Cueto hits a crater of a pot hole

By Hal McCoy | Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 09:52 PM

UNSOLILCITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, missing absolutely nothing about the trips I made to Atlanta — the stifling heat, the snarled traffic, the ball park with no personality and, for sure, that infernal ‘Chop Chant.’

Nobody said Johnny Cueto’s march to the Cy Young Award would be without a few potholes and guard rail scrapings.

And it happened Tuesday night in Turner Field when the Atlanta Braves turned him into a human batting machine, particularly in the third inning.

In fact, Cueto had given up only one run in his previous 24 1/3 innings, but the Braves bashed him for five in three innings, the most he has given up all year. In fact, the Braves scored more in one inning — four in the third — than Cueto had given up in any game he pitched.

When Michael Bourn singled in the fourth, Atlanta’s seventh hit, it was the most hits Cueto has given up this year.

ATLANTA MANAGER Fredi Gonzalez, realizing that lefthanders were hitting .293 against Cueto this year, filled his lineup with five lefthanders and it paid off. Five of the eight hits off Cueto came from lefthanders, including a second-inning solo home run by Brian McCann that gave the Braves a 1-0 lead.

Cueto left after four innings, his shortest work day of the year and now awaits his Sunday start in Yankee Stadium.

With the 6-0 lead when Cueto left, a Braves victory was pretty much ordained. Atlanta starter Tim Hudson was 125-2 for his career when given a lead of three or more runs. Now it’s 126-2.

THE REDS DIDN’T score until the seventh when they banged four hits off Hudson and scored twice, including a leadoff single by Todd Frazier, who is 2 for 18 with nine strikeouts during his four straight starts at third base since Scott Rolen landed on the disabled list.

Joey Votto, 0 for 4 with two walks in the two-game series and 0 for 9 lifetime against Hudson, singled in the seventh, the 26th straight game he has reached base at least once (34 for 35 this season).

But with a chance to make the game close, Brandon Phillips flied out with two on to end the inning.

Chris Heisey, 3 for 3 Monday, had three more hits Tuesday in his third straight start in left field.

Heisey and Ryan Hanigan singled in the eighth, affording the Reds another opportunity to slink back within striking distance, but pinch-hitter Ryan Ludwick flied to left.

SOME INTERESTING STUFF from Mike Cawood, associate athletic director at Coastal Carolina University, a school in Conway, S.C., close to the sands of Myrtle Beach.

Joey Votto, Mike Costanzo and Dave Sappelt all have Coastal Carolina connections.

Costanzo, the recent infielder purchased from Class AAA Louisville to make his major-league debut Saturday at age 28, was an All-American at CCU.

Was he good? Oh, yeah. He was one of six finalists for the Dick Howser Award for national player of the year while playing at CCU 2003-05.

The Votto connection? Votto had signed to play at Coastal Carolina and would have been there at the same time as Costanzo. But Votto reportedly put on a show at a summer showcase tryout and was drafted by the Reds before he could matriculate from Toronto to Conway.

SAPPELT, THE OUTFIELDER who tore up spring training for the Reds in 2011, then was traded last winter in the deal that brought Sean Marshall to the Reds, played at CCU, too, and was a national semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, playing in 2006-08 right after Costanzo left.

COSTANZO, AS THE story goes, only went to CCU because a friend and high school teammates, Jerry Oakes, signed with the school. But like Votto, Oakes was drafted out of high school and signed a pro contract.

And like Costanzo, he bounced around the minors for several years, before giving it up. He returned to CCU for his education four years ago, saying he regretted not playing college ball, and he graduates this summer.

Votto does not regret his decision.

THE LEGEND OF Billy Hamilton continues to grow (already) as he appears to be on his way to stealing about 1,346 bases this year. This from Baseball America about the wing-footed shortstop playing at Class A Bakersfield:

(ONE) Hamilton scored the winning run in a game this year on a sacrifice pop-up to the second baseman.

“The ball didn’t leave the infield,” said Bakersfield manager Ken Griffey Sr. “It was a tough play for the second baseman because the infield was playing in. He had to turn his back to catch it running away from home plate. By the time he turned around to throw, Billy was scoring.”

(TWO) Hamilton scored the winning run in a game last year for Class A Dayton from second base on a slow roller to third and Hamilton never broke stride rounding third and beating the first baseman’s throw home.

(THREE) Playing shortstop at Dayton last year, Hamilton caught a deep fly ball to left field when left fielder Juan Duran lost the ball in the lights, a diving catch with his back to the infield. “I looked at Duran and he looked at me with his hands in the air. I just took off running and dove and the ball landed in my glove,” said Hamilton. “It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done.”

So far.

TIME TO SEND those Ask Hal questions for this week’s edition. Need them by Thursday morning, so send them ASAP to halmccoy1@hotmail.com.

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Bailey, bullpen work some magic

By Hal McCoy | Monday, May 14, 2012, 11:04 PM

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave and while I write this I’mk watching the first-place Cleveland Indians (say what?) swcore in the ninth inning to beat the Minnesota Twins, the same team who in spring training looked as if it was odds-on to lose 100 games.

DESPITE ALL THE hand-wringing and head-shaking from impatient Cincinnati Reds fans, if they check the National League Central standings this morning they will discover that their team is only 1 ½ games out of first place.

Mark this one down. It will take only 85 or 86 victories to win the papier mache NL Central. The division-leading St. Louis Cardinals are good, but not that good.

And the difference could be bullpens, where the Reds are three arms better than the Cardinals.

ANOTHEAR CHAPTER in the amazing saga of Aroldis Chapman was written Monday night in Atlanta during a 3-1 Reds victory over the Braves.

Much-maligned Homer Bailey put together a solid start — 6 2/3 innings, one run, six hits, two walks, three strikeouts.

Manager Dusty Baker permitted Bailey to trudge to the mound to start the seventh. He gave up an infield dribbler for a hit with one out. Bailey retired pinch-hitter Eric Hinske on a fielder’s choice for the second out.

But Bailey now was at a season’s high 114 pitches and the batter was Michael Bourn, who had tripled against Bailey earlier.

BAKER BROUGHT in the practically perfect (well, so far this year he IS perfect) Logan Ondrusek and he retired Bourn on a soft fly to center. Ondrusek has inherited 15 baserunners this year and stranded all 15.

ONE OF THE THINGS fans have been howling about all year is that Baker takes out a pitcher who faces only one or two hitters in an inning instead of letting him go back out.

Well, Baker permitted Ondrusek to go back out in the eighth — Chapman’s inning. But Chapman pitched two innings Saturday and Baker probably wanted to stay away from him if possible.

It wasn’t possible. Ondrusek gave up a leadoff single to Martin Prado and a one-out walk Dan Uggla.

Now it was Chapman time, one of the few times Chapman has entered a game this season in mid-inning, faced with runners on base, the game-tying runners.

Brian McCann flied to right and Prado moved from second to third. Chapman walked Chipper Jones to fill the bases, bringing up left-hander Jason Heyward.

It was, as they say, no contest. He jumped ahead of Heyward 0-and-2. He threw a 100 miles an hour fastball on the second strike, then threw a 101 miles an hour fastball for ball one. With Heyward geared for something in triple digits, Chapman dropped a 90 miles an hour slider off the plate and Heyward flailed feebly for strike three.

NOW WOULD BAKER send Chapman out for the ninth or go to closer Sean Marshall? He stuck with the closer plan and brought in Marshall for the ninth.

Pinch-hitter Matt Diaz singled to center to start the inning, but Eric Hinske flied to center. And Marshall had the Braves right where he wanted them.

First he had to face Michael Bourn, who was 0 for 11 with seven strikeouts against Marshall. Now it is 0 for 12 with eight strikeouts. And then it was Martin Prado, 0 for 6 against Marshall. Now it is 0 for 7 when Marshall struck him out, too, to end it.

THE REDS TOOK a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Jay Bruce and Chris Heisey banged back-to-back two-out singles. The Braves thought they were out of the inning when Todd Frazier rolled a meek grounder to short. Shortstop Tyler Pastornicky fielded and flipped to second for an inning-ending force. He thought. Second baseman Dan Uggla was not covering second and the ball rolled far enough that Bruce scored.

Atlanta tied it in the fifth on Bourn’s triple to the right field corner and a short sacrifice fly to right. Bruce’s throw home beat the fleet Bourn, but the throw was to the first base side of home plate and catcher Devin Mesoraco couldn’t make the snatch-and-tag play.

THE REDS SCORED the necessary runs to win this one in the eighth off hard-throwing relief pitcher Jonny Venters.

It started with a dribbler single up the third base line by Drew Stubbs. Stubbs took second on a wild pitch and scored on a double off the top of the left field wall by Brandon Phillips to make it 2-1. With two outs, Chris Heisey also doubled for the third run as Heisey went 3 for 3 — and maybe there is a glimmer of hope for some production out of left field.

All that was left was for the bullpen to finish it up and, as usual, the bullpen locked the gates.

MANY PLAYERS around baseball used pink bats on Mother’s Day to call attention to breast cancer research.

Joey Votto was not one of them. He used his regular black Louisville Slugger model, “Because it is the best bat I’ve ever had.”

And it showed when he hit three home runs and made baseball history as the first player to hit three home runs with the last being a walk-off grand slam home run.

As a result, the Hall of Fame wants the bat, “But I didn’t really want to give it to them. But I am,” said Votto. Hey, if heaven can wait, why can’t Cooperstown?

Votto may have been on the phone immediately after Monday’s game, a call to Cooperstown requesting the return of his Black Beauty. His eight-game hitting streak ended with an 0 for 2 and two walks.

JOSH HAMILTON HAS 18 home runs and the San Diego Padres, as a team, have 13. And the Minnesota lTwins are narrowly ahead of Hamilton with 20, while the Chicago Cubs have 21 and the Houston Astros 22. The Reds? After Joey Votto’s three Sunday they have 30.

REDS BROADCASTER Jeff Piecoro is part-owner of the Newport Pizza Company and it is worth a visit to the shop at Sixth and Monmouth in Newport, Ky. During Sunday’s 3 ½-hour rain delay, Piecoro had several boxes delivered to the press box and it disappeared fastert than a $100 bill in a casino.

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And ‘Mighty Votto’ did not strike out

By Hal McCoy | Sunday, May 13, 2012, 08:03 PM

CINCINNATI — Mighty Mudville prevailed. Mighty Joey did not strike out. And it was a mother of a day on Mother’s Day — nine hours at the ball park that ended as dramatically as any baseball game can end.

Joey Votto, down to his last strike against Washington closer Henry Rodriguez with his team trailing by a run and the bases loaded, crushed a walk-off grand slam home run on a sloppy track to give the Cincinnati Reds a 9-6 victory.

As if that wasn’t enough, Votto hit two other home runs, just missed another one and ripped a double that could have been a home run if he had provided some lift.

Teammate Drew Stubbs said it best: “It wasn’t far from him hitting five home runs. Let’s hope he is back to being Joey.”

THERE WAS MUCH that had to happen for Votto to walk to the plate in the final circumstances.

First of all, after Votto’s first two solo home runs, the third run was provided by rookie Mike Constanzo, a pinch-hit sacrifice fly during his first major-league at-bat and he said, “It was awesome that it was Mother’s Day and I gave the ball to my mother.”

Those three runs, though, only had the Reds within three of the Nationals, down, 6-3, with two outs and two on in the eighth inning. Jay Bruce flied to right. Third out? Inning over? Nope. Rookie Bryce Harper lost the ball in the twilight, lostit in the low, gray rain clouds and the ball crash landed 30 feet behind him. Bruce had a two-run double and it was 6-5.

FAST FORWARD TO the ninth on this wet, wet day that made the Reds resemble Mudville on the wet track, made soggy by an all-day rain that delayed the start of the game from 1:10 to 4:45. And only a couple of thousand fans stuck it out.

Rodriguez came into the game with eight saves and on Saturday he struck out the side in the ninth on 10 pitches. So there he was again, poised to put down the Reds to complete a Washington sweep and to end the season’s series with the Nats owning the Reds, six games to one.

Ryan Hanigan started the ninth with a single to left on 3-and-2. Wilson Valdez bunted pinch-runner Devin Mesoraco (the tying run) to second. Miguel Cairo popped out for the second out and there seemed to be no joy in Mudville.

But Drew Stubbs walked. Chris Heisey looked totally overmatched and fell behind 0-and-2, swinging feebly at strike two. But Rodriguez never came close with the next four pitches and walked Heisey, filling the bases.

“We worked Rordiguez for a couple of walks and got our guy up there,” said Stubbs.

That guy, of course, was Votto — that guy who homered in the first with none on, homered in the fourth with none on, flied to the warning track in center in the sixth, doubled to the wall in the eighth and…

Oh, yeah. And. His walk-off grand slam, on a 2-and-2 fastball, was his second career grand slam, his third walk-off home run and his second three-homer game.

“Ended the game with a slam, three home runs, six RBIs — that’s as good a day as you’ll see outside of Josh Hamilton,” said manager Dusty Baker, referring to Hamilton’s four homer, a double and eight RBI for Texas last week. “I tell the guys always, ‘Ya gotta believe, ya gotta believe and if ya got an out left and you have a chance.”

VOTTO WAS AS COOL as the day-long rain after his extraordinary afternoon.

“Usually in those situations, I just try to put the ball in play and make something happen,” said Votto. “I took a couple of good swings and fouled them back, then I shortened up my swing and the ball ended up carrying out of the ballpark, which is not that typical when you shorten up and just try to put the ball in play.”

Typical? Not a thing was typical about this day, especially Votto’s day.

Asked if he thought the ball was going over the fence when he hit it, Votto smiled and said, “I thought the ball was going to hit the light standard and bring down the sparks.” That, of course, was reference to the movie The Natural and this game was better than anything Bernard Malamud could write.

“When Rodriguez is throwing his pitches for strikes (like Saturday) he is really difficult,” said Votto. “I’ve had a difficult with him before, but I got a couple of pretty good pitches to hit.”

Votto has been tinkering and experimenting with his hitting mechanics and it all came together on this day.

“I’m not saying this because I had a good day, but I’ve noticed some things, teammates have noticed some things, and I’ve taken those things into practice and games,” he said. “It has been a work in progress and been really frustrating. I probably hit more barrels today than I have all season.”

He must have been driving on I-75.

THERE IS NO DOUBT that the Cincinnati Reds are striking out enough to stir up their own tornado, or at least a windstorm.

Amazingly, though, their 258 strikeouts entering Sunday’s game aren’t even close to being most in the National League. In fact, Arizona has 278, San Diego has 275, New York has 265 and Washington has 264.

Pittsburgh has the same as the Reds, 258, Atlanta is only one behind at 257 and St. Louis has 253.

Truly, it is the Era of the Whiff.

AND WHILE REDS manager Dusty Baker is full up to here with the strikeouts, he is even more full over fans and media constantly harping on the Reds swinging at first pitches.

“You have to attack the fastball and that’s one thing we have to start doing as a unit,” he said. “Everybody is asking, ‘How come this guy is swinging at the first pitch?’ Don’t you want them to take a pitch?’

“Man, we’re taking fastballs,” Baker added. “And they’re all getting ahead of us. This game is not designed for two strikes and four balls. If that’s the case, none of us would have hit.”

What do pitchers always say? The best pitch in baseball is strike one on the first pitch. So why wouldn’t you look to swing at one when it may be the best pitch of the at-bat.

“I’m telling you, I don’t know where people get this, ‘Why did he swing at the first pitch?’ They want to get ahead of you, especially with runners in scoring position,” said Baker. “We’re too deep in the counts, drowning deep.”

ZACK COZART WAS absent from Sunday’s lineup, replaced by Wilson Valdez. Said Baker, “We have 20 games in a row, brother. Seems like every time I give him one (a day off), he comes back better and stronger.

“And it isn’t as much giving Cozart a day off as it is to get Valdez a day to play, too,” he added. “With 20 in a row, I’m going to have to give everybody a day somewhere along the line.”

FOR THE SECOND straight game since Scott Rolen went on the disabled list, Todd Frazier was at third base and Baker was asked if that would be the norm.

“That’s on Frazier,” said Baker. “It will be Frazier, it will be (Miguel) Cairo. I know what the strengths and weaknesses are of each guy. It doesn’t take other team’s long to figure out what we know. So, it is up to Frazier.”

BEN McCLURE, a scout for 31 years for Toronto (21 years), San Diego (5 years) and for the past five years with Milwaukee, was in the stands Saturday night, holding his radar gun, and said he saw something he has never seen before.

“I can count on one hand how many times a pitcher has registered 100 on my gun,” he said. “It doesn’t count unless it is on my gun. Well, on Saturday I not only had two pitchers in one game throw 100, I saw two in one inning (Aroldis Chapman, Henry Rodriguez). That’s never happened before on my gun.”

AFTER A TWO-DAY stop in Atlanta, the Reds travel to New York for five days — two against the Mets and three against the Yankees.

“I’ve never done that,” said Baker, referring to staying in the same city to play two teams and stay in the same hotel.

“You never sleep in New York, even when you go to your room,” he said. “There’s noise. Doors slamming all the time, day and night. People coming in 4 and 5 o’clock in the morning. And you have sirens and horns and taxis horns.

“And the second thing is that when you leave New York you think somebody broke into your room and stole some money because you always come up light,” he said. “It’s the truth. I’m on the 52nd floor and I’m checking the windows and saying, ‘Damn, I know I had a couple more hundred.’ Hey, you pay $20 for a drink. And you pay $35 bucks for a room service hamburger and French fries. I always ate those slower and enjoyed every bite.”

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, fans. The game Sunday was supposed to start at 1:10, but it rained and rained and rained and the game was not postponed. They kept announcing each hour that team officials and the umpires would meet and each time they announced another meeting.

Meanwhile, fans wandered around trying to stay dry, many left. Was this fair to fans who had after the game Mother’s Day functions to attend?

And it was still drizzling at 4:45 when the scheduled 1:10 game commenced.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Manager Dusty Baker on his team not hitting the opposing pitchers: “Guess what? I don’t care how good they are, you still have to hit them. I’m tired of tipping my cap to whoever is out there. How many days in a row can tip your hat?”

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Baker: Swinging at first pitch OK

By Hal McCoy | Sunday, May 13, 2012, 03:10 PM

CINCINNATI — There is no doubt that the Cincinnati Reds are striking out enough to stir up their own tornado, or at least a windstorm.

Amazingly, though, their 258 strikeouts entering Sunday’s game aren’t even close to being most in the National League. In fact, Arizona has 278, San Diego has 275, New York has 265 and Washington has 264.

Pittsburgh has the same as the Reds, 258, Atlanta is only one behind at 257 and St. Louis has 253.

Truly, it is the Era of the Whiff.

AND WHILE REDS manager Dusty Baker is full up to here with the strikeouts, he is even more full over fans and media constantly harping on the Reds swinging at first pitches.

“You have to attack the fastball and that’s one thing we have to start doing as a unit,” he said. “Everybody is asking, ‘How come this guy is swinging at the first pitch?’ Don’t you want them to take a pitch?’

“Man, we’re taking fastballs,” Baker added. “And they’re all getting ahead of us. This game is not designed for two strikes and four balls. If that’s the case, none of us would have hit.”

What do pitchers always say? The best pitch in baseball is strike one on the first pitch. So why wouldn’t you look to swing at one when it may be the best pitch of the at-bat.

“I’m telling you, I don’t know where people get this, ‘Why did he swing at the first pitch?’ They want to get ahead of you, especially with runners in scoring position,” said Baker. “We’re too deep in the counts, drowning deep.”

ZACK COZART WAS absent from Sunday’s lineup, replaced by Wilson Valdez. Said Baker, “We have 20 games in a row, brother. Seems like every time I give him one (a day off), he comes back better and stronger.

“And it isn’t as much giving Cozart a day off as it is to get Valdez a day to play, too,” he added. “With 20 in a row, I’m going to have to give everybody a day somewhere along the line.”

FOR THE SECOND straight game since Scott Rolen went on the disabled list, Todd Frazier was at third base and Baker was asked if that would be the norm.

“That’s on Frazier,” said Baker. “It will be Frazier, it will be (Miguel) Cairo. I know what the strengths and weaknesses are of each guy. It doesn’t take other team’s long to figure out what we know. So, it is up to Frazier.”

BEN McCLURE, a scout for 31 years for Toronto (21 years), San Diego (5 years) and for the past five years with Milwaukee, was in the stands Saturday night, holding his radar gun, and said he saw something he has never seen before.

“I can count on one hand how many times a pitcher has registered 100 on my gun,” he said. “It doesn’t count unless it is on my gun. Well, on Saturday I not only had two pitchers in one game throw 100, I saw two in one inning (Aroldis Chapman, Henry Rodriguez). That’s never happened before on my gun.”

AFTER A TWO-DAY stop in Atlanta, the Reds travel to New York for five days — two against the Mets and three against the Yankees.

“I’ve never done that,” said Baker, referring to staying in the same city to play two teams and stay in the same hotel.

“You never sleep in New York, even when you go to your room,” he said. “There’s noise. Doors slamming all the time, day and night. People coming in 4 and 5 o’clock in the morning. And you have sirens and horns and taxis horns.

“And the second thing is that when you leave New York you think somebody broke into your room and stole some money because you always come up light,” he said. “It’s the truth. I’m on the 52nd floor and I’m checking the windows and saying, ‘Damn, I know I had a couple more hundred.’ Hey, you pay $20 for a drink. And you pay $35 bucks for a room service hamburger and French fries. I always ate those slower and enjoyed every bite.”

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, fans. The game Sunday was supposed to start at 1:10, but it rained and rained and rained and the game was not postponed. They kept announcing each hour that team officials and the umpires would meet and each time they announced another meeting.

Meanwhile, fans wandered around trying to stay dry, many left. Was this fair to fans who had after the game Mother’s Day functions to attend?

As of this posting, at 3:15, they were still waiting. And waiting. And waiteing.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Manager Dusty Baker on his team not hitting the opposing pitchers: “Guess what? I don’t care how good they are, you still have to hit them. I’m tired of tipping my cap to whoever is out there. How many days in a row can tip your hat?”

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Latos, Reds succumb with a whisper

By Hal McCoy | Saturday, May 12, 2012, 10:34 PM

CINCINNATI — Matt Latos looked unhittable for three innings — 10 up, 9 down for the Cincinnati Reds’ tattooed titan.

But he staggered through the fourth and fifth innings, needing 66 pitches to cover those two innings.

Through it all, though, he gave up only one run, a leadoff home run in the fifth to Wilson Ramos, a home run that tied the game, 1-1.

After five innings, Latos was at 109 pitches, although he had given up only three hits — along with five walks.

Jose Arredondo came out for the sixth and his first pitch landed in the left field seats, a home run by Danny Espinosa that was enough to beat the Reds, 2-1 — Washington’s second straight win over the Reds this weekend at Great American Ball Park.

That assures that the Reds won’ win this series after winning five of the last six (two games to one) and splitting the other at one game apiece with the Chicago Cubs.

ZACK COZART, the first hitter for the Reds, singled to open the bottom of the first, eventually scoring on a ground ball by Brandon Phillips and that was the total extent of the Reds offense.

Except for Todd Frazier, who had two hits of the Reds’ five hits while subbing in for Scott Rolen, who landed on the disabled list before Saturday game, that first inning was the extent of the Reds’ offense.

Arolidis Chapman pitched the eighth and ninth for the Reds and was his usual Unhittable Me — no runs, one hit, no walks, four strikeouts.

BUT THE NATS have somebody equally dazzling, equally ferocious, equally hard-throwing in Henry Rodriguez.

He came in to protect the 2-1 lead for starter Jordan Zimmerman and nearly struck out the side on nine pitches, throwing mostly 100 miles an hour.

His first eight pitches were strikes — three to Jay Bruce, three to Todd Frazier, then the first two to Ryan Ludwick before he threw a ball. Then he finished it off with a checked-swing strike three.

FOR NOW, DEFEAT-PLAGUED pitcher Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11) is expected to take his act to the mound on Thursday on Broadway — well, at least in Citi Field in Flushing against the New York Mets.

For one thing, there are few options for the Cincinnati Reds because nobody is drawing attention in Louisville, not Jerry Francis, not Brett Tomko, not Andrew Brackman, not anybody.

“We haven’t covered it yet, but I’d like to think he’ll start,” said Manager Dusty Baker. “You don’t like to have somebody looking over your shoulder like you are on death row, or something. We are going to a bigger ballpark in New York, which will help, too.

“Right now he is off to a bad start, but there is such a thing as just bad starts, you know?” Baker added. “We know he can pitch, so hopefully we can get him straightened out and hopefully he stays positive and confident that he can still pitch. A lot of it depends upon the state of mind he is in.”

Baker paused and said, “So, as of right now, yes, he’ll pitch.”

IT WASN’T A day game after a night game, but third baseman Scott Rolen was not in the lineup, replaced by Todd Frazier.

That’s because Rolen was examined by team doctors late Saturday afternoon and it was discovered he has a strained left shoulder.

He was placed on the disabled list and the Reds recalled

Baker said it wasn’t just a day off, it was more because Rolen was not feeling well and was scheduled to see a doctor just before game time.

The contract of Louisville third baseman Mike Costanzo, 28, was purchased. He has been in the minor leagues eight years since the Reds signed him off an independent league roster in 2005.

“Yes, Rolen is struggling a little bit (.174, two homers, 11 RBI), but he isn’t feeling real good,” said Baker before the DL announcement. Rolen fought it as long as he could, but for the good of the team, he gave it up in hopes that 15 days of rest can make a difference.

“I called the park at noon and said, ‘This isn’t working,’” said Rolen. “I’m hurting and I am in pain. I’m not healthy. As much as I went to help the team, I’m hurting the team.”

So, being the team player that he is, Rolen is stepping aside.

“I’m not taking competitive at-bats and, actually, they are going the wrong way,” he added. “I fought to stay on the field because I want to play the whole season, no DL, so I didn’t want to talk about the pink elephant in the room.”

But the elephant brayed loud enough for all to hear, Rolen couldn’t catch up to even the most mediocre of fastballs.

“We’ll address this, take some time off to get the inflammation out of there that is in there now,” said Rolen. Asked how long it bothered him, he said, “That’s a good question. How about seven years. But that’s an easy excuse and I’m responsible for my bat-bats when I walk out there and I haven’t taken good at-bats and haven’t been helpful for the team.”

WONDER CHILD Bryce Harper took ten stitches in his forehead after Friday’s game when he banged his bat against a wall and the bat bit back, clobbering his forehead and opening a wound.

Dusty Baker said it is a part of youth, a learning curve, and recalled when he was young with the Atlanta Braves and threw a batting helmet.

“Hank Aaron came up behind me and grabbed me by the neck,” said Baker. “He told me, ‘Pick up that helmet, walk to the rack and put it where it belongs, then go sit in the dugout and figure out you are going to get that pitcher next time.’”

Baker said he didn’t see the Harper incident, few did, but his son, Darren saw it on television. Said Baker, “That’s a good lesson for my son to see — the repercussions of your actions.”

JOEY VOTTO has a cereal out, Votto’s, they gave away a Joey Votto bobblehead doll Saturday night and on Sunday they are giving away Jay Bruce cereal bowls.

Relief pitcher Sean Marshall checked it all out and said, “Well, I guess the Joey Votto bobblehead can now eat his Votto’s out of a Jay Bruce cereal bowl.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Dusty Baker on winning his 1,500th game Wednesday in Milwaukee: “I hope I’ve made it easier, by whatever success I’ve had, on the people of color.”

Baker on the short three-day homestand: “I emptied my suitcase when we got home Wednesday, repacked it on Thursday and on Sunday I’ll hug my kid, kiss my wife, pet my dog and hit the road again.”

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Leake stays, but Rolen goes to DL

By Hal McCoy | Saturday, May 12, 2012, 06:35 PM

CINCINNATI — For now, defeat-plagued pitcher Mike Leake (0-5, 7.11) is expected to take his act to the mound on Thursday on Broadway — well, at least in Citi Field in Flushing against the New York Mets.

For one thing, there are few options for the Cincinnati Reds because nobody is drawing attention in Louisville, not Jerry Francis, not Brett Tomko, not Andrew Brackman, not anybody.

“We haven’t covered it yet, but I’d like to think he’ll start,” said Manager Dusty Baker. “You don’t like to have somebody looking over your shoulder like you are on death row, or something. We are going to a bigger ballpark in New York, which will help, too.

“Right now he is off to a bad start, but there is such a thing as just bad starts, you know?” Baker added. “We know he can pitch, so hopefully we can get him straightened out and hopefully he stays positive and confident that he can still pitch. A lot of it depends upon the state of mind he is in.”

Baker paused and said, “So, as of right now, yes, he’ll pitch.”

IT WASN’T A day game after a night game, but third baseman Scott Rolen was not in the lineup, replaced by Todd Frazier.

That’s because Rolen was examined by team doctors late Saturday afternoon and it was discovered he has a strained left shoulder.

He was placed on the disabled list and the Reds recalled

Baker said it wasn’t just a day off, it was more because Rolen was not feeling well and was scheduled to see a doctor just before game time.

The contract of Louisville third baseman Mike Costanzo, 28, was purchased. He has been in the minor leagues eight years since the Reds signed him off an independent league roster in 2005.

“Yes, Rolen is struggling a little bit (.174, two homers, 11 RBI), but he isn’t feeling real good,” said Baker before the DL announcement.

Rolen fought it as long as he could, but for the good of the team, he gave it up in hopes that 15 days of rest can make a difference.

“I called the park at noon and said, ‘This isn’t working,’” said Rolen. “I’m hurting and I am in pain. I’m not healthy. As much as I went to help the team, I’m hurting the team.”

So, being the team player that he is, Rolen is stepping aside.

“I’m not taking competitive at-bats and, actually, they are going the wrong way,” he added. “I fought to stay on the field because I want to play the whole season, no DL, so I didn’t want to talk about the pink elephant in the room.”

But the elephant brayed loud enough for all to hear, Rolen couldn’t catch up to even the most mediocre of fastballs.

“We’ll address this, take some time off to get the inflammation out of there that is in there now,” said Rolen. Asked how long it bothered him, he said, “That’s a good question. How about seven years. But that’s an easy excuse and I’m responsible for my bat-bats when I walk out there and I haven’t taken good at-bats and haven’t been helpful for the team.”

WONDER CHILD Bryce Harper took ten stitches in his forehead after Friday’s game when he banged his bat against a wall and the bat bit back, clobbering his forehead and opening a wound.

Dusty Baker said it is a part of youth, a learning curve, and recalled when he was young with the Atlanta Braves and threw a batting helmet.

“Hank Aaron came up behind me and grabbed me by the neck,” said Baker. “He told me, ‘Pick up that helmet, walk to the rack and put it where it belongs, then go sit in the dugout and figure out you are going to get that pitcher next time.’”

Baker said he didn’t see the Harper incident, few did, but his son, Darren saw it on television. Said Baker, “That’s a good lesson for my son to see — the repercussions of your actions.”

JOEY VOTTO has a cereal out, Votto’s, they gave away a Joey Votto bobblehead doll Saturday night and on Sunday they are giving away Jay Bruce cereal bowls.

Relief pitcher Sean Marshall checked it all out and said, “Well, I guess the Joey Votto bobblehead can now eat his Votto’s out of a Jay Bruce cereal bowl.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Dusty Baker on winning his 1,500th game Wednesday in Milwaukee: “I hope I’ve made it easier, by whatever success I’ve had, on the people of color.”

Baker on the short three-day homestand: “I emptied my suitcase when we got home Wednesday, repacked it on Thursday and on Sunday I’ll hug my kid, kiss my wife, pet my dog and hit the road again.”

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Leake has turned into a flood for Reds

By Hal McCoy | Friday, May 11, 2012, 10:54 PM

CINCINNATI — Brandon Phillips on Twitter: “This weekend we play Babe Ruth and the Washington Nationals.”

And he probably didn’t mean Rick Ankiel, Adam LaRoche or even Ryan Zimmerman, did he?

He was talking about 19-year-old super-rookie Bryce Harper, of whom Phillips said he is calling Babe Ruth, but with utter respect, “Because he is a great ballplayer and he deserves this attention. He’s can be like another Ken Griffey Jr. to this game.”

When Harper hits his first home run, he’ll be the first 19-year-old to hit one in the majors since, uh, Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989.

Bryce didn’t homer Friday, nor did he get a hit, but they weren’t needed because his Washington Nationals teammates used and abused Reds starter Mike Leake en route to a 7-3 victory.

THE REDS ARE in the midst of a 20-game stretch with no days off and are beginning a walk-the-plank period in their schedule, playing 14 games against teams over .500.

As Brandon Phillips said, “Every win is very crucial and this is a very important time in our schedule that will either make us or break us.”

What manager Dusty Baker didn’t want was for the bullpen to be broken early in this stretch of games.

“You really hope that your starting pitching throws well or you’ll put a real taxing on your bullpen,” he said. “You don’t want to have to go through a lot of bullpen management.”

So what does Leake do? Three innings, seven hits, six runs, two homers and a 6-0 deficit when he departed, forcing Baker to use four more pitchers over the final six innings (Alfred Simon, Jose Arredondo, J.J. Hoover, Sam LeCure).

Leake is now 0-5 with a x.xx earned run average and is at the point where the Reds have to be asking, “What do we do with this guy?”

SAID BAKER, “This is what we didn’t want to happen in the first game of 20 in a row. I didn’t want to use up all of my bullpen this early in this stretch.”

As for Leake, Baker shook his head and said, “We’re concerned. We’re all concerned. We’ve been concerned. As far as we know, he’s healthy and it is just a matter him not getting ahead of anybody, always pitching from behind. You pitch from behind and you are asking for trouble. Yeah, we’re concerned. Big-time.

“We’re thinking and doing all we can do at this time and the rest of it is up to the player,” Baker added.

Leake is as baffled as his manager and everybody else wearing a Reds uniform.

“I’m not getting the job done, missing spots, not hitting spots,” said Leake. “I just have to figure it out. It’s probably in my head somewhere and I just have to find it. I’m making it easy on hitters right now and I’m not making it tough, not getting them uncomfortable. I’m putting it in the hitter’s hands instead of mine.”

PHILLIPS HAD SOME pink t-shirts made up by Louisville Slugger for Mother’s Day on Sunday and the shirts read: “Real Men Swing Pink.” Phillips and several teammates also will swing pink bats Sunday to call attention to breast cancer.

“I’ll be giving away some of these pink shirts and pink bats to my fans on Twitter,” he said. “BP Claus is coming back. Dat Dude Santa.”

THE REDS ARE in the midst of 20 straight games during which they play 14 games against teams over .500 — Atlanta six games, New York Mets two games, New York Yankees three games (all on the road) after the current three games against the Nationals.

And it appears The Real Brandon Phillips is back and ready to produce after fighting a sore hamstring for most of April.

“I’m starting to feel a whole lot better and my legs are feeling better,” said Phillips. “I’m starting to run the bases and Dusty is giving me the open (green light to steal) and thank you, Lord.

“I feel like I don’t have the handcuffs on me any more, so I’m very happy about that,” he added. “I have one stolen base and, wow, yay. Dusty gave me the hold sign a lot when I was on base, but now I’m feeling better so I can get some stolen bases and key hits to get this thing going.”

Phillips went into Fridays game with three straight two-hit games and had two more hits Friday in the defeat.

WASHINGTON MANAGER Davey Johnson managed the Reds in 1995, the year Barry Larkin won the NL MVP and now that Larkin is on his way to the Hall of Fame, Johnson remembers him fondly.

“I’ve been asked who is the best player I ever managed,” said Johnson. “My answer is always, ‘Barry Larkin.’ He was a complete player. He played the leading position on the field, shortstop, he could hit anywhere in the lineup 1 to 4, he stole bases whenever you needed them, great defensively, led by example.”

Media types were stunned, knowing that Johnson managed the star-stuffed 1986 New York Mets and a team of stars in Baltimore and a team of stars in Los Angeles.

“I’ve managed a of great ones, but for what he did and the way he played he was arguably the best player I’ve managed,” Johnson said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: Washington Nationals manager Dave Johnson, fired by Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott after the 1995 season: “Hey, I did everything I could for that team. I even rode the elephant at Marge’s party.”

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Off the cuff stuff on an off day

By Hal McCoy | Thursday, May 10, 2012, 04:50 PM

UNSOLICITED WAYWARD OBSERVATIONS while sitting in The Man Cave with the TV off (no game tonight), awaiting the arrival of the Washington Nationals this weekend.

ANYBODY NOTICE the top three RBI players in the American League — Josh Hamilton, Edwin Encarnacion, Adam Dunn? Wonder what they all have in common?

THE FIVE-GAME suspension of Philadelphia pitcher Cole Hamels for admitting he hit Bryce Harper on purpose is a bad joke. His suspension is for one start and the Phillies can back him up one day and he really won’t miss a start.

If a position player is suspended for five games, it is five games. Hamels should have been suspended for 25 games so he would miss five starts.

IT WAS SPRING Training, 1978, and a bunch of writers and manager Sparky Anderson were seated by the pool at the International Inn in Tampa, headquarters of the Cincinnati Reds.

A beautiful young woman dressed (barely) in a string bikini walked by and Sparky asked, “Who is that?”

A writer said, “That’s Connie Bair, wife of relief pitcher Doug Bair.” Said Sparky, “Well, Doug Bair just made the team.”

And he did.

THE GUESS HERE is that so far the St. Louis Cardinals are not missing Albert Pujols, and not just because the Cardinals are in first place and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim/Disneyland/Orange County are in last place.

So far for their 10-year $250 million investment, the Angels are getting a .198 batting average with one homer and 11 RBI from Pujols.

The Cardinals signed Carlos Beltran to replace Pujols at $26 million for two years and they are getting, so far, a .284 average with 10 homers and 27 RBI.

To be fair, though, let’s check back in August.

I’VE LOST 33 pounds since February 18 and, frankly, I don’t miss the LaRosa’s pizza, Nathan’s hot dogs, Dairy Queen ice cream, Five Guys burgers and fries and El Cazador Mexican food. If you believe all that, I have an Arizona desert investment proposition for you.

But I’m not lying about the 33 pounds.

ONE OF MY dogs, Paige, is housebroken but does have an accident once in a while. When she does, she always goes into my home office to do her business on the Cleveland Browns helmet pictured on the rug.

Said Associated Press sportswriter Joe Kay, “She must be a Browns’ season’s ticket holder.”

MY FAVORITE major-league baseball venue is PNC Park in Pittsburgh — a beautiful venue with a gorgeous panoramic view of downtown Pittsburgh and the Roberto Clemente Bridge across the Allegheny River.

The view is spectacular because the press box is so high flights coming in to Pittsburgh International Airport fly below us.

Now if they’d just quit putting one of baseball’s ugliest teams in the place year-after-year.

PAT CORRALES is known mostly as one of Johnny Bench’s back-up catchers, so he didn’t play much and on the team he was as anonymous as the third baseman who played with Tinkers to Evers to Chance.

But Corrales holds an amazing distinction. He is the only manager in baseball history to get fired with his team in first place. The Philadelphia Phillies were in first place in 1983, but only one game over .500 (43-42), when Corrales was canned. And the Phillies went on to win the National League East.

Wonder if they gave him a World Series ring for those 43 wins?

WOULDN’T YOU love to see a 100-yard match race at River Downs between Drew Stubbs, Tony Campana (Cubs outfielder from Springboro) and Billy Hamilton?

Hamilton plays for the Bakersfield Blaze (what better nickname for a team on which Hamilton plays) and he has 32 steals (seven caught) in 29 games.

The fastest baseball player I ever saw was Deoin Sanders. He once hit a stand-up triple to the left field corner and the opposing pitchers said, “I know he had to cut across the mound from first to third, but I never saw him. I just felt the breeze on my back.”

HAVE TO differ with colleague Doug Harris when he wrote in the Dayton Daily News that the baseball Hall of Fame is watered down with the likes of Eddie Murray. Murray is one of only four Hall of Famers with both more than 500 home runs and more than 3,000 hits. That’s not water, Doug, that’s wine.

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Breath-taking starters, breath-holding relievers

By Hal McCoy | Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 05:15 PM

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave with budding sports journalist and my most loyal reader, Nate Lowe, as Zack Greineke and Johnny Cueto moved baseball back to the Dead Ball Era.

If pitching is your bag, then there was two grocery carts full of it Wednesday in Miller Park, one pushed by Milwaukee’s Zack Greinke and one pushed by Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto.

Zack Greinke pitched eight shutout innings (two hits) and Johnny Cueto pitched seven scoreless innings (five hits).

And then the fun began.

If hold-your-breath excitement is what floats your boat, then you should have been aboard for the ninth inning in what turned out to be a 2-1 Reds victory.

GREINKE LEFT FOR a pinch-hitter after eight magnificent innings, showing why he is 13-0 for his career in Miller Park.

Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke brought in his closer, John Axford, to pitch the top of the ninth and he continued what Greinke started (no walks, 11 strikeouts). Well, Axford imitated Greinke for two batters. He struck out both Chris Heisey and Zack Cozart.

Then the Reds looked as if they were swinging papier mache bats, but it worked. Three straight bloop hits scored two runs for a 2-0 lead.

It started with a two-out broken bat bloop single to center by Drew Stubbs. The Milwaukee outfielders played with their butts scraping the walls, trying to prevent a double. It didn’t work. Joey Votto still doubled, a bloop into right that second baseman Ricky Weeks nearly leaped and caught. But it fell in shallow right and Stubbs scored. By the time right fielder Corey Hart came in to pick up the ball, Votto was at second.

Brandon Phillips then checked his swing, nearly stopping the bat in mid-swing, but the ball kissed off the wood and looped lazily into center field and Votto scored to make it 2-0.

ALL THAT WAS left was for closer Sean Marshall to retire the Brewers in the bottom of the ninth to end it.

Marshall was not up to the chore. Ryan Braun led the bottom of the ninth with a home run and it was 2-1. Marshall struck out Aramis Ramirez on a full count and he was two outs away from his sixth save in seven chances.

Corey Hart nearly homered, but center fielder Stubbs caught the ball with his back to the wall. Now Marshall was only one out from the save.

He fell behind Jonathan LaCroy 3-and-0, then slipped two strikes past him. He was one pitch away from the save. But LaCroy then fouled off five straight breaking balls before ripping the sixth straight breaking ball into left field for a single.

NOW THE TYING run was on base. He went to 3-and-2 on pinch-hitter Lu Aoki — again one pitch away from the save. But Aoki reached out and slapped Marshall’s 36th pitch into left field for a dunk single.

Now the winning run was on, too, and Marshall’s day was done, in favor of Logan Ondrusek.

He made it doubly exciting when he walked pinch-hitter George Kottaras on five pitches to fill the bases.

Travis Ishikawa, Milwaukee’s third straight pinch-hitter, inexplicably swung at the first pitch and popped up to left field and it was over.

Finally.

Neither Greinke nor Cueto received a win and both deserved one. But neither took the loss, either, and it is for certain neither deserved a loss.

The Reds didn’t get a sniff off Greinke — two baserunners in eight innings, a double by Drew Stubbs in the fourth and a single by Brandon Phillips in the seventh.

Cueto, still 4-0 but now with an earned run average barely visible to the naked eye at 1.10, wasn’t as overwhelming as Greinke, but he was just as stingy with the runs.

The Brewers had chances in the second when they had two on with one out, but Taylor Green bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.

The Brewers left the bases loaded in the third. Nyjer Morgan singled with two outs, Ricky Weeks walked on four pitches and Braun squirted a grass-eater slowly up the third base line for an infield hit.

Cueto pulled the shades down, though, by getting Aramis Ramirez on a grounder to short, with first baseman Joey Votto making a gymnastics stretch to catch Cozart’s wide throw.

Cueto retired 12 of the last 13 he faced and became a dugout spectator, along with Greinke, to watch the late dramatics.

AFTER CUETO and before Ondrusek, Aroldis Chapman pitched the eighth inning and as usual it was 1-2-3 and the Brewers couldn’t touch his fastballs and sliders. They couldn’t have hit him if they swung tennis racquets against a beach ball.

Chapman struck out two of the three and his last hitter, Ricky Weeks, is still asking teammates if Chapman actually threw the baseball because he hasn’t spotted one yet — three fastballs, all 100 or over and the last one freight-trained by the blinking Weeks at 101 miles an hour.

HERE’S AN idea for Manager Dusty Baker to contemplate. Most fans want to see Chapman in the rotation. A better idea? Marshall has two losses, a blown save and Wednesday’s mishap already on his closer’s ledger. Why not Chapman? Exactly. Why not?

BY STEALING THIS one away from the Brewers, the Reds are 5-0-1 in their last six series. They’ve won five two games to one and split a rain-interrupted series with the Chicago Cubs one game to one.

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Some ugly warts pop up on Reds

By Hal McCoy | Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 11:20 PM

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, wondering who were those impostors wearing Cincinnati Reds uniforms Tuesday night against a Milwaukee team that has more players wearing bandages and slings than baseball gloves.

When a baseball team has won 11 of its previous 15 games, best record in the National League since mid-April, it isn’t the best thing to say, “Stop, the bandwagon, I want to jump off,” just because the bandwagon hit a large pothole.

But some ugly warts appeared Tuesday night on the Cincinnati Reds in Miller Park during an 8-3 drubbing they took from the medically-challenged Milwaukee Brewers.

(1)Left field remains a black hole. Neither Ryan Ludwick nor Chris Heisey can purchase a base hit, even if they plastered $100 bills on their foreheads.

(2)Third base, when occupied by Scott Rolen, is a sink hole as Rolen more and more resembles a fast-fading star. Rolen did have a run-scoring double in the eighth, but it only made it 8-3. The double tied Rolen with Babe Ruth for 48th on the all-time doubles list. But Ludwick flied to left with two on to end that threat.

IT WAS A night when the Reds were the Cincinnati Ugly Sisters.

STARTING PITCHER Homer Bailey pitched like Beatle Bailey or Won’t You Come Home Bill Bailey.

DREW STUBBS, batting .364 since moving to the No. 2 spot in the batting order, returned to fanning the breezes, striking out his first three at-bats.

THE BULLPEN EVAPORATED for the first time in eight games. It hadn’t given up a run in 23 1/3 innings when the night began.

The game was still retrievable in the fourth inning when the Reds were only down, 3-0. But the Brewers loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth against Bailey.

J.J. Hoover was brought in to clean up the mess, but he put more spots on the carpet by giving up a three-run triple to Aramis Ramirez, making it 6-0. Those runs weren’t charged to the bullpen.

But the streak ended the next inning when Sam LeCure gave up a double to catcher Jonathan Lacroy and a two-out run-scoring single to the pitcher, Milwaukee starter Yasmani Gallardo.

ADDING INSULT, Brewers shortstop Cesar Izturis, who hadn’t homered in two years, sent one over the fence against Jose Arredondo.

THIS ONE, THOUGH, falls at the feet of Homer Bailey. If there were only two outs per inning, Bailey would have pitched a perfect first two innings.

But he needed three outs. After getting the first two outs in the first and second inning, he still gave up runs — two in the first and one in the second.

With two outs in the first, Ryan Braun singled on a 3-and-2 pitch. Bailey hit Aramis Ramirez with a pitch. He walked slump-shrouded Corey Hart with a pitch, filling the bases. Catcher Jonathan Lacroy was 1 for 7 for his career against Bailey and Bailey threw two strikes past him. On 0-and-2, Lacroy shot a two-run single to center.

Bailey finally got the third out of the first inning on his 42nd pitch.

He retired the first two in the second, too, but Nyjer Morgan singled on a 0-and-2 pitch. Ricky Weeks, batting .179, walked, bringing up MVP Braun. He bounced a ground rule double over the left field fence to make it 3-0.

It was a rolling stone gathering no moss speeding downhill on the Reds from there.

The Reds had an opportunity in the fourth when it was still 3-0. Joey Votto doubled and Brandon Phillips reached on an error. Two on, no outs. Jay Bruce popped to short, Rolen popped to first, Ludwick walked to fill the bases, but Devin Mesoraco popped out to second on a full count.

ON A POSITIVE PLAIN, Jay Bruce continued his sizzling scenario with a two-run home run in the sixth, his 10th of the season.

MEANWHILE, some guy named Josh Hamilton hit four home runs and a double for the Texas Rangers. Josh Hamilton? The name sounds familiar.

THERE IS HOPE that the Reds can still win the series Wednesday afternoon when Johnny Cueto faces Zack Greinke. The Reds have won four of their last five series, winning all four by two games to one and they split a two-game rain-shortened series against the Chicago Cubs.

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