Hamilton Holiday Kids Parade
Truancy Court in Butler County
.JPG)
2009 Ohio State football
Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > April > 30 > Entry
Meet me in St. Louis
Anybody who plans to visit St. Louis, stay at the Westin on Spruce. And this is not a free commercial. I paid (well, the newspaper did) full boat for my stay.
But it is one of America’s great hotels, probably my favorite. Sweet, large rooms, marble bathrooms, plush carpeting and fixtures. And you can look out your window and see Busch Stadium and the Gateway Arch.
The MetroLink train runs right next door - one way to the airport and the other way across the Mississippi to the Casino Queen, for those inclined to contribute to the Illinois economy. I always hope I break even because I need the money.
Just down the street is Charley Gitto’s, my favorite out-of-town Italian restaurant and second favorite anywhere behind Momma DiSalvo’s right there in Kettering. Gitto’s is stuffed with photos of celebrities, including at least five of Tommy Lasorda, so you know it must be good Italian food.
Charley sends food to the visiting team’s clubhouse for the first game of each series, so the Reds celebrated Monday’s win with Gitto’s best.
Anyway, t’was a short night - back at the hotel after Tuesday’s horror show at 1 a.m., up at 7 to pack, check out and hit the clubhouse by 10 for a meeting with manager Dusty Baker.
As I passed the old Marriott near where the old park stood (now a large hole in the ground with visions of big things to happen - sort of like the big hole next to Great American Ball Park), I thought of the only time I missed the first pitch of a game.
It was a Sunday morning after a Saturday night game. I left the window cracked on my 18th floor room that overlooked the old Busch. As I awoke, I heard a spooky voice: “Now batting for the Cardinals, No. 23, Ted Simmons.” It was the bottom of the first and I made it by the top of the third.
Anyway, when I got to the park Thursday morning, that’s when it was discovered that Baker’s revamped pitching rotation has been revamped again.
Before Tuesday’s game, the rotation for a three-game weekend series in Atlanta was to be Edinson Volquez, Matt Belisle and Johnny Cueto. Bronson Arroyo was shoved back to Tuesday, seven days of rest.
Then Cueto was stuffed and mounted by the Cardinals Tuesday night - 1 2/3 innings, seven runs (six earned) and eight hits.
Quick change time.
On Wednesday morning Baker said the rotation in Atlanta now is Volquez, Belisle and Arroyo. Cueto is being moved back to Tuesday, giving him six days of rest.
To me, that makes sense. Arroyo pitched fairly well Monday and may have relocated his AWOL fastball. Cueto is struggling - 0-3 with a 6.74 ERA over his last four starts.
In addition, Baker and GM Walt Jocketty have put out a call for Mario Soto, Cueto’s mentor, to join the team for some reconstruction work.
“Mario practically raised him as a pitcher, taught him the change-up,” said Baker. “I said in spring training that I’d like Soto to join us about once a month to help Cueto and Edinson Volquez.”
Just leave Volquez alone, OK? Just pat him on the back and say, “Just keep on keeping on.” Or as Abe Lincoln once said when people complained about Gen. U.S. Grant’s drinking, “Find out what brand he drinks and give it to the other generals.”
Of Cueto, Baker said, “Based on his last couple of starts, moving Cueto back gives him a little more time to collect his thoughts and give him a couple of bullpen sessions instead of one. His change-up has been up and he has lost confidence in his slider. We’ll get Mario Soto on the case, big-time.”
Or as he was known during his days in the Reds rotation: Mario Speedwagon.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment |
Comments
By Jason
April 30, 2008 8:12 PM | Link to this
There is a fabulous book by Vince Staten called “Why Is the Foul Pole Fair” that covers the “K = strikeout” story along with other “why” questions about the game. The author even spotlights the daily routine of a certain (ahem!) beat writer for a certain (ahem!) southwestern Ohio major league baseball team. Gee.. who could that possibly be??By Mr. Redlegs
April 30, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
Liz, since I am almost 139 years old and actually knew Henry Chadwick personally, I can tell you the K is an abbreviation from the last letter in the word “struck,” as in struck out. The foundation is sketchy and disputable, but Chadwick, who designed the scoring system and several other aspects of the early game, had already assigned “S” for sacrifice. The phrase struck out was used instead of strikeout, so Chadwork simply used the K for the abbreviation in his scorebooks.By Katzowitz
April 30, 2008 7:25 PM | Link to this
I agree with you about the St. Louis Westin. Every time I went to my room there, it felt like I was walking into my own apartment. Just a beautiful place. I really like the Philly Marriott downtown, but the St. Louis Westin tops it.By liz
April 30, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this
Why does “K” stand for a strike out???By Mr. Redlegs
April 30, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
Way to go, Hal. Max out your travel budget in April and sit at home in your slippers when the Reds are 12 games out in September. Droll, very droll.By Jeff
April 30, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this
Hal, this is why I love your blog posts. Where else can I get an Abe Lincoln Civil War reference to describe the Reds pitching? And how did you get the paper to pay for a suite with marble bathrooms?By Bart
April 30, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
The Reds are headed for another dismal season. They cant hit and they cant pitch and Baker should not have been named manager. He is not the solution. For example: Hatteberg : hitting 9th today below Harang? No wonder the Reds cant hit. A first baseman should be a decent hitter, not batting number 9 in the lineup! How pathetic! As you know Hal, I used to go to see the Reds. Now, you couldnt give me a ticket!By Press Box Cigars
April 30, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this
El gran Mario Soto se vuelve por favor a Cincinnati y ayuda a Johnny joven. Su sabiduría y la enseñanza ayudarían grandemente.