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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 > May > 02 > Entry
A mad cap night with Matt Capps
Pittsburgh Pirates closer Matt Capps should change his name to Mad Cap - at least when he pitches against the Cincinnati Reds.
He came into a game Saturday night with an 8-4 lead and pitched as if he were more interested in the post-game fireworks than getting the Reds out. The gave up five hits and two runs and had the bases loaded weith a two-run lead before he struck out Alex Gonzalez on three pitches to end it.
Pinch-hitter Laynce Nix had a single during the mad-cap ninth and do I need to say about perhaps inserting his heavy-duty bat into the lineup for a while? What more does the guy have to do - a .333 average. And it isn’t as if Chris Dickerson (.213) and Jerry Hairston Jr. (.159) are shining lighthouses out there in left field.
Game stuff:
The Futility Factor of the two teams engaging in this weekend series in PNC Park was emphasized by a factoid excavated by the Elias Sports Bureau:
This is the latest in a season since 1999 that both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds are over .500.
Latest? May 3?
All that does is emphasize that the Pirates are working with 16 straight losing seasons and the Reds are on a streak of eight straight losing seasons.
The Pirates (12-11) outstaggered the Reds (12-11) Saturday, 8-6, and matters were decided quickly when Cincinnati starter Micah Owings put the game’s first four runniners on base and all four scored.
It was the 16th time in 23 games that the Reds have been behind and the eighth time they were touched for runs in the first inning.
“We have to figure out a way to get Owings past the early innings,” said manager Dusty Baker. “Once he gets past the first or second inning he is locked in. I don’t see anything. Maybe it takes him a while to get loose.”
Owings isn’t aware of any First-Inning Blues.
“I felt like I was making pretty good pitches,” said Owings. “But if there is something I can learn from talking to (pitching coach) Dick Pole and Dusty, well, I’ll see if they have any advice for me. If somebody finds out, let me know. I was loose and felt good when I warmed up.”
He gave up one run in the first inning of his first start, none in the first inning of his next two, then four Saturday.
Nyjer Morgan and Freddy Garcia both singled to right field to open the first, the same thing they did in Friday night. But on Friday Bronson Arroyo threw a double play ball and escaped cleanly. Owings didn’t.
Nate McLouth also singled to right, scoring a run. It was the first run scored by the Pirates after 22 straight scoreless innings and the first run giving up by the Reds after 19 straight scoreless innings.
And the Pirates didn’t stop. Adam LaRoche walked, filling the bases. With one out, Owings hit Andy LaRoche, forcing in a rjun, then Ramon Vazquez poked a two-run single to right for a 4-0 lead.
Pittsburgh added a run in the third before the Reds scored three in the fourth on an Alex Gonzalez three-run homer that hit the left field foul pole.
Joey Votto doubled to open the fifth, but didn’t score. Willy Taveras opened the seventh with a single, but didn’t score — nor even try to steal second before Votto grounded into a double play.
Then the Pirates filled the bases in the seventh with one out. Andy LaRoche hit a double play grounder to third baseman Rosales. He bobbled it briefly, then double-clutched the throw. He still had time for a force at second, but Brandon Phillips dropped the throw and two runs scored for a 7-3 Pirates lead.
Asked if Phillips was late covering the bag, Baker said, “The ball was bobbled and that messed up the timing, messed up everything. Brandon was trying to avoid getting killed (from the fast-closing runner).”
The Reds put runners on first and third with no outs in the eighth, but scored only one run.
As a finishing touch, the first four Reds in the ninth hit safely against closer Matt Capps for two runs, then with the tying runs on base and no outs and the bases loaded with two outs, but Gonzalez struck out on three pitches.
“We had a lot of action on winning that game,” said Baker. “At least our hitting came around (14 hits) and we scored runs. Both teams left a lot of men on base (Reds 11, Pirates 7).
The ninth was wild and woolly against Capps, who had an 8-4 lead when he arrived and only an 8-6 lead with the bases loaded when it ended.
It began with a Taveras infield single. Pinch-hitter Laynce Nix grounded a single to right and Votto second hit of the night drove home Taveras to make it 8-5.
Phillips, 7 for 12 with two homers against Capps when he stepped into the box, grounded a single to left and it was 8-6 with two on and nobody out.
Jay Bruce then crushed one to deep left center that Morgan somehow tracked down for the first out.
“Bruce hit that ball really hard, but they were playing him over that way,” said Baker. “I thought it was in the gap for a hit, but Morgan ran it down.”
Ramon Hernandez took a called third strike for the second out and Rosales stroked an infield hit to deep short, his third hit, loading the bases.
Gonzalez took two strikes, then swung and missed.
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By ??????????????????
May 5, 2009 9:09 AM | Link to this
???????????
By Jim T
May 3, 2009 10:23 PM | Link to this
Wiz,your right I did hit the bullseye twice. My kids would also laugh at hearing you say I’m not a competitor. They still can’t out bench me and I’m 55 years old.
By Wiz
May 3, 2009 10:12 PM | Link to this
And first let me say, I damn sure ain’t your son! Now to your other question: I still say, you never played, and don’t know anything about being a competitor; otherwise you’d know that a good athlete isn’t satisfied being on a team’s bench. I’d say your claim to fame should be, you hit the bullseye twice, end of accomplishments.
By Jim T
May 3, 2009 10:08 PM | Link to this
Wizard,I’d like to know what drugs your on.Other than that have a nice evening it was nice debating with you. I sense you are a reds fan that puts us on the same side. Dusty and Walt are going to bring us some good baseball to watch just be patient my friend
By wiz
May 3, 2009 10:04 PM | Link to this
What are your credentials? Let me see: All State football/All star starter in Canton/All city Basketball/Twins contract offer/Bear Bryant’s first choice before he picked Namath/Played college football and basketball/Played basketball as 6th man on a team with two future NBA All-Stars/Was a Professional bowler…What else did you want to know?
By Jim T
May 3, 2009 9:21 PM | Link to this
Wizard, are you like 12 years old. I did know such thing. You profess to understand his mental state using the look on his face as proof after striking out and then you accuse me of putting words in your mouth and thoughts in his head. I’ll ask you do you think he is happy he is on the team? Do you think he wants to contribute anyway he can? Son I have forgotten more about being a athlete than you’ll ever know. I have raised two sons that were major college athletes. I understand attitude and what it takes. You want to take Dusty to task ? What are your credentials? He is a 3 time manager of the year. Where are your awards.I’ll tell you what I told my kids listen and learn
By wizard
May 3, 2009 8:49 PM | Link to this
LOL. You put thoughts in Janish’s head; and words in my mouth, without permission. Under your cloak of supposed ideas of what is competitiveness, I should doubt your athletic experience
By Jim T
May 3, 2009 8:16 PM | Link to this
wizard, no one is happy after striking out. And if you think janish is unhappy about making the major league minimum in stead of riding buses you should think again, your wrong. Especially when you put up the kind of offensive numbers he did in the minors.He is happy to make the club and wants to contribute anyway he can.
By Y-City Jim
May 3, 2009 7:37 PM | Link to this
Mike? Are you talking about the Kearns that is healthy and has a .944 OPS for Washington? Are you talking about the Lopez that has an .899 OPS for Arizona?
By Jim T
May 3, 2009 6:40 PM | Link to this
Mike-cinci, the one difference is those other guys didn’t have Cueto,Volquez,Harrang and Arroyo. Mark in Sun Valley your posting indicates you may have been in the sun to long. If Dusty can keep this team above 500 the way they are fielding and hitting he may win his 4th manager of the year award. As for your comment regarding Dusty’s Daughter it is only surpassed in ignorance by your basball knowledge
By wizard
May 3, 2009 6:38 PM | Link to this
Dang, Mike-Cinci—you’re depressing me!To clarify some points I made earlier—wholesale, permanent changes is not what I recommend; but after Janish walked back to the dugout after striking out today, you could tell he was deflated by it—and was losing his confidence—because he isn’t getting enough game time! Most Reds rooters on this blog are wanting fairness, when someone deserves it—and we are not seeing that from the manager.
By Mark in Sun Valley
May 3, 2009 1:32 PM | Link to this
I am ready to start baseless rumors. Nix, Hanigan and Janish need to start dating Dusty’s daughter!
By Mike-Cinci
May 3, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this
I wish I did not have to say this but I don’t think the Reds can win with EE, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Dickerson, Nix, Rosales, Hanigan, janish,Gomes, Lincoln,. All of these guys are no different than LaRue, Freel, Randa, Ross, Valentin, Hatteberg, Castro, Pena, Patterson,Kearns, Lopez, Hopper,Aurillaq,Jimenez,
By Y-City Jim
May 3, 2009 11:09 AM | Link to this
Free Nix/Gomes/Janish/Hanigan!!!!!
By Wizard
May 3, 2009 10:33 AM | Link to this
‘Baseball is a game of streaks. Players all eventually play to their skill level.’ Exactly. This is why I want to see the ‘hot hand’ in left right now—that would be Nix—then play Dickerson, when he cools off.Also, that would include playing the other ‘hot hands’ Hannigan and Janish! I personally am not giving up on Dickerson{others are}I just want to see the hottest players get a chance—instead of getting burned by Dusty’s “branding iron’
By Mark in Sun Valley
May 3, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this
Ok, I can’t be specific, but does it just “seem” that when Dusty uses one of his many “explainations” as to why he is playing one player over another, (the “hot hand”, the lefty righty match up, the stats - which are often wrong, a hunch, I just want to “get him going”) it always seems to justify the same handful of players to play? Last year, CP, Hairston and Bako - this year Hairston, Hernandez, Macdonald and Gonzalez.
By Mike-Cinci
May 3, 2009 8:35 AM | Link to this
Just a short time ago some were saying Dickerson was going to be great and he should be in CF. Now some want Nix to play everyday and dump Dickerson. Is it likely Nix is no better than Dickerson and we will find that out in a few weeks? Where is the patience? It is a long season. Baseball is a game of streaks. Players all eventually play to their skill level.
By tim
May 3, 2009 8:34 AM | Link to this
Is there anyway we can trade Baker to a team for a mananger-to-be-named later?
By Mike
May 3, 2009 7:36 AM | Link to this
Wanna bet that when Encarnacion returns, Rosales will platoon? Bet the house! EE is one of Dustbags favorites.
By MAC
May 3, 2009 6:59 AM | Link to this
LO = Lead-Off Man; U couldn’t get that from the context? I don’t get much space to post; anything much over 2 sentences and the “post your comment” button covers my text and or my post is rejected.
By Gary Maloy Jr
May 3, 2009 5:38 AM | Link to this
Must we use initials for everything? Who the devil is LO??!!!!! Lance Owings? J-Lo, A-Rod please, Please, PLEASE STOP THE MADNESS!!! People have names for a reason - to help us know who they are. Use the names, huh?
By MAC
May 3, 2009 2:39 AM | Link to this
Yes, rough 1st inning, but another sloppy Def effort by Rosales and Votto late; both guys should have made plays to keep runs off the board. Same ole problem hitting; guys can’t handle the bat. LO man gets on, but we can’t get him over and or in? Hernandez let me down tonight; his last 2 ABs were not good.
By Ty
May 3, 2009 1:34 AM | Link to this
Crusty Baker..the guy has no clue..and I supported him for so long..I just dont get his logic. Hannigan, Nix, Janish. He would probably be playing EE over Rosalas if he wernt on the DL..
By BrarHopper
May 3, 2009 12:33 AM | Link to this
Hal, you are absolutely right about Nix. It’s THE logical thing to do, statictically & on every other common sense front. That’s why dunce Baker doesn’t do it. With him at the helm the Reds will never finish above .500.