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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 > September > 07 > Entry
You don’t need a scorecard
On an early Sunday morning in early September, one didn’t need a newspaper or the internet to check the standings to see where the Cincinnati Reds stand and where the Chicago Cubs stand.
Few have access to major-league clubhouses, but those of us who are fortunate enough can take an easy reading.
Reds bottom. Cubs top.
A walk into the Reds clubhouse at 11 a.m. Sunday revealed, uh, not much. There are four couches at one end, couches formerly the domain of Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn. Now that they are gone, the couches have become the Latin Quarter - occupied by the Hispanics. On this morning they were being used by Javier Valentin, Ramon Ramirez, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez. Jolbert Cabrera and Francisco Cordero are members, too.
But their talk was quiet, subdued. Joey Votto quietly dressed in his corner stall.
Manager Dusty Baker stopped Aaron Harang and said, “This is your playoffs. Treat it like a playoff game.” Then he wandered over to relief pitcher Mike Lincoln, who has had a problem finding outs lately, and talked to him for 15 minutes about pitch selection.
There was no music. A TV was on, with the sound off. Nobody was watching.
Now a trip to the Cubs clubhouse. Loud music. Players in uniform everywhere. Former Cincinnati pitcher Ryan Dempster was with several writers, talking about the Chicago Bears.
There is a clubhouse attendant named Mike Dillon and he loves to torment the Cubs.
On Sunday, he had a pen, but it wasn’t really a pen. He gave it to Cubs catcher Henry Blanco and asked Blanco to sign an autograph. When Blanco began to sign, the pen shocked him.
Blanco, Carlos Zambrano and a couple of other Cubs grabbed Dillon, known in the clubouse as ‘Skins,’ and tossed him into a large laundry cart that is on wheels. Then they wrapped him up in advesive tape like a mummy, including his eyes, and wheeled him from the clubhouse to the playing field.
Blanco poured a bottle of water all over Dillon and they left him baking in the sun at slow simmer.
When Dillion extricated himself, he went back into the Cubs clubhouse and doused Blanco’s locker with a bottle of water. Blanco wasn’t happy and said, “You got some important papers wet, Skins.”
Said Dillon, “You got my underwear wet, important underwear. Fruit of the Loops (sic).”
Dillon rides a bicycle from his home to the park every day and Blanco disappeared for a while, re-appearing carrying the front wheel of Dillon’s bike.
“Are you stupid? Are you an idiot? Tell me you didn’t take the wheel off my bicycle,” Dillion yelled as Blanco handed him the wheel. Said Zambrano, “Whatcha got there, Skins, a unicycle?”
The Cubs leave Cincinnati for St. Louis Sunday night and Skins whispered to me, “Hal, why do they treat me like this? I’m a nice guy.” Then he smiled sheepishly and said, “Wait until they get to St. Louis and check their equipment. They aren’t gonna like me then at all.”
Dillon/Skin wouldn’t say what he did to sabotage the Cubs, but his smile said it was, indeed, dastardly.
Ah, the fun and games of a winner and The Silence of the Lambs in the loser’s quarters.
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By Wizard
September 12, 2008 10:13 PM | Link to this
Next year: Dickerson-Patterson-CF/—Votto-LF/—BP-SS/Castillo-A.Phillips-2nd/You know who—1st/Hannigan-C Patterson isn’t leaving.
By Wizard
September 12, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this
Did I hear them say Dunn has played first base for the snakes—after he wouldn’t play it for the Reds?
By Matt
September 12, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this
Michael, it’s unfortunate that you feel the way you do, but Griffey wasn’t the reason for 8 years of losing. When Griffey was healthy, he contributed and did his part. Whether it be with his glove or with his bat, he most definitely did his part. The reason the Reds never won with Griff, in my opinion, was that they never built a winning team around him. Ken Griffey Jr. has had a Hall of Fame career, but he is not Superman. One great player doesn’t make a team great. To say that Junior did “nothing” for the Reds, is a gross distortion of the facts as far as I’m concerned. Yeah he was injured a lot. It wasn’t like he wanted to get hurt. Who knows what would have happened if he had stayed healthy for his full 9 years here? But the fact is he didn’t. He still hit 200 plus home runs with the team, and won more games than we could count with his bat, glove or both.
By michael
September 12, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this
You guys are Mariner fans in denial, and you are some of those adoring fans that made Griffey in Cincinnati. He may be a good guy, who cares. He did nothing for the Reds. They have sucked since he got here, and he missed more games than anybody. I am a Reds fan. Griffey was an average player as a Red. I don’t dislike the guy, he just brought my team down.
By Matt
September 12, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
You got that right again, Kevin. You seem like a pretty bright guy!
By Kevin
September 12, 2008 6:54 AM | Link to this
And a damn fine example of a family man.
By Matt
September 12, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this
Yeah, he’s a heck of a guy, and a heck of a ballplayer too.
By Kevin
September 12, 2008 3:25 AM | Link to this
No problem. For the record…I admired Griffey to.
By Matt
September 11, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Kevin.
By Kevin
September 11, 2008 9:37 PM | Link to this
He`s just like the rest of us Matt…Damn tired of your long winded testimonials.
By Matt
September 11, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this
No, michael. The reason that I stated what I did is because it comes from the heart. I’m not just some blind, ignorant fan of Griffey’s. Just because what I think differs from you doesn’t mean you need to get an attitude.
By michael
September 11, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
You are the that adoring fan, Matt. Next.
By Matt
September 11, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this
Junior has stated on multiple occasions that at this point in his career he wants a World Series ring. He has nothing left to prove. He has had a Hall of Fame career, and he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He’s played the game the right way for 20 years, and I say God bless him for it. Being adored by the local fans wasn’t important to him, and it shouldn’t have been important to him. The reason for that is because he never was adored by the majority of Reds fans. In my opinion that’s because people expected Griffey to come in here and be a savior, and that was just never going to happen. One man doesn’t make a team; a team has to build around a guy like Junior to be successful. The Reds didn’t do that, and that’s why they didn’t win. It had nothing to do with Griffey. Up until shortly before his trade to the White Sox, when Junior was in the lineup he produced, whether with his bat or his glove or both. He happens to be an even-keeled guy. So what? Geez, it seems like if a player doesn’t put on pom-poms and lead the damn team in a cheer before they take the field that somehow that means that player doesn’t care. If Griff didn’t care, why would he keep coming back after all those injuries? It would have been much easier to just take the easy route and hang it up and retire. Griffey loved the team and wanted to help the team win too much to do that. Ken Griffey Jr. is a class act, and the Reds as well as their fans were lucky to have him play on this club for 9 years. I hope he gets his ring this year with the White Sox. He certainly deserves it.
By michael
September 11, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
Its so good to see the Reds playing some good baseball. I stand by my opinion (for about 7 years now)that Griffey was part of the problem. Jr set a lethargic example to the youngsters (to include AD) of how a “pro” conducts himself. Being adored by his loyal fans was more important to him than winning, and hitting in the 3 hole was killing us. Its good to see that era come to an end, and I think it has rejuvinated the Reds a little.
By azabyss
September 10, 2008 7:18 PM | Link to this
Nice, looks like at least the comments are being edited. So what’s the deal with waiting until the season is over to start playing like it was the all-star break again? I remember thinking that if the Reds could go on a good streak out of the AS break, they could really be in position for a WC spot. Instead what we got is two months in the dumps and then finally some wins coming in garbage time. Worst thing about that slump after the ASG is that is led the Reds to get rid of Dunn for near nothing. What he could have been resigned for would have been on the low side for someone of his production. Oh well. I like seeing the team playing pretty well anyway. Maybe that will be encouraging in regard to making FAs take another look this winter.
By Matt
September 10, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
Interesting how you can determine that from some comments on a baseball blog. You must have some special abilities or something. Your comment Huber, along with every other one that delivers unnecessary and outrageous personal attacks against me, will be forwarded to Hal. Thanks and have a great day.
By HuberTucky
September 10, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
Talk about frightening. Imagine anyone issuing Matt a rifle! Whew! How many ways to spell nut case?
By Kevin
September 10, 2008 3:27 AM | Link to this
Hal…I love this comments section of your blog. it gives true Reds fans a place to not only vent about the team, but to also discuss methods for improvment for the organization. is it possible for you and or your staff to just cull the people who are continuously a pain in the a*s for those of us who otherwise enjoy your blog? Just asking.
By michael
September 9, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Good win tonight, and CP is actually hitting over .200! Bako really knocked the crap out of the one he hit to the pitcher with bases loaded…wow, how judy was that? The Reds are playing some decent, hard- chargin baseball now, but these two have got to go! Imagine what they could do if they fill those spots with some legit players.
By cantbeatagoodfilet
September 9, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this
Dear Mr. McCoy, Not that you need it, but you have my permission to shut down the comment section of your blog. In spite of your warning, the name-calling has continued and is overwhelming the baseball discussion.
By Matt
September 8, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
What a great rally to win the game by the Reds! Again! Fantastic clutch performances by Patterson and Keppinger. Not a good night at all for CP before that last AB, but in baseball a guy can go from a goat to winning the game in an instant. That’s just one of the many beauties of baseball. Impressive win by the Reds, and knocking off a playoff contender from our own division no less is just icing on the cake. And of course Coco coming in slamming the door in the 9th, after the rally.
By HuberTucky
September 8, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
Corey is 0-4 and Bako is also having a great night. Dusty finds a way to wiun a game (last night) then does the opposite the next day. Sigh. It’s simply beyond belief that Baker is as friggin’ dumb as he is to lead off a .200 hitter AGAIN!
By Mark in Sun Valley
September 8, 2008 8:01 PM | Link to this
People, we’re missing the big news of the day. Corey Patterson is again leading off for the Cincinnati Reds. I guess Dusty could not resist top loading the line-up with that heafty .204 batting average. After all, we are playing spoilers in the central..
By Mark in Sun Valley
September 8, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this
I feel like a kid who’s trip to Disneyland (in this case, Hal doing a Blog during the off season) is in jeopardy because his brothers won’t stop fighting. Please keep writing Hal, but shut the comments down. Apparently we are not responsible enough to handle the privledge.
By Second the Motion
September 8, 2008 5:58 PM | Link to this
Yep, shut ‘er down. It’s nothing more than a forum for one particular mental case.
By jsc
September 8, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this
P.S. I rest my case.
By Gary Maloy Jr.
September 7, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
The Reds beat the Cubbies two of three, and the clubhouse boy got the last laugh. The Cubbies are the lovable Cubbies. No way do they get to the Series. Well… Okay, they might get there, but they won’t win it. Can Chicagoans spell one-hundred-and-one?
By CT Reds fan
September 7, 2008 6:03 PM | Link to this
This story is why you are a hall of famer.Giving fans a look at the teams we don’t normally get to see.(but many speculate on)Hopefully next year the reds will be more up beat and confident,not so subdued.
By Matt
September 7, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this
It is of the utmost importance, in my opinion, for this team to acquire a Greg Vaughn type veteran player who can take charge of this clubhouse and lead this team. In 1999, the last great year in Cincinnati, Vaughn wasn’t afraid to grab a guy by he scruff of the neck and set him in line if he got out of line. Vaughn was a vocal leader and also led by example, and there was no question who was THE man in that locker room. I strongly believe the Reds need that veteran leadership again. It didn’t hurt that Vaughn also hit what, 50 home runs that year.
By Mark in Sun Valley
September 7, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
Even though they are young, I have been watching Votto and Bruce, and I get the feeling they together are going to try and lead this team. With no veteran to show the way, they would seem to be the best choice. Anyone coming in during the off season to be a leader would have to carry a pretty solid reputation to lead a new team, and I don’t see someone like that available.
By Y-City Jim
September 7, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Where’s the man who wants to be captain? A real leader wouldn’t allow this type of atmosphere to persist. I can understand it being quiet in the clubhouse after a loss but before any game there needs to be some spirit.