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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 37th 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 > October > 01 > Entry
Cards-Reds: some spicy controversy
Nothing like a little mud-slinging to spice up next season’s Cincinnati Reds-St. Louis Cardinals rivalry, which begins on Opening Day.
And most likely that game will be pitched by Bronson Arroyo for the Reds, part of the current controversy during which Cardinals manager Tony La Russa accused Arroyo of cheating and of somebody on the Reds of cheating.
Reds manager Dusty Baker reacted harshly over the charges and said, “Where I come from, man, you call somebody a cheater, you better know what you’re talking about. That’s like calling somebody a liar, a snitch, a cheat or a thief. Those are strong words when you call somebody a cheater and I’m the man in charge over here.”
La Russa and Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan believe Arroyo used pine star to sticky-up baseballs that were slick Wednesday, devoid of the Delaware mud that is normally rubbed on them before games.
St. Louis pitcher John Smoltz said the balls were too slick and La Russa said the balls did not have the mud on them.
Before Thursday’s 13-0 Cardinals victory, ignited by pitcher Chris Carpenter’s first career home run, a grand slam off Kip Wells in the second inning and six RBIs, clubhouse attendant Mike Dillon, who rubs mud on the balls, stopped in La Russa’s office.
“I had nothing to do with those balls (Wednesday) and I’m the one who rubbed them up, but I had nothing to do with them. I don’t know what happened after they were over there but you look at them (Thursday) and they’ll be the same,” said Dillon.
La Russa showed Dillon two balls he saved from Wednesday and said, “Do they looked rubbed up to you?”
Said Dillon, “No. I rubbed up the balls but they weren’t like that. That’s all I’m going to say. I’m telling you I don’t cheat. I don’t lie. I had nothing to do with it. Somehow the mud got off them.”
La Russa said, “I knew they were up to shenanigans. I appreciate you saying that.”
Of Arroyo, La Russa added, “The guy’s got pine tar all over his hat and the our guy (Smoltz) is out there naked. We’ve got about six of those balls around here. That was pretty lousy. (Arroyo) found a little edge. You can’t let the starting pitcher influence how the balls are prepared for the game.”
Said Arroyo, “I pitch on the road, too, and I can’t tell you how many times I was unhappy with the way the balls are rubbed up. Every time I pitch in Milwaukee I can’t stand the way the balls are rubbed up. They can run out any kind of balls they want and I won walk five guys (as Smoltz did).”
Baker said he didn’t hear any complaints about Arroyo rubbing pine tar on the balls until a writer told him Thursday morning.
“If anybody should know about that it would be (Cardinals pitching coach) Dave Duncan and La Russa, maybe,” said Baker. “I remember they had Julian Tavarez over there and they threw his hat out of the game because it had pine tar on it.”
That was 2004 and Tavarez was suspended eight days for using pine tar (later reduced to four days). And remember that lefthanded relief pitcher they had?”
That would be Steve Kline, who wore the same hat all season and by season’s end it was no longer red, it was brownish black — the color of pine tar.
“That is all just stupid,” said Baker. “Nothing went on. News to me. I don’t believe in cheating. Can’t anybody just lose any more without extenuating circumstances?”
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Comments
By Hey Doucher
October 4, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this
Make it 5!!By the dude
October 4, 2009 8:36 AM | Link to this
One person posted on here using four differnt names and managed to say absolutely nothing. LaRussa, baker. Strongly dislike each other. Enough said.By Truthseeker
October 3, 2009 9:09 PM | Link to this
Oh c’mon you can’t bullshit a bullshitter! The truth will be revealed!!By The Kid
October 3, 2009 7:29 PM | Link to this
Sweep the leg. Kreese: Do you have a problem with that? Johnny Lawrence: No, Sensei. Kreese: No mercy.By Neil McCauley
October 3, 2009 7:26 PM | Link to this
“Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.”By Mike Dillon
October 3, 2009 4:10 PM | Link to this
We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the streets, in competition: A man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy.By The Joker
October 3, 2009 2:54 PM | Link to this
Batman has no “jurisdiction.” He’ll find him and make him squeal! I know the squealers when I see them, and…By The white writer
October 3, 2009 2:53 PM | Link to this
Oh they’ll take things!! They’ll take your balls, and take your job!! They won’t let ya have too much fun! LL’s got a bald headBy Dave
October 3, 2009 2:47 PM | Link to this
When keeping it real goes terribly wrong!!By DA of Gothom
October 3, 2009 1:44 PM | Link to this
“……..You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain…” -Mike DillonBy Jack MeHoff
October 3, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this
We umpire attendants use words like code, honor, and loyalty. Mike Dillon uses them as a punchline. He’s a disgrace.By dontworryaboutit
October 3, 2009 1:29 PM | Link to this
wear it!!!!By old man
October 2, 2009 9:42 PM | Link to this
Come on Hal. They were not slinging mud!! It was pinetar!!! In the old days Gaylord Perry would load up the ball so bad you could see the moisture come off he when he threw it. You can bet some pitchers today still try to do the same thing. Did anyone ever catch Perry???By Mike-Cinci
October 2, 2009 1:47 PM | Link to this
Tony LaRussa invented baseball and he believes it.By Steve M.
October 2, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this
Hal, Did you directly interview Mike Dillon or were you just relaying LaRussa’s description of the conversation? I’ve seen those same remarks other places but not directly attributed to Dillon, they were from LaRussa. That’s a big difference.By Shane
October 2, 2009 10:42 AM | Link to this
I think Dusty Baker should be fired and is perhaps the worst manager in MLB. However, for as much as I disdain him as a manager, I would never accuse him of cheating. I think he is a good, honorable guy.By Steve
October 1, 2009 11:46 PM | Link to this
Pretty sure Carpenter’s bat was corked and ‘The Machine’ is juiced.By Wiz
October 1, 2009 11:30 PM | Link to this
Chris Dickerson: More stats to recommend his being the leadoff hitter and CFer in 2010: 3rd highest average{.275} and second highest OBP {.370}, and 11 stolen bases in 14 attempts; and 4 diving catches-more than any other CFer this season.By Mark in Sun Valley
October 1, 2009 10:35 PM | Link to this
I always thought the umpires rubbed down the balls for just this reason.By The Professor
October 1, 2009 10:25 PM | Link to this
Hell, Dusty Baker cheat? Who could ever think such a thing?By Reds Authority
October 1, 2009 9:50 PM | Link to this
How about Mike Dillon throwing his fellow Reds under the bus?? I’ve gotta think that Walt Jocketty will make sure that he finds the exit door. Dillon had no business going into LaRussa’s (“the enemy’s) office to “out” the Reds. Only Dusty and Arroyo know whether or not any “shenanigans” were used, but it certainly isn’t the place of Mike Dillon to play the role of TURNCOAT!! —Reds AuthorityBy Joe
October 1, 2009 5:36 PM | Link to this
I can’t understand why Marty Brennaman doesn’t like La Russa. He is always complaining and thinks he is God’s gift to Baseball. Marty said Jay Bruce is not playing in the Dominican league this off season, is Bruce content with a.220 average?