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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 > April > 01
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Reds have interest in Gary Sheffield
The Cincinnati Reds have interest in outfielder Gary Sheffield and there probably will be a meeting with him and/or his representatives tomorrow at Ed Smith Stadium.
Sheffield, one shy of 500 home runs, was released this week by the Detroit Tigers. While he makes $14 million, the Reds could sign him for as little as the major-league minimum.
“Sheffield and (manager) Dusty Baker have a history and they talked yesterday,” said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty. He has to clear waivers tomorrow, but we’ll talk. We have interest because he would be a legitimate bat to add to our lineup.”
Sheffield’s agent, Rufus Williams, confirmed the interest, although he said Sheffield has interest from other teams.
“Gary is a wonderful talent,” said Williams. “His plan was not to stop playing after last year and to not stop playing after this year. The doors are open and teams have been contacting us expressing interest.
“We’re willing to listen to all of them and looking to determine what’s in Gary’s best interest and what’s in the best interest of the team he goes to,” Williams added.
That, as usual, is mostly agent gobbletyspeak, but when asked if Baker and Sheffield had talked, Williams said, “Dusty doesn’t like to you, does he?
“Gary and Dusty have had a relationship for some time,” Williams added. “The notion of playing for him would be an interesting one. There have been a lot of interesting possiblities and there probalby will continue to be some until we get to the point where we can make a good decision.
“There’s a reasonable timetable. Obviously, the season begins Sunday. We’re challenged to be some place by then, and most challenged to be sure Gary’s in the best situation,” he said.
When he was released by the Tigers, Sheffield told writers, “I’ve got a lot left. I know that. If one person doesn’t think you can play in the field, that’s their opinion. I know I can. Nobody understands my body better than me. Unfortunately, I got hurt here and (have) never been able to show what I can really do. But I fought real hard to get back to this point. I just feel like I’ve got more to give.
Sheffield, 40, feels he can play every day and would like to prove it.
“As many (games) as I need to play, I can play,” he said. “I can go out there on an everyday basis and play in the outfield. That’s what I yearn for. I want to be in the outfield.
“When I heard that word, versatility, I’m [thinking], ‘I’m probably the most athletic guy on the team.’ But at the same time, that’s their opinion and I have to respect that.”
At this point, would you prefer AL to NL: “Like I say, if I can play outfield, it doesn’t matter. I know I can play the outfield, so I’m not putting myself in that box. I know what I can do. I know I can throw better than most people. I still can run, and I still can hit. So that’s all I can say.
“I wanted to play until I was 40, and I’ve accomplished that,” he said. “I know I can still play this game. If somebody wants me, I’ll be willing to look at the situation. Other than that, I’ll stay home, play with my kids.”
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TweetBailey dazzles - now where does he go?
Homer Bailey keeps making it tougher and tougher on the Cincinnati Reds, which is what manager Dusty Baker wants - too many rather than too few.
Bailey held the Houston Astros to two runs and four hits over six innings today, walking one and striking out eight. And he had two hits in two at-bats, so take that Micah Owings. Bailey is hitting .667 this spring.
So, should the Reds take him north to Cincinnati as a long guy, should they send him to Louisville to start every fifth day and stay ready? Who knows the outcome of Bronson Arroyo’s carpal tunnel syndrome, although he said today his medication is working and he feels better.
“This game is tough enough when you’re perfect, but it’s real tough if any little thing goes wrong with your body,” he said.
As of now, Bailey’s pickup truck is scheduled to be hauled to Cincinnati and the two guys in charge of shipping cars said, “That’s where it is going right now. It could change, but we haven’t been told.”
Ah, you get news is such diverse places.
ADAM ROSALES, perhaps celebrating the trade of Jeff Keppinger and realizing he is a whisker away from Cincinnati, hit a home run against the Astros today in a 7-2 loss. Jeff Keppinger batted twice for the Astros and went hitless. Rosales had another hit and drove in both Cincinnati runs.
BILL BRAY most likely sealed his doom bhy giving up two runs and two hits in one-third of an inning and most likely lost his spot in the bullpen to lefthander Daniel Ray Herrera.
MEANWHILE, Opening Day starter Aaron Harang, pitching for the Class A Dayton Dragons, zipped through six innings on 68 pitches, a plethora of strikes, against a Class A Tampa Bay Rays team.
Just pumping in strikes to get in his work, Harang threw only five pitches in the first inning - “five heaters, all strikes,” he said.
SHORTSTOP ALEX GONZALES worked out today, but did not play in a game. He’ll play nine innings today, but not in the Ed Smith Stadium finale for the Reds. He play in a minor-league game, but insists he is ready for Opening Day.
AH, THE WONDERS of modern medical science. For two days, my lower back has hurt so bad I haven’t been able to lay in one position to sleep. But I was given Celebrex today and within an hour the pain was gone. Getting old is such a pain, but doesn’t it beat the alternative?
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TweetThe last days of good times in Sarasota
Oh, sadness. Made my last stop, probably ever, into Gus’s 12th Street Cafe for breakfast this morning - my last bowling ball-sized Western omelette.
Diane, Gus’s wife, wanted a picture of me so I gave her the one that has hung on the door of the media workroom for several years, indicating that the room is the Hal McCoy Media Workroom & Dining Room.
A few years ago I was working at my desk when I heard somebody stop at the door to look at the picture. It was a Toronto writer and he said, “I didn’t know Hal McCoy died.”
Hey, it doesn’t say Hal McCoy Memorial Media Workroom and Dining Room.
THE CINCINNATI REDS, what amounts to a team of back-ups, made the 2 1/2 trek to Kissimmee today to play Houston. The only regulars on the trip was third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who needs the at-bats, and pitcher Homer Bailey.
Bailey started because Aaron Harang opted to stay back in Sarasota and pitch against a minor-league team. The rest of the staff is up to 100 pitches, “But they’re holding me to 75 today, let me back off and get a little rest,” said Harang, who starts Opening Day.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, though, would like to pry Harang away from the Reds and they’d like to send them outfielder Gary Matthews Jr.
Deal or no deal?
Just remember, one of manager Dusty Baker’s closest friends is Gary “Sarge” Matthews Sr.
LOST IN all the late afternoon hub-bub that included the trade of Jeff Keppinger, was the fact that manager Dusty Baker was ejected from the game against the New York Yankees.
In 37 years, I’ve only seen only other manager ejected from a spring exhibition game. It was in the early-1990s and the Reds were in Kissimmee, a short trip at that time because the Reds were in Plant City, the capital of strawberry shortcake.
The manager was Lou Piniella and he began arguing with the home plate umpire. Sure enough, as he usually does during an argument, Piniella began kicking dirt on home plate. And he was ejected.
“Don’t understand why I was ejected,” said Piniella. “All I was doing was kicking away fire ants.” Piniella IS a fire ant.
Asked if he had ever been ejected from a spring training game, Baker said, “Nope.”
It stemmed from a pitch on which minor-league umpire D.J. Reppley called Chris Dickerson out on a pitch that he couldn’t have hit with a back hoe. Next time up, Dickerson asked the umpire where the pitch was.
“Dickerson asked twice and the guy never answered,” said Baker. “Then somebody yelled from our dugout and he thought it was Chris Speier, and Speier was sitting next to me by the wall next to the dugout.
“I told him, ‘You don’t talk to people like that,’ and then you know how baseball arguments are. Things escalated and he threw me out and then I really got mad,” said Baker. Baker eventually walked the long walk to his office behind the right field wall and followed the game on a computer.
JERRY HAIRSTON JR. is still suffering the effects of the influenza he contracted at the WBC in Mexico, “Still feel weak, man,” he said. But he planned to play in a Triple-A game today, “Because I feel pretty good and maybe I can play against the Pirates tomorrow.”
PRETTY QUIET AROUND camp right now. Biggest activitiy is the two guys from Cincinnati who are here with car haulers to truck away about 42 personal cars, most to Cincinnati and some to Louisville and even a couple to North Carolina (where the Class AA Carolina Mudcats play.
I’m watching the gray Ferrerari real close to make sure they don’t dent or scratch it.
I’D TELL YOU about my bad back, but I’m so tired of complaining…
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