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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 > 2009 > February > 13
Friday, February 13, 2009
It’s time: Spring training is here
From the beach at Siesta Key (not really, I’m in my condo in Sarasota — I’d be on the beach, but sand and laptop computers don’t agree):
I’m here to cover spring training with the Cincinnati Reds for the 37th year, our last in Sarasota before moving to Goodyear, Ariz., for 2010.
With the Reds leaving, I can’t imagine what condition the City of Sarasota Sports Complex will be in. Do they care anymore? Last year they had problems with toilet stoppage (and let’s have no comments about the smell emanating more from the field and the fifth-place Reds than from the commodes).
By the way, with all the travel problems last year, I have a new favorite airline.
AirTran.
There were no extra luggage charges. Both legs of my flight, from Dayton to Baltimore and from Baltimore to Sarasota, left early and arrived early. And not only did my luggage arrive with me, the wheels on my suitcase were intact.
And we were treated to FREE beverages and a FREE bag of bagel chips.
The pitchers and catchers report Saturday morning for physical examinations, the first workout is at 1:30.
Oh, yeah, it was 77 degrees today and it is supposed to remain in that vicinity for the next week, enabling the Reds to begin working out in earnest to improve last year’s fifth-place finish.
Will they?
They have to prove it to me — and everybody else. What was done over the winter wasn’t overly dramatic — the additions of CF/leadoff hitter Willy Taveras, the addition of catcher Ramon Hernandez (second most errors, second most passed balls in the American League last year and at the cost of Ryan Freel), LHP pitcher Arthur Rhodes — all 39 years of him — plus minor-league contracts for outfielders Jonny Gomes and Jacque Jones.
I don’t think boots are quaking in Chicago, St. Louis, Houston and Milwaukee, but there is always hope to catch lightning in a thimble. People point out the success of Tampa Bay last year, but the Rays were loaded with excellent young players who all came through.
For the Reds to do the same, everything has to fall in place, everybody has to play to their abilities or above and injuries have to be avoided (and how often does that happen?).
But that’s why they play the schedule, and let’s see what develops over the next seven weeks. Stay tuned for daily reports in this locale as the Reds work on their game and I work on my tan (I forgot my sun tan lotion, but I think they have some at the drug store).
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