. “I like Dusty. I love Dusty. I just did what I had to do.”
They held a press conference in a dungeon-like room behind the Cubs dugout before the game and the media who vilified and crucified Dusty as the reason the Cubs lost the 2004 National League Playoffs (Was Steve Bartman Baker’s plant in left field?) and the reason the team was last-place terrible in 2006, well, those same media were meek and mild.
Somebody asked Baker what he learned in Chicago and he said, “You better not lose.”
Baker and his replacement, Lou Piniella (formerly of the Reds), met cordially behind the batter’s cage. Baker told the media, “When Lou was with the Reds in the early 90’s and I was a batting coach, he asked me, ‘Why aren’t you managing? You should be managing. Don’t give up hopes. It’ll happen.’”
Baker was booed mildly when the game began, but as much as Reds leadoff hitter Corery Patterson, another ex-Cub.
Baker’s detractors accuse him of mishandling pitchers, of running them into the ground with overuse and permitting them to throw too many pitchers. It has been said he ruined started Kerry Wood, who is now Chicago’s closer.
Wood differs - vehemently.
“Nothing that happened to me was because of that man,” Wood told the Arlington Herald. “Injuries, you have guys who go through their whole career and don’t get injured. You have guys who go through two years and get injured six times. I don’t think that has anything to do with a manager or a coach or anything like that. It’s going to happen, or it’s not. No, I don’t think he had anything to do with it.”
Wood is a Baker Booster.
“People forget that he was the first manager in a long time to have back-to-back winning seasons in Chicago,” said Wood. “Eight years ago, if you would have talked about a guy coming in and turning an organization around and with back-to-back winning seasons, I would have said, ‘We’ll take it. It’s great.’ Obviously, it didn’t end the way we wanted,” Wood added.
“Dusty puts his heart and soul into every team he manages,” Wood continued. “The players realize that. The people around him on a daily basis understand what he puts into the game. The results are everything in this game.”
Baker didn’t know what Wood had said, but before the game at his media meeting he said, “The Reds haven’t had a winning season in seven years and that’s what I’m here to accomplish. As for Chicago, If anything, I’m a better manager. Wins and losses isn’t how you should judge yourself. Sometimes the best you can give is not good enough.”
It certainly wasn’t Tuesday night, nor has it been in the previous four.
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By Bob
April 19, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
Hurrah, Votto finally got a chance. How can Bruce not with Patterson in there with a .263 OBP and a lifetime .297. It’s not like he’s not living up to expectations. Freel’s is .357 and Hopper’s is.375. Doesn’t Dusty have to answer to anyone.?
By Joe
April 16, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
GAWD, I HATE the Cubs!!
By David
April 16, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this
Adam Dunn is a ONE TOOL PLAYER!! Yes, he IS a power hitter BUT that is it. He is NOT a GOOD hitter. When, not if, his power numbers decrease, Dunn will be out of Major League baseball because he CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE other than hit Home Runs. The Reds would be STUPID to sign him to ANY deal after 2008. As far as runners Left On Base, in 2007, Dunn hit .242 with RISP and KGJ hit .244. No surprise the Reds are awful again in 2008 in that category.
By Jim
April 16, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this
Dunn not a power hitter? How many 40 home run and 100 rbi seasons does he need to have to show you that he is a power hitter. He is simply struggling. I guess you think that Big Papi isn’t the power hitter everyone says he is also?
By Max D
April 16, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this
Woods has said before that Baker didn’t blow out his arm. I wish people would actually listen to the people involved instead of fan conjecture. Now, a few questions: do we see any potential in EE? Does he just need some polishing/finessing/buffing? or are we just jerking our own chains? Is AAA the cure for EE’s woes? And Dunn, can we finally agree that he’s not the power hitter everyone says he is. Needs right now: productive leadoff hitter, righthanded hitter and some fool to take Freel & Castro off of our hands.
By Kyle
April 16, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
I don’t even know where to start with this game. Are you telling me Griffey can’t hit the ball in the air to get at least one of those runs in? I hate watching a game and just knowing that the other team will get the hit when they have someone on second or third, but doubting it whenever the Reds are in the same situation. I imagine the players have that in the back of their heads too. It’s time to shake this team up. Chris Welch can say all he wants that we’re only 13 games in, nothing to panic about, blah, blah, blah. This type of play leads to this type of play.
By Michael
April 16, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Is there any chance we’ll have a better lead-off man before the end of the year? It wouldn’t hurt to have a new 3B too. Since they no longer need Freel at those two spots why don’t they trade him? He’s making to much to sit on the bench. He proved he can play 3B and hit #2 behind Patterson, steal bases, score runs, get RBIs, and sit on the bench. Did I miss something?
By Michael
April 16, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Is there any chance we’ll have a better lead-off man before the end of the year? It wouldn’t hurt to have a new 3B too. Since they no longer need Freel at those two spots why don’t they trade him? He’s making to much to sit on the bench. He proved he can play 3B and hit #2 behind Patterson, steal bases, score runs, get RBIs, and sit on the bench. Did I miss something?
By Michael
April 16, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Is there any chance we’ll have a better lead-off man before the end of the year? It wouldn’t hurt to have a new 3B too. Since they no longer need Freel at those two spots why don’t they trade him? He’s making to much to sit on the bench. He proved he can play 3B and hit #2 behind Patterson, steal bases, score runs, get RBIs, and sit on the bench. Did I miss something?
By Michael
April 16, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Is there any chance we’ll have a better lead-off man before the end of the year? It wouldn’t hurt to have a new 3B too. Since they no longer need Freel at those two spots why don’t they trade him? He’s making to much to sit on the bench. He proved he can play 3B and hit #2 behind Patterson, steal bases, score runs, get RBIs, and sit on the bench. Did I miss something?
By Deaner
April 16, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this
Two questions, Hal: 1) Did Dusty wear no. 42? 2) Do you think the attitude of Cubs’ fan base has changed since 2003? … they expect to win.
By ShockMonkey
April 16, 2008 6:28 AM | Link to this
and the Dunn-er does nothing when it counts then draws stinkin’ walks so his OBP looks good. Somebody tell the big horse to swing the BAT! So tired of his non-performing act.
By TJ
April 16, 2008 3:30 AM | Link to this
I have been a Reds fan since I was 6 (I’m 21 now). I fell to sleep with Marty and Joe for years, and I have never seen this franchise with more potential than I have seen now. I played ball in high school in Dayton and most recently, high school ball (Albuquerque, NM) which is not a major bed for talent. I have always been a fan of the game and I REALLY think that the Reds are on to something speciaI I hope they continue on a positive path. PS You are my favorite sports bloggist but… Mike Birbiglia is my favorite comedian so I guess its a wash. tburkey@unm.edu
By Broadway
April 15, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
595 you say? Yep, because the pitch was in the middle of the plate—he’s supposed to hit that pitch! If memory serves me he hit into a double play next time up trying to pull the ball! He’s better when he hits the ball where it is pitched; instead of insisting on pulling most pitches. The ball he hit for a home run was hit to left-center field.
By Broadway
April 15, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
If we are trying to win baseball games: Why are we overusing a non-talent like Todd Coffey? Who the heck does this guy know? He’s awful—and they keep using his sorry…!