Alter vs. Centerville
Beckett Park nearly finished
Marshall vs. Valley View
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 > 21 > Entry
Another strange and ugly night
Yes, it was the San Diego Padres - the worst team in major-league baseball (their record says so), even though they beat the Cincinnati Reds Monday to snap a six-game losing streak.
For the Reds, it is always, “Bring us your tired, your poor, and we’ll fix you right up.”
But Homer Bailey is a semi-happy hurler right now. He owns two straight good starts. No wins, mind you. But two good starts that the bullpen blew when he stood to win. And Monday’s was a monster.
Coco Cordero, alleged closer who makes $46 million, was given a 4-3 lead in the night and when the Padres quit running around the bases they were 6-4 ahead and Bailey’s win, poof, like Pierre’s mustache.
At this juncture, Bailey would have taken a win over the Aunt Hazel’s Butterball All-Stars.
He held the Padres to three runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out two. It isn’t something to sit down and write the Cy Young committee about, but it has to be a humongous boost to Bailey’s confidence.
That’s two good starts in a row and his last one, the last Sunday before the All-Star break was against Milwaukee - a legitimate team - two runs, five hits over 5 2/3 innings and a no-decision.
And now it is evident why Bailey wears cowboy boots. He is snake-bit and he doesn’t want the poison injected into his ankles.
“Gonna have to put snake guards on them,” he said with a smile, able to smile despite not having a ‘W’ next to his name since late April for Class AAA Louisville.
“He threw the ball good, good enough to win, big-time,” said manager Dusty Baker.
“If you make good pitches, good things are going to happen,” said Bailey. Well, usually.
The Padres struck for two in the first, three straight one-out hits that included a run-scoring double by Adrian Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly by Kevin Kouzmanoff.
“After they got two runs in the first inning, I just did everything I could to forget about it,” said Bailey. “Even in the first inning I thought I made good pitches that they were able to get the bat on.
“It was the first inning and I knew our guys would pick me up,” Bailey added. Edwin Encarnacion homered and Ken Griffey Jr.’s 606th homer gave Bailey a 4-2 lead (And did you see Griffey hand the batting helmet to the kid holding aloft a supportive sign after Griffey hit the homer? Nice. Very nice.
But Cordero expunged that lead in the flick of a few fastballs and a few sliders - actually a whole bunch of pitches, like 40 in one inning, only 18 strikes.
Can you say $43 million?
OK, SO I’VE COVERED baseball for 36 years and I see something every week I’ve never seen. And with the Reds it usually is some inventive base running gaffes. Like Monday.
The Reds had runners on second and third with one out when Bailey shocked the Tri-County with a double when everybody thought he would lay down his second straight sacrifice bunt.
Jay Bruce grounded weakly to first and David Ross, on third, broke for home and stopped. He was easily thrown out at third and Bailey, caught halfway to third, was thrown out at second - just your routine 3-5-6 inning-ending double play. I mean, Tinkers to Ever to Chance this wasn’t.
That reminds me of one of my favorite Jim Murray lines when he columnized for the Los Angeles Times. Describing the double play combination of the early expansion and awful Los Angeles Angels, Murray wrote, “The Angels double play combination is Fregosi to Asprmonte to Avalon Boulevard.”
Of the bizarre double play, a perplexed Baker said, “In all my years in baseball, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one. Strange, very strange.”
TWO OF MY all-time favorite baseball writers died within the last week - Jerome Holtzman of the Chicago Tribune and Neil Hohlfeld of the Houston Chronicle.
Holtzman was retired but was historian for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Holtzman wrote one of my all-time favorite books, No Cheering in the Press Box, a book, he signed for me and a book I read at least every two years.
Holtzman could be a gruff curmudgeon, but if he liked you, you were golden. He wrote always with a cigar stub between his lips and he hummed as he wrote. I sat next to him at a World Series one year and was entertained by the entire score from South Pacific, as hummed by Holtzman.
And there was the time during the playoffs that Holtzman was seated next to another Chicago writer, Dave Nightengale. They didn’t like each other much. The work space was tight and when one thought the other was encroaching, words were spoken harshly, chairs scraped backwards, and the fight was on.
A third Chicago writer said, “I don’t like either one of those Bozos. Let ‘em duke it to the death.”
Hohlfeld was a beat writer for many year for the Houston Astros, mostly when the Astros were the Houston Lastros or the Houston Disastros. Early one year, in April, when only about 10 games had been played, the ‘Stros were in first place.
Paul Meyer, beat writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was needling Hohlfeld early in a game and Hohlfeld said, “Can’t talk, Paul. I’m covering a first-place team.”
Anyway, if you get the chance, read Holtzman’s No Cheerling in the Press Box. It truly is a classic.
I STILL THINK Reds owner Bob Castellini should hire me to do the half innings when the opposing team bats. I’m cheap. Every time I do the second inning with Marty Brennaman, the other team goes down 1-2-3…and quickly. Almost every time.
On Monday, it was 1-2-3 on six pitches. Marty asked me how Aruba was and I said fine and he said, “Nice talking with you. See you next time.” Next time when I go in the booth I’m going to ask, “Should I even sit down?”
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment |
Tweet
Comments
By Matt
July 22, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this
Here’s the lineup vs. the Padres tonight: Jay Bruce cf Jeff Keppinger ss Ken Griffey Jr. rf Brandon Phillips 2b Adam Dunn lf Javy Valentin 1b Edwin Encarnacion 3b Paul Bako c Johnny Cueto p v. Jake Peavy p
By Don
July 22, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
The collusion between Votto and Coco symbolizies this collection of players.I can’t call them a team because they don’t play like one.It’s disturbing to see the tenative play when an opponent lays down a bunt and the pitcher and catcher are waiting on each other to make the play.I look at the A’s they don’t have anyone close to Dunn when it comes to power.When it appears a player’s value as peaked they trade him before they lose him to free agency.I would prefer to see the Reds trade the over paid underproducing players if they can. Then stop shelling the $$$ out put it in the farm system.If the Reds are going to be an also ran then lets put players out their that love the game more than their paycheck.
By Mike-Cinci
July 22, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
The Reds problem is they do not have enough “top” players. The position players tend be average or middle of the pack guys when you compare them to other teams. The one exception is Phillips. I agree the young guys have potential (Votto, Bruce, EE) but until they produce consistently we are just hoping they will become top players sometime down the road. There are some good young pitchers coming along which is encouraging but we do not yet have solid evidence they will become productive winners. Some others have pointed out there is no veteran leadership and the lack of success in recent years has created an expectation of losing. As we move along toward the 9th straight losing season the Reds are more like the Pirates, Royals, Orioles, Giants, Padres than the Cubs, Cardinals, or Brewers. You can not escape the verdict of the won/loss record. Close is only good in horseshoes. Making this collection of talent a winner will not be easy. Jocketty has a tough job.
By Matt
July 22, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this
While I readily admit that Krivsky wasn’t the greatest GM, he was far from the worst. Let’s not forget; he got us Edinson Volquez, Brandon Phillips and Jeff Keppinger, just to name a few. And yes, he got us Cordero too, which was a good move. More often than not this season, Cordero has been on the money. He is a seasoned veteran that knows how to play the game, and I’m confident that the next time the Reds hand him the ball in the 9th that he’ll come through.
By beav
July 22, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
“He will turn it around and get it back together. “ HA HA HA He is performing to his career averages…less than 80% conversion on save opportunities. There is nothing to turn around. Yet another massive mistake by the amazing krivsky, if you think he stinks now, wait till 2010-11 !!!
By beav
July 22, 2008 2:25 PM | Link to this
“He will turn it around and get it back together. “ HA HA HA He is performing to his career averages…less than 80% conversion on save opportunities. There is nothing to turn around. Yet another massive mistake by the amazing krivsky, if you think he stinks now, wait till 2010-11 !!!
By Matt
July 22, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
I agree, the Reds should keep Coco Cordero, and she should continue being their closer. After the horrific showing by the bullpen last year, what were the Reds supposed to do? Hope for the best this year? Cordero was the best closer on the market and the Reds did fine by picking him up. He will turn it around and get it back together. As far as Piniella over Baker, Lou Piniella was under contract with the Cubs when the Reds signed Dusty Baker to be their manager. The Reds made a good hire with Baker, and he is the best manager the Reds have had since Jack McKeon, hands down.
By nick w.
July 22, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this
i agree cordero is just goin through a really rough time he did it last year and every great closer does it..look at some of the closer now wagner has blown the same amount as coco and i think he went like 4 games in a row that he blew a save this year and also blew the save at the allstar game, volquez would have been the winning pitcher too, the greastest closer of all time trevor hoffman has blown a few this year and nearly blew one last night but the reds can’t hit and u mentioned gagne he was awful this year and last and isn’t the closer anymore this is the same guy who had a streak of 80+ saves in a row..also look at brad lidge he fell apart in houston and now he is a all star closer for the phillies i know it is easy to get on home cus he has a bad stretch and is getting alot of money but for the first time in a long time the reds a everyday closer not just whoever is avaliable..
By Nate in Ft. Laud
July 22, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
I have to agree with MAC on this one. Cordero has outstanding stuff and has to remain our closer. Realistically we have no chance this year, but we need him there over anybody else going forward. Closers are a different breed that can be extremely streaky at times (see Eric Gagne of old). The Reds have to let him figure it out by putting him to the fire whenever the save opportunity is available. And we just have to stand by with our favorite drink nearby until he figures it out again.
By JKLnGC
July 22, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this
Hal, welcome back. CooCoo Cordero has an average of 19 pitches an inning. Nice investment. That comes to $50469.48 per pitch. Who’s counting. Caulk it up with other Reds investments like Dave Williams and Corey Patterson.
By wade
July 22, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this
Two words would have had this team competing right now “Lou Pinella”, but no, the Reds had to hire the toothpick chewing, sweatband wearing, ex-Dodger, who does not have the cahones’ to put a foot up anybody’s backside, much less tell Jr. he is no longer hitting in the 3 hole. Lou would not have had a problem with that. Do you think Dusty would have rolled with Dibble?
By nick w
July 22, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
it seems to me that the reds don’t want to get back to .500 cus everytime we get like 2 or 3 games away be blow a game or go on a losing streak then we come back and play great baseball and get all of or hopes up and get back to 2 or 3 games away then go and have a game like last night that we should have easily won..this is just like last weeks game against the mets and im not talking about coco blownin the save im talking about dusty or dick pole leaving in the starter to long if u remember they left cueto in for one more inning and he gave up a 2 run homer to cut our lead to only one and then coco blow the save then last night they left bailey in and he gave up a home run to cut it to one run lead and coco blow the save and i know that it wouldn’t have matter if coco had got the saves but those are important runs and when u have a bullpen thats been playing good, other then cordero, y not let them pitch in the beginning of the 6th he would have got the win and there would have been a two run lead instead of a one run which takes a little more pressure off of a closer..welcome back hal sorry u had to come back to this team…
By Matt
July 22, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
Last night’s loss was simply a metaphor for what has happened here the past 7 years. It was the past 7 years all stuffed into one game; bad pitching, horrendous base running, bad defense, inconsistent offense. The Reds don’t need another 5 or 6 year rebuilding project. This team needs to retool, not rebuild. Teams that are always on a rebuilding project stay “rebuilding” forever. Just ask the Pirates and Royals if you need some proof of that. This ballclub has a core nucleus of young, talented players. Adam Dunn, Brandon Phillips, Encarnacion, Bruce and Votto are a core nucleus to build around. Add Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, and Homer Bailey to that equation as well. This team is not full of 35 plus year old veterans. This team is a few pieces short, not a whole team short. The biggest problem that this team has, in my opinion, is the “culture of losing” that has permeated this team for 7 long seasons. This team doesn’t have a winning attitude or a winning mindset. A team with a winning attitude and mindset doesn’t commit the horrendous, laughable base running blunder the Reds made last night in the 5th. A team with a winning mindset and attitude is able to record 3 outs in the 9th inning against a team with the worst record in MLB. Losing teams, and teams that don’t have their head in the game, make excuses and sit at home during the playoffs. The Reds are in 4th place for a reason, it’s not just dumb luck, and they’ve shown why the past two games and on Thursday night. The Mets didn’t beat the Reds and the Padres didn’t beat the Reds. The Reds beat themselves. Quite simply and quite frankly, the Reds are their own worst enemy, and until that changes, we will continue to see sub-.500 seasons and games like we’ve seen the previous two outings. I love the Reds, and it kills me when they lose, especially like they have the past two games. I only hope that Jocketty, Baker and company will take the necessary steps and make the tough decisions to put this team where they belong, which is first place in the division year after year and at the top of the heap. Because the team on the field now is a day late and a dollar short.
By Steven Ross
July 22, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
Matt wrote: If he put Patterson in to bunt, how much better would he have done? It’s not like ol’ Patty is a great handler of the bat. He probably would have popped it up somewhere. Why Matt, the planets must be aligned—-we agree!
By MAC
July 22, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
WOW; just amazing how this team finds ways to lose games. Clearly the team has some nice young talent; unfortunately, they haven’t yet learned how to close out & win the close ones. If fault can be found w/ anyone, it has to be the veterans who should be leading the team in these situations instead of failing in the clutch? As for Coco, he has good stuff, but I think he has to come inside more for teams to honor it. He has thrown very well the last couple of times out, but teams are just leaning over the plate and using his speed to generate offense. In short, Coco needs to take his side of the plate back and it may take one of those 97 fastballs in somebody’s ribs to do it? Hal, I like your suggestion on booth time; perhaps you could limit it to when Coco comes in?
By Cyrus
July 22, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
Hal, your headline “Another strange and ugly night” — ugly, yes! Putrid, in fact. Strange? No, not for this current version of the Reds. “Typical,” “commonplace,” “to-be- expected” come to mind for me more quickly that strange. This happless team rarely seems to coordinate a good pitching effort or good relief effort with good offense and good defence. Seems 80% of the time that one of these elemnets is missing. Having said that, however, I see a heck of a lot of promise with this team…perhaps it’s just a matter of timing. At least, they aren’t playing as listless as before the break, and that’s refreshing.
By Reds Fan
July 22, 2008 10:15 AM | Link to this
Worst wrenching loss of the year!! For Cordero to give up HR to Wright was one thing but to blow it against SD is pitiful. Cordero has lost faith in his pitches he won’t pitch to contact anymore. Why don’t this team just say its rebuilding. I mean for everything good something stupid happens. Bailey and Ross caught in DP, Josh Fogg missing the bunt how in the h—- you have bases crocked and no outs and Hoffman gets out of it. On top of sunday’s game boy this team is fun to watch. At least training camps open this week bring on the football.
By Tyler
July 22, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
For everyone saying that we made a mistake with Coco I think you are very wrong. I understand that he has blown 6 saves on the year but honestly would you rather have Stormy Weathers back in there? Dave, as for switching Cordero out of the closing role.. that would be a idiotic move regardless of what he has done recently, Coco is still the best option when it comes to closing. No one else can run it up there at 97 and also offer a good slider and change up. He is a proven closer and you have to ride him out. As for those thinking its Dusty’s fault, you need to get real he had nothing to do with the loss tonight. It was probably Patterson, Dunn, and JR’s fault because he hits in the 3 hole.
By Jack
July 22, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
Easy to say now, but never liked the Cordiero signing. Not that he is a bad pitcher, just I dont feel the need to pay a closer 12 million or whatever he makes. Just seem to recall that he blew a lot of saves for the Brewers. I heard that he was somewhere in the 70’s for save percentage. That is horrible. Welcome back Hal!
By Dave Mosher
July 22, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
I only saw the tail end of last night’s game…but that was enough…The again bad performance by Cordero, and the fact that Majewski had to come in and clean up his mess… And then watching Jay Bruce, David Ross, & Javier Valentin go down against Trevor Hoffman without so much as a wimper really took the cake. Bruce looked like it was his first time at bat, David Ross didn’t do much better, and it was really surprising when Valentin didn’t rescue the whole team the way he usually does in his pinch hit role. If David Weathers did so good in the 8th, why didn’t Baker bring him back in the 9th??? He couldn’t have done any worse than Cordero did. Maybe when Burton gets back off the disabled list, they should think about swapping his role with Cordero’s…What else do they have to lose that they haven’t already lost????
By Mike
July 22, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
People I come with heartwarming news…Mr. J was seen on the Levi early this morning enjoying the sunrise, he had his evaluation sheets, cell phone, rolaids, calculator, lap top and even his best pen. He is evaluating today. He was very distraught over last night debacle. We are nearing the deadline and evaluations are in progress!! ( they have been since he came Jan 16 !! )
By Matt
July 22, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
If he would have put Patterson in that situation, how much better would he have done? It’s not like ol’ Patty is a great handler of the bat. He probably would have popped it up somewhere.
By fan_from_afar
July 22, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
To answer Florida Buckeye’s question from the previous blog, Grande calls Cordero “Coco” because his name is FransisCO COrdero. And Grande isn’t the only announcer to call him that. Bob Uecker and the rest of the Brewers announcers all called him “Coco” during his stay in Milwaukee. Which leads to my next point. Milwaukee offered Cordero a very similar contract, but the Reds offered slightly more (another mil per year). So if the Reds are guilty of a poor decision there, then the Brewers would’ve happily made the same move. Now, if I could go back to the name thing, it does bother me when people refer to Cordero as “Coco Cordero” like Hal did here in this blog. It’s like saying “A-Rod Rodriguez” blech. :-(
By Votto 4 Pres.
July 22, 2008 9:14 AM | Link to this
How bout Dusty throwing Fogg in there to pinch hit to lay down a bunt with a runner on first??? Why not use Patterson??? I barely see Dusty’s logic, to save a position player, but c’mon… And if you give any other team the bases loaded in the 9th with no outs, they will score at least one. That’s the difference between the Red’s and the rest of the league.
By Steven Ross
July 22, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
Fellas, chill. The man with a plan, Walt Jocketty, is about to wield his mighty sword! Can’t you hear the drums of change? I can and it’s deafening!
By Mike-Cinci
July 22, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
Bad teams tend to make poor choices on players. They don’t scout well and they give big contracts to the wrong players. Cordero, Arroyo, Ross, Freel, Stanton, Griffey, Patterson seem to fit this category on the Reds. A small market team with an average at best payroll needs to be smarter than the big money boys. There is less room for error. The Reds can’t afford big money mistakes.
By bill
July 22, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Dusty Raker is a bad, bad manager!
By Kyle
July 22, 2008 7:41 AM | Link to this
So, do the Reds have it in them to pull the plug on their $43 million dollar man? He’s now blown 23% of his saves. Was Stormy even that bad last year? And I couldn’t stand Stormy. Maybe Cordero is the move that needs to be made with this team. Burton, when healthy, has closer stuff.
By Sam J. in Ind.
July 22, 2008 7:30 AM | Link to this
I personally get tired of hearing Dusty Baker and everyone else associated with this team talk about losing like it’s just one of those things you can’t control, saying things like “it just got away” or “bad luck” as though they have no control of it. This team won’t quit talking about contending, yet they’ve thrown away three games they should have won in the past week. And let’s not fall all over ourselves saying the Padres are the worst team in baseball. It’s not like the Reds are so superior. Write it down now, this team will go about 3-6 the rest of this homestand. let’s not forget the Astros absolutely own the Reds at GABP.
By AP-FLORIDA
July 22, 2008 7:19 AM | Link to this
ABSOLUTELY PITIFUL!!!!