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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 > July > 12 > Entry
Hairston finds a haven
Jerry Hairston Jr. is not only a catalyst, he is a catalytic converter and what he does for the Cincinnati Reds is cataclysmic.
Number sometimes lie, can be construed any way the interpreter wants, but Hairston’s are dead, solid platinum.
He had four hits and scored three runs in Miller Park Friday to help the Reds bury the Milwaukee Brewers, 8-2, lifting Edinson Volquez to his 12th victory.
And Adam Dunn contributed the heavy lumber with a pair of homers and four RBIs.
How important is Hairston?
When he plays shortstop the team is 20-10. When he bats leadoff the team is 18-13. When he bats sixth the team is 3-0. When he plays center field the team is 8-2. Right field? 2-0.
“Keep that center field, right field and batting sixth stuff under wraps,” said Hairston with a laugh. He prefers shortstop and leadoff — two spots he should be every day, every night, every game.
But it doesn’t matter where he plays or where he bats, his presence is majestic.
“You think one guy doesn’t make a difference?” said manager Dusty Baker. “They tried to tell me that in Chicago when we lost Derrek Lee. I know better.”
Hairston was sitting at home mid-spring, hoping for a job, when the Reds came calling and now he is hitting .344 with a .392 on-base average.
“Best I’ve played since 2003, right before I got hurt,” he said. “I really felt like I was turning the corner but I had a foot injury and when I came back I was like 4 for 50 or 4 for 70. I shouldn’t have come back.”
Volquez is 12-3 as he heads for the All-Star game and owns more confidence than any 25-year-old deserves to have. How confident? He is making predictions now.
“After I warmed up, I told Edwin Encarnacion, ‘I’m going to win this game. I’m going to have a very good game because I have great stuff.’”
Volquez said Encarnacion looked at him as if he were el loco. Then he added to the legend in the first inning with All-Star Ryan Braun batting.
“I told Edwin I was going to strike him out,” said Volquez. “Edwin told me, ‘You’re crazy, man,’ then I struck him out.”
Said Hairston of Volquez, “He is a tremendous pitcher with tremendous stuff. To think he is only 25. We are confident that we’re going to win when he pitches.”
Volquez went seven innings, giving up two runs, one earned, and six hits over seven innings, striking out 10, lowering his ERA to 2.29.
“I only told Edwin, nobody else, I was going to have a great night,” said Volquez. “All my pitches are going to be there and he was laughing at me.”
And Dunn is on one of his terror tantrums — five homers in six games.
When a writer asked about it, Dunn said, “You obviously are from Milwaukee? Yeah. You don’t see me often, dude. I got into these ruts where I take pitches that I should be hitting and swing at ones I shouldn’t.
“Right now I’m in one of those things that is just the opposite — I swing at pitches that I should be swinging at, seeing the ball good, and getting good results. I’m seeing it good and just swinging it,” Dunn added.
Seth McClung vs. Edinson Volquez seemed a monumental mismatch and it appeared to be just that in the first inning.
Hairston led the game with a single, Ken Griffey Jr. walked on a full count and Dunn propelled his 25th home run over the right field wall.
Quicker than you can say Bernie Brewer, the Reds were in front, 3-0.
Stayed that way, too, until the fourth when Hairston booted Braun’s grounder for an error and Prince Fielder launched a stand-and-watch (which he did) home run to left field, cutting Volquez’s margin to 3-2.
Volquez gave up three singles in the fifth, including a leadoff hit to McClung, breaking a streak of 0 for 38 by Milwaukee pitchers.
That forced Volquez to face Fielder, this time with the bases loaded. After he jumped ahead 2-and-0, Fielder rolled a weak grounder to second and the Brewers didn’t score.
“A change-up,” said Volquez. “My change-up hasn’t been there for three or four starts, but it was the best it has been in a long time.”
The Reds went feeble after the first, getting one hit off McClung in 5 2/3 innings after Dunn’s homer.
They broke through for a run against the Brewers bullpen in the eighth after Hairston led with a double, his third hit. With two outs and a 3-and-2 count, Griffey rolled a run-scoring single to right to make it 4-2.
Dunn’s second homer, his 26th, led the ninth against Eric Gagne, then Encarnacion pumped his 15th homer over the left field fence on an 0-2 pitch, pushing the cushion to four runs.
It didn’t stop there because Corey Patterson’s single, Hairston’s fourth-hit double and Jay Bruce’s two-run single made it 8-2.
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By Jeffery 1961
July 15, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Homer looked good. Needs Nolan Ryans attitude. Throw every pitch like its your last.
By Jeffery 1961
July 15, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Homer looked good. Needs Nolan Ryans attitude. Throw every pitch like its your last.
By Aaron B.
July 13, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this
Way to jinx Hairston, Hal. You and John Fay both. You guys are worse tha Sports Illustrated.
By AP-FLORIDA
July 13, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this
This is definetly an audition for someone who is interested in Bailey
By Dutch
July 13, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
Hairston is not a catalytic converter. A catalytic converter is a restricter. Patterson is the catalytic converter and Hairston is like taking it off. All cars run better without the catalytic converter.
By Mr. Baseball
July 13, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
The Brewers are below .500 against right-handed pitchers, so Homer might have a chance today, especially if we load up on right handed hitters. Let’s throw this lineup at C.C. today and see what happens: Hairston CF, Keppinger SS, B. Phillips 2B, Dunn LF, Encarnacion 3B, A. Phillips RF, Valentin 1B, Ross C, Bailey P. Not your everyday lineup, but maybe a bit of a change-up for C.C. Let’s see what Andy Phillips can do if he gets 4-5 at bats.
By Carp
July 13, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
Hal, I really enjoy your blog and the way you tell like it is. Quite refreshing! Jerry Hairston, Jr. is having MVP type of performance for the Reds and it is his fire and passion that do make the team better. Have no idea how Homer will do today, I think if he does well, he could probably end up traded!
By Mike-Cinci
July 13, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this
Matt Holliday is not a free agent. He is signed to a multi-year deal by the Rockies. Go to mlbcontracts.blogspot.com to see a list of 2009 free agents. (Cots baseball contracts). In my humble opinion there is not much there and what is there will get big money.
By ChrisSabo
July 13, 2008 10:22 AM | Link to this
Hey Hal, do you think Dunn sitting every 5 days or so, as opposed to his old routine of one off day a month or so, has anything to do with him seeing the ball better? Or is it just one of the usual streaks he gets on?
By Wizard
July 13, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this
Florida Buckeye: Are you kidding? You MUST be kidding: we are allowed to have an opinion about Reds players? Imagine that. What a concept for a sports blog. You mean I can say my very own opinion and I won’t be called “ignorant”?
By Matt
July 13, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this
Edwin Encarnacion is a young player, and with young players more often than not you are going to have to take some lumps as they develop. No, his stats are not perfect, as some on this blog expect Reds players to be. But he is clearly a talented player who is clearly getting better. The answer is to stick with Edwin at third base and let him continue to develop into the solid big leaguer he will become.
By Florida Buckeye
July 13, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Okay, I stand corrected: EE is great…here are his stats: .913 fielding percentage, 12th of 14 in NL, and would be worst in the AL; 12th of 13 in Batting Avg in NL and only 2 points higher than last…and, oh yeah, tied with most errors at his position…This isn’t personal: It’s just my opinion that someone who has a higher batting average; makes less errors, has a better on base percentage, and has a winning attitude w/r to body language and on-field performance should play over others…and, btw, I am NOT attacking anyone on here, so please, realize that we all have opinions, even if you disagree!
By Wizard
July 13, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
Have you ever seen anything like Edinson Volquez? What an athlete. See him stalk around the mound—look at Edwin with a knowing look, with a slight grin. Like, yes, I am good; and they know I am good! Go Homer Bailey!
By Matt
July 13, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
Getting rid of Encarnacion is absolutely not the answer. His errors are down from previous seasons, and he is only 25 years old. His upside is huge and I believe his prediction that he will win a Gold Glove eventually. His defense is solid, and his bat has been getting hot at just the right time.
By Florida Buckeye
July 13, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Yes, I really do think getting rid of a third baseman, who has more errors than dingers, on a team full of power hitters, is one of the solutions to our problems…I also believe that the mental stress, for a pitcher (read Arroyo and Harang, if you’d like) of knowing that your D- is going to give up extra runs, and free outs has to takes it’s toll…so, for starters, yes, I do think getting rid of EE, while he’s still a commodity makes good baseball sense…
By jim
July 13, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
People it doesn’t matter how much money the reds have to spend next year. We will not be in the running for a free agent the likes of Matt Holliay. We may sign some of our own free agents but winning a bidding war for Holliday isn’t going to happen. Our model is Oakland or Minn. When do you see them bidding for free agents. The way for us is through the farm system or trades.Florida Buckeye its easy to see why your baffeled. Do you really think trading a 25 year old 3rd baseman that is just starting to hit like he can is the soution to the team? And while your passing blame around how about Harang and Arroyo do they get any.I’m sure if CP wouldn’t have been signed we would be in first place. This team played horrible as a team. No one person caused this. do you remember how terrible we hit with runners in scoring position? How many of you would have looked at Haristons career numbers before the season and said this guy is the leadoff hitter we need? Answer: none.While we’re passing out all the blame to Dusty, he did bring in Hariston for almost nothing and he has been a bargain.
By Bob
July 13, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
None of this matters in the eyes of the “gnawing one” Dusty. Winning combos are not nearly as important to him as being sure Jr. is batting third and Corey is getting a chance to lower his batting average. And before some of you get all excited over Dunn’s recent spurt, realize this guy hasn’t changed and that OBP & BB’s are far more important stats for for your table setters and don’t amount to much for the supposed RBI guys.
By Florida Buckeye
July 13, 2008 8:15 AM | Link to this
I’m baffled…IF Dusty can see how much one person can positively affect a team; why couldn’t be see the negative consequences of playing CP?!? Only one more tweak on the field I’d like to see: Kepp at third, and EE gone…and Griff moved from 3 to, say 6-7, and I truly believe that we have a team that can, and would finish above 500 for the year! Enjoy Aruba Hal!
By AP-FLORIDA
July 13, 2008 7:59 AM | Link to this
Nice game..enjoyable to watch when they show energy and passion for the game. It is great when a couple of guys get hot at the same time. Let’s hope it continues today and AFTER the all star break..GO REDS….HAL,HAVE FUN IN ARUBA (can you take matt with you and leave him?)
By L - In Indy
July 12, 2008 11:50 PM | Link to this
Seems to me, and I am a Griffey fan before we start the arguing and name calling, that if the Reds were to get a big time #3 hitter we would be an extremely good offensive team. Hal, or anyone that doesn’t want to rant on the Reds, can you tell me if the Reds part ways with Bronson, Gonzalez, and Griffey why they couldn’t sign a guy like Matt Holliday? I think he is a free agent after this year. Affeldt (I can’t spell it) might be good enough to take Bronson’s place. I would say I am the one Dreamin’ and Schemin’!!!
By Y-City Jim
July 12, 2008 11:49 PM | Link to this
Wishing Homer Bailey good luck for tomorrow. With at least three wins on this road trip locked up, Reds fans have a lot to be pleased about. Let’s see if we can’t have a real fun second half of the season.