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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 > 2010 > March > 05 > Entry
Reds lay rotten egg in desert debut
GOODYEAR, Ariz. - As a possible new beginning it seemed more like the same sad tale.
Sure, sure - it was only a spring training exhibition game that means nothing, but it was the Cincinnati Reds playing their first game in a new venue, Goodyear Ballpark.
Didn’t they want to show some spunk and spark for their new fans in this desert town?
MAYBE THEY were disappointed that barely 4,000 fans showed up in the 10,000 seat park - but then maybe that was a good thing. Not many witnessed the debacle - except for those who watched on TV.
What the sparse crowd saw from the Reds on this day was, in two words, “Not much.”
They were defrocked by their Ohio cousins, the Cleveland Indians, 9-2. The Indians had 15 hits and three homers. The Reds had five hits and no homers. After seven innings it was 9-0 and the Reds had two hits.
“Maybe we had some jitters from playing in a new ballpark,” said manager Dusty Baker, a lot of hope dripping from his voice.
It started bad and got worse. At the end there were more people stuffed into the gift shop than seated in the stands.
MIKE LINCOLN wants to be a starter, but to be a starter you have to start fast and finish. He did neither.
The first batter he faced, Asdrubal Cabrera, hit a full-count pitch over the right field wall after Lincoln fell behind 3-and-0. It was that way for most of Lincoln’s short time on the mound - 1 1/3 innings.
He gave up four runs and seven hits and left two men on base when he departed. That isn’t the way to win the No. 5 spot in the rotation.
In fairness, Lincoln hadn’t started a game since 2001. He missed more than half of last season, the last part, with a disk problem in his neck.
The way to win it, though, is the way lefthander Matt Maloney did it. He came on in the second inning for Lincoln with one out and two on and retired the side without additional carnage. Then he pitched a 1-2-3 second inning.
But from there is got ugly, uglier and ugliest.
When the Reds finally stroked their third hit in the seventh inning, the crowd cheered facetiously. When the Reds scored their first run in the seventh, the crowd cheered facetiously.
The Reds and Indians share Goodyear Ballpark, but it was difficult to discern which team had more fans. The Reds did little to draw cheers while the Indians splattered hits all over the desert grass.
The Reds get a do-over Saturday. Same teams, same time (3:05 eastern). Only this time the Reds will be the visitors and the Indians will be the home team.
Hey, it was 75 degrees, the stadium is state-of-the-art and even smells new. On this day, well, the Reds just smelled.
It has to get better, doesn’t it?
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March 31, 2010 4:54 PM | Link to this
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By Cecil
March 8, 2010 8:55 AM | Link to this
I am not very optimistic, a 500 record would be a minor miracle. Same as last year, good pitching, no sticks.
By E
March 6, 2010 1:39 PM | Link to this
I’m glad I got to see the Reds play a baseball game. Besides that the Zip Dip opened yesterday! You gotta love Cincinnati this time of year.
By Ebes
March 6, 2010 1:36 PM | Link to this
I’m glad I got to see the Reds play a baseball game. Besides that the Zip Dip opened yesterday! You gotta love Cincinnati this time of year.
By Parker Perry
March 6, 2010 11:56 AM | Link to this
Overreactionbanoza!!!!lets get one thing stright, it was the first game that ment NOTHING. the only reason people should care about this game is because it means that Baseball time is NEAR, not HERE. The Reds are going to play well, and going to win some games, so don’t take this loss as anything more then it really is. NOTHING!
By Greg
March 6, 2010 10:32 AM | Link to this
Turning on the radio, hearing Marty Brenneman’s call of the game. It is Spring, again, and there is hope for better things ahead.
By steven ross
March 6, 2010 9:54 AM | Link to this
I could care less if the Reds lost 20 to 1. The first of many meaningless games during Spring Training. Zzzzzzzzzzz.
By Beep Beep.com
March 6, 2010 9:34 AM | Link to this
The only eggs being laid in the desert are from the roadrunner. The Reds just stunk like rotten eggs.
By alf
March 6, 2010 8:03 AM | Link to this
I’m glad that so few people showed up.Maybe Sarasota will take real note on what they let get away.As for the Reds, as long as Dusty Baker is the manager, they will never be any good at all.
By Yodasbrother
March 6, 2010 7:50 AM | Link to this
Just have to hope they are saving their best for the regular season. Did not see it. Wasn’t counting on Lincoln for the 5 spot, but hope he does better. He helped in a lot of games when his hammer was working.
By GranKnee
March 5, 2010 10:43 PM | Link to this
Who cares what size Sizemore is!!!! This is about baseball and true the Reds played real bad. Keep hoping.