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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 > 2009 > February > 14 > Entry
Harang: Lean, mean machine
Spring training is even a better harbinger of spring than the first robin.
And I had two early indications that spring training finally is here: (ONE) My transportation engineer, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, got stuck for 10 minutes at the south end drawbridge getting off Siesta Key en route to the ballpark and (TWO) I had my first meal at Gus’s 12th Street Cafe across the street from the ballpark, where omelettes are as big as truck tires.
Or as Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker said, “You know spring training has begun when you board the plane for Florida. It’s like the first day of school. We even get new clothes.”
BAKER WASTED NO time in dropping some news: Despite his 6-17 record last year, Aaron Harang, barring unforeseens, is the Opening Day pitcher April 6 against the New York Mets.
“If we started the season tomorrow, Harang would pitch,” said Baker. “If he stays healthy he’s the guy.”
Harang has started the last three openers and Baker said, “I’m not going to let one down year spoil three straight Opening Days for him. And confidence-wise, it will be good for him.”
Harang walked into the clubhouse and mouths dropped. As he took his physical, team physician Dr. Tim Kremchek asked, “What did you do, leave half of yourself at home?”
Harang says he left more than half at home: 25 pounds and memories of last year and said, “I’ve flushed two things down the toilet - 25 pounds and what happened last year. I’m not even looking back over my shoulder.”
Harang pitched at 280 pounds last year and is at 255, looking thin in his 6-foot-7 body.
“I did it with workouts and a change of diet - less eating out, better meals, smaller portions,” he said. “I think it will add to my durability?”
Durability? Nobody is more durable than Harang, who has pitched 211.2, 234.1, 231.2 and 184.1 (he had a sore elbow last season) innings over the past four years.
“Maybe this year both Bronson Arroyo and I can pitch 240 innings, while Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto pitch 220 and whoever the fifth starter is pitches 200, that would be great. It would be good for the bullpen, too.”
BAKER WAS ASKED what he says to people who say the Reds are not as good this year as they were last year.
“Nothing,” he said. “What can you know now? Did anybody last year think Cueto would make the rotation? Did anybody last year think Volquez would win 17? Did anybody last year think Harang would lose 17? I can see improvement.
“I don’t care what people say,” he said. That’s why we play the games. I wish I had a crystal ball, but then that would take the fun out of it.”
The fun has just begun.
IN HONOR of St. Valentine’s Day, when the pitchers finished their first day’s workout, they found valentine’s addressed to them in the clubhouse. Pitching coach Dick Pole personally signed each one and inside they said, “You’re magical.”
ALL THE PITCHERS threw of a mound for 10 minutes Saturday and after Homer Bailey’s first eight minutes catcher Ramon Hernandez turned to a catcher next to him and said, “Does this guy every throw balls out of the strike zone. So far every pitch has been a strike.”
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Comments
By Donald Sutherland, one of Kelly's Heroes
February 17, 2009 1:44 AM | Link to this
Why all the negative vibes, maaaan? Stop with the negative vibes! See you all in the World Series. Reds vs. Red Sox.By Buster
February 16, 2009 2:50 PM | Link to this
Gary - And Boxter was the one who told you to give it a rest. Your ability to read blog posts seems as accurate as your Reds assessments.By Buster
February 16, 2009 2:45 PM | Link to this
Gary - I didn’t demand anything from you, and in fact, consider you a non-event on this blog. Taking “equal signs” and trying to equate this team with the 1970’s Reds is ridiculous seeing as this team and organization has been spinning its wheels for about a decade. And your version of a “true Reds fan” is the same version of a non-critical thinking drone who dare write anything negative … taking “equal to” signs of position players is almost beyond belief as a mechanism you feel gives credibility to your argument. You could do that for any team, any year, any era and it seems reasonable but has no validity. None.By drunkenhopfrog
February 16, 2009 10:00 AM | Link to this
IMO, Pretty good 1-4 SP. Votto Phillips And nothing. Maybe Bruce if he develops not like Austin Kearns. But this team still can’t get on base, ran their most productive player out of town (most productive by methods not including Dusty’s gut or clogging basepaths), and is hoping going to have projected wins of 65-72 games. Stats don’t lie. Never. Numbers are the ultimate truth serum. We have a really good player in Votto, a really good 2B in Phillips, and maybe a decent youngster in Bruce. And then a bunch of replacement level or below proven has-beens or never weres. This team does not have the talent to backstop taking a chance on a Ron Gant - who was a recovering above average player. The wastes of space bargain bin players are going to perform, on a whole - collectively - as bargain bin players. One might have a career type year or put up solid numbers, but collectively these guys are going to play like cast-offs. No one needs a gut feeling to predict it: This team is full of guys with entire career numbers that suggest mediocrity. It won’t chance*. However, the pitching does have a chance to be phenomenal. The team could exceed projected wins if the 2-4 spots in the rotation have monster seasons*. **And even statistical monster seasons (ERA+, WS, VORP) might be wasted because, let’s face it, who on this team is going to get on base to score runs for the two or three productive hitters we have? No runs, no wins. I look forward t oseeing goo pitching though.By Gary Maloy Jr.
February 16, 2009 1:18 AM | Link to this
To Wizard, thanks for the support. Note that I didn’t compare one play with another by using the equals sign. It was simply a means by which to afix the players to each other by position. I agree that Dickerson reminds one of Cesar Geronimo. I’m about to cuss in church, but the season Brandon Phillips had in 07 reminded me alot of Joe Morgan, and Encarnacion reminds me of a YOUNG Tony Perez. I agree with Pete Rose, the BRM ruined baseball for many of us. But, what is important is that we don’t need the Big Red Machine to win the World Series. We need a good team with good chemistry - The Little Red Machine, if you will. We’ve lost 40-100-100-100. Yeh, so? We’ve gained about 85 SB (LF+CF) and a much better defensive outfield while at the same adding Bruce & Votto. The most important thing is that we’ve got horses on the mound every day. Let’s ride them to October!!By Gary Maloy Jr.
February 16, 2009 1:10 AM | Link to this
You demand, Buster, that I give it a rest. Personally, I believe it refreshing that we real fans - the ones who know what it means to look forward to new chances every spring - dare write something positive about the Cincinnati Reds. I’m tired of the anti-Baker, anti-this, anti-that, anti-everything-Cincinnati-Red that comes from 80% of those who comment on this blog. It she be we who say to all of you anti-Reds-fans ‘give it a rest’.By Y-City Jim
February 15, 2009 6:23 PM | Link to this
Lee May had some very good seasons after leaving Cincinnati. Helms, I believe, had some problems with alcohol.By Wizard
February 15, 2009 5:19 PM | Link to this
Sure do agree with Maloy 2/15—4:23AM. I’d make an addition though: Dickerson sure does remind me of Geronimo—good speed/good arm/good glove/about the same stick abilities. The key will be whether he stays healthy, and whether he gets a long enough chance when the season starts. I expect the Reds to make some kind of move in left field. Dickerson will have to tear it up, in ST in order to get a fair opportunity in April. The Reds will finish no lower than second! Don’t forget: Other teams have to beware of injury, also. Owings or Ramirez will be the fifth starter. Bailey long relief.By Boxter
February 15, 2009 5:14 PM | Link to this
IF? This team has been an IF for 18 years. Give it a rest. 75 wins at best. Monday & Tuesday night games won’t have 14,000 people in the seats. I agree with Pete Rose, there is NO reason to buy a ticket to watch this team. They have NO star power and will no hope by mid May.By Gary Maloy Jr.
February 15, 2009 5:05 PM | Link to this
At risk of being redundant, allow me to repeat my original point: these kids remind me of the pre-1970 Reds. Those guys blossomed, and through trades (Pinson for Tolan)(Geishert/Duffy for Foster) and the blockbuster with the Astros, the second coming of the Big Red Machine was born. Neither Lee May nor Tommy Helms did much after leaving Cincinnati, so I believe those comparisons are valid. We have no idea how our youngsters today are going to develop. Odds are that they won’t develop into 4192+ hits, the greatest catcher ever, a 2x MVP winner at 2nd base and four world series appearances in 7 years. But, really now…who knows?By Buster
February 15, 2009 4:02 PM | Link to this
Gary - if you don’t see a huge difference in those comparisons, then you are Reds fan #1. But to remain civil (a rarity on this board), we’ll leave it at that … perhaps Hal could comment if this teams reminds him of the BRM.By Rick M
February 15, 2009 3:45 PM | Link to this
Hey Jimmy1Time, I saw some video of Dunn’s press conference in Washington the other day and he looks lighter and his face is a bit thinner. Good for him. Will he keep the weight off? The jury is still out on that one. Keeping the weight off would help him as the Nats’ new firstbaseman, but in my opinion, it won’t help him enough. I think he will quickly prove to be the worst firstbaseman in MLB and one of the worst of all-time, along the lines of Dick “Dr. Strangeglove” Stuart of the 1960’s. Dunn will NOT be able to handle a majority of hard grounders, one-hop liners, or many throws that bounce in the dirt. It sounds brutal and it will be brutal. I’m not convinced Jim Bowden is REALLY thinking of Dunn as a solution at 1B. I surely would not want Dunn as my firstbaseman in the eighth-inning of a close game. But for now, Bowden is doing what he does best, blowing smoke up rear-ends, until he can figure out what to do with the logjam of underachievers on that roster. And that leads me to Kearns. I really don’t have to live in Lexington to know Kearns is out of shape. ha ha. In my opinion, he is the King of MLB Underachievers and a big reason for that is because he doesn’t work as hard as he should. I’ve been saying/thinking that for years. Jim Bowden is paying Kearns too much money for too little production. Now it’s to the point where nobody would want him.By Gary Maloy Jr.
February 15, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this
Ken Griffey Jr. & Adam Dunn = Vada Pinson, Frank Robinson, Johnny Edwards & Chico Cardenas. Encarnacion = Perez (3B), Votto = May (1B), Phillips = Helms (2B), Gonzalez = Woody Woodward (SS), Valeika = Concepcion (SS), Dickerson = Foster (LF), Stubbs = Geronimo (CF), Tolan = Tavares (CF), Rose = Bruce (RF). The equal signs DO NOT in any way say that Jay Bruce, for example, is Pete Rose’s equal. But I’m sorry, I can’t see the big difference. Sure, we don’t have Johnny Bench, although we do have Hannigan (a young catcher). Our pitching staff - on paper - is better than the staff Sparky had in 1970. Harang = Maloney. Volquez = Gullett, Arroyo = Nolan, Cueto = Wayne Simpson. I’ll stand by what I’ve written, and I hope that if I’m right, Hal will remember it at the end of this (or next) season. If not, my shoulders are wide enough to carry the burden of failure.By Gary Maloy Jr.
February 15, 2009 12:31 PM | Link to this
Well, Buster, I guess that’s why they play the games. A curiosity: I was surfing the net a while ago. I found an excerpt from a book “The Big Red Dynasty”. The Reds started 18-19 that year. Ended up with 108 wins. Good gawd they were good.By Buster
February 15, 2009 8:31 AM | Link to this
Gary - but you could write about what you wrote for most any team in baseball seeing as most teams have a few young players that look like they’re going to be stars. You wrote that you have been saying this for “over a year” that this team reminds you of a pre-70’s team. How could that possibly be? How could last years Opening Day lineup/roster provide any hint of the pre-70’s Reds - Or this year’s team for that matter. You wrote about the pre-70’s Reds having three ROY winners while this team has none. You mentioned Tolan, Perez, Lee May while this team can’t put anyone up as good as those guys. And you mentioned Bob Howsam and his plan while this team has had four GM’s and six managers in the last nine years. This team has pretty good pitching, three good position players, five holes in their starting eight and is somewhat starting over for the fourth time since the new Ballpark in 2003. Young, exciting baseball that is better than the Griffey/Dunn era - perhaps … any sniff of the last 60’s Reds storming into the 70’s - not a chance.By Gary Maloy Jr.
February 15, 2009 4:23 AM | Link to this
In answer to Buster, I have to support Ridnaway. I’ve said for over a year that this team reminds me of the pre-1970 Reds. At that time we had young Pete Rose (RoY1963), Tommy Helms (RoY1966), Johnny Bench (RoY1968), Lee May and Tony Perez. We had veterans in Vada Pinson in the OF and Chico Cardenas at SS. Our ‘veteran’ pitchers were Jim Maloney, Milt (“I was traded for F.Robby!”) Pappas and Ted Abernathy. Otherwise, the Reds were moving toward a youth movement among the pitchers. Soon the Reds were either foster up the Wayne Simpsons, Ross Grimsleys and Don Gulletts of the world, or the would trade for the likes of Jim McGlothlin and Wayne Granger. The 1968-1969 Cincy Reds DID look alot like what the 2008-2009 team looks like. Young pitching, a young stabil crop of blooming offensive players. In 1970 came the baptism of Riverfront Stadium and the BRM Mark I’s visit to the World Series. The Reds CF in ‘70 and ‘72 - Bobby Tolan - can favorably be compared to Tavares. The arrival of Cesar Geronimo, combined with Tolan’s achilles injury playing off-season (organized) basketball (the Reds had a team that travelled around playing exhibitions) made Tolan expendable. (Personally, I would have rather seen him on the bench through the BRM-era than Jim Beauchamp, Al Ferrara, Merv Rettenmund and Terry Crowley). Whether the doubters, haters and sabermatic’ers are willing to admit it or not, this team IS on the brink of something special. I’ll admit that the planets might have to be aligned to catch lightening this year, but this team is NOT that far away. When I compare this team to earlier versions of the Reds, the BRM (74-76) isn’t the measure of comparison. That would be impossibly unfare - and irresponsible - to the kids playing today. But comparing them to the pre-1970 team that Howsom put together is NOT that far away from the truth. Free-agency and being a small market team will place other demands on the management team that Howsam wasn’t plagued with, but that’s the nature of the modern game. Unfortunately. GAWD I’M GLAD THEY’RE IN FLORIDA. ONLY SIX WEEKS TO OPENING DAYBy BOB DUERSTOCK
February 14, 2009 11:41 PM | Link to this
Getting rid of Griffey and Dunn has got to help!!! GO REDSBy Weave
February 14, 2009 10:03 PM | Link to this
Small Ball wins games! Battinng average and speed versus long ball wins games.By Jimmy1Time
February 14, 2009 9:44 PM | Link to this
Hey Rick M, you dont live in Lexington, Ky. Kearns is out of shape, and so was Dunn.I saw them at the Rascal Flatts concert. We tried Dunn at first, it didnt work, he is a DH period. I see Kearns out at the bars all he time. You can have him. Couldnt stay healthy. Dunn looks like he is ready for a beer softball league! Bowden is running a reds North program in Washington. We are better off without both of them. SMALL BALL PEOPLE!! We will lead the national league in steals and hits! Watch!By Buster
February 14, 2009 8:52 PM | Link to this
THAT Big Red Machine had four future HOF’rs (I included Rose) and a HOF manager - had been in the World Series in 1970 and were considered a very good franchise. This team has a horrible manager, a bunch of young players, few All-Stars and 7 or 8 straight losing seasons. This team is not even remotely close .500 and has had 6 managers and 4 GM’s in the last 10 years. Big Red Machine??? … not so much.By michael
February 14, 2009 7:41 PM | Link to this
This team reminds you of the Big Red Machine?By Ridnaway
February 14, 2009 7:23 PM | Link to this
Hal, I’m a crusty old pessimist with a lot of reason to ignore baseball. But I gotta admit I’m excited about this team. The make up of this team reminds me of another team that Bob Howsam threw together after trading Lee May to Houston for Joe Morgan etal in 1970. The buzzword was speed and defense then and it’s come full circle to 2009. If Taveras can get on base by hook or by crook it’s likely to be tantamount to hitting a double, or even a triple. And with Jay Bruce showing up early he looks to be stepping into a leadership role. Play Ball!By Harry the Horse
February 14, 2009 6:15 PM | Link to this
Everyone who loves baseball is rooting for Aaron Harang to be Comeback player of the Year. Aaron is such a classy guy and a team leader. The Reds will go as far as Aaron takes them…By ctownboy
February 14, 2009 3:39 PM | Link to this
Hey Hal, Why don’t you ask Hernandez some follow up questions about all of those Strikes that Bailey was throwing? Why don’t you ask him if they were 97 MPH Fast Balls up in the zone. You know, the kind of Fast Balls Bailey was SUPPOSED to have and ones that most hitters can NOT get around on. If not up in the zone, why dont you ask him if they were low and away. Balls that will get pounded into the Ground. Why don’t you ask him if they are Curve Balls and Change Ups? Or, are they like the past two years, straight as an arrow, 92 MPH Fast Balls that will get roped to the Outfield for Hits or knocked out of the park for Home Runs?By JC
February 14, 2009 2:19 PM | Link to this
If Harang can’t get some movement on his fastball it’s not gonna matter much.By Rick M
February 14, 2009 2:10 PM | Link to this
I read the other day that Adam Dunn lost 20 pounds over the winter. That’s got to help him as the Nats’ new first baseman. No doubt a healthier Harang should help the Reds. But, Harang’s new physical condition makes me wonder…. Why did he let himself pitch at 265 pounds last year and did somebody ask him to lose weight over the winter? There used to be time when a player was told to report to camp at or under a certain weight. So, does it boil down to Dusty not running a tight ship or would the players union would have a problem with a club telling a player to report to camp at “X” amount of pounds?By Kevin
February 14, 2009 2:02 PM | Link to this
Ahhhhh….Spring!!! And so it begins!!By michael
February 14, 2009 1:56 PM | Link to this
La La La.After last season I don’t even listen to Dusty Baker. He lost me by starting Corey Patterson and Paul Bako most of last season. A little league coach could’ve used better judgement.By Mike-Cinci
February 14, 2009 1:54 PM | Link to this
Some good news from Hal. A healthy Harang makes the Reds better. Now if Cueto learns to throw strikes and keep the ball in the ballpark, Volquez repeats, Arroyo pitches like the 2nd half of 2008….