Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th 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 > 2008 > May > 01 > Entry
It’s not an ‘off’ day
People have their hearts in the right places when they say to me on a day the Cincinnati Reds don’t play: “Have a nice day off.”
I appreciate the thought from the well-wishers, but an “off” day for a baseball team is not an “off” day for a baseball writer.
Exhibit A: Thursday. The Cincinnati Reds are off, enjoying their day in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, where they stay at the Ritz-Carlton.
Me? Well, I’m not expecting a pity party or anything, it’s just part of the schtick and I enjoy it. Who else gets paid to do something they love - for 36 years?
My day:
Up at 9 (flew out of St. Louis at 8:40 Wednesday night, arriving at 11 in Dayton for a one-day stopover before flying to Atlanta Friday morning.
-Write an ”off’ day story for Friday’s paper on the five things the Reds need to do to go 17-12 in May after gong 12-17 in April.
-Send a Reds Report to 29 other writers covering the other 29 teams, a weekly exchange of notes for Sunday notebooks.
(Time out to take my miniature schnauzer, Barkley, for a walk. A stop at Starbuck’s for my vente non-fat latte. And, yes, I am a black coffee guy - as one blogger said he thought I was. Three cups every morning and a couple more during the day. But I also need my Starbuck’s fix.)
-Write Ask Hal for Sunday’s paper, which involves wading through a week’s worth of questions via e-mail from readers.
-Write a report on the Reds for Sports Xchange, a daily task for an on-line service.
Now the fun part. Off to watch my grandson, Eric, play baseball for Centerville High School, where he is a junior catcher. Pardon some grandparent pride right here, but last week he hit a 380-foot home run and a game-ending single. I wasn’t there. Never am because of this job. But today I will be. Can’t wait.
Wouldn’t it be great for grandpa to cover grandson catching for the Reds?
The Reds? They have a great chance Friday night because Edinson (4-0) Volquez is pitching and he’ll hold Atlanta to two or less runs and the Reds will score 10. That’s there modus operandi for Volquez. In five starts they’ve scored 35 runs for him (I’m no math major, but I think that’s seven runs a game).
Meanwhile, Aaron Harang was 1-4 in April with a 2.98 ERA and his so-called buddies have scored 3.1 runs a game in his seven starts - two or less in three of his four losses.
I anxiously await Friday’s lineup. Will Ryan Freel be in center field and bat leadoff. He had three hits Wednesday (the team had nine) and he is hitting .321. Corey Patterson is hitting .214.
Sounds like a no-brainer, right? We’ll see.
What this team needs is a huge dose of production from the middle of the order - Ken Griffey Jr., Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn. At the moment, none is driving in meaningful runs.
It is evident to baseball writers when this happens, even without looking at the statistics. We interview the hitting stars of a game and it was a rare occurrence to talk to any of that trio after a game in April.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to dump six days worth of dirty underwear out of my suitcase and reload for three more days.
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Comments
By Dave S.
May 5, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
I have read a lot of good suggestions, but let us face the facts. We need improvement at c,lf,3b and rf. Another starter would be nice. However the biggest problem is that the Reds can’t play baseball. Trying to hit homeruns instead of bunting, and h+r. Dunn hitting to left might help. Bruce, Roenicke, Janish and Bailey in the majors would help also.By Drew S.
May 5, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this
I see that many people want to pull the old cut and run routine again, like that worked last time!! Let us remember that Ken Griffey Jr. is a first ballot HOF, and will hit. Now Dunn is the equivelent of Dave Kingman, so give up on him being the next Griffey. Yes bring up Bruce and Bailey, but don’t sell them down the river after one month like you people seem to have sold the season. Maybe there is some problems, but can we always blame the manager? So true fans will stay fans, you’re call. What about Dunn for Crede?By BOB DUERSTOCK
May 4, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this
Hal I agree we will be out of it by the 1st of June.Griffey and Dunn and there SALARIES with a 30 million dollar cashier,s check would bring a couple of watermellons and a case of BUD!!!!By Y-City Jim
May 2, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this
Lehr will get beat like a drum at the ML level just as he has every other time when he surfaced at his level. Give Bellisle and Arroyo a bit more time before pulling the plug on either one. If one fails after another month has gone by then it’s Bailey time, which mean Thompson can be called up to Louisville.By Dan
May 2, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
How about getting rid of Patterson & calling up Bruce, ditching Belisle for Bailey and send Arroyo to the pen to make room for Lehr. These are moves we can make before we trade Hatt/Griff/Dunn/Freel/Belisle…By Rob
May 2, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this
Ryan Braun struck out 112 times in 450 at bats last season as a rookie, translates to 150 K’s over a full season. He walked 29 times but hit .324 and produced runs. He has boatloads of potential. The number of strike outs is meaningless if the guy produces runs. Learn at the highest level if you have the talent and potential.By Will
May 2, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Bruce has struck out around 20 times in 90 at bats in AAA. Thats just what this team needs, another left handed bat that strikes out lot. He’s not ready yet.By rob
May 2, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Enjoy your blog Hal. One mild complaint, though. We really don’t want to read about your six days worth of dirty underwear!By ShockMonkey
May 1, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this
Best Reds blog by a mile. Nice job Hal. Enjoying watching your Grandson play inspiring baseball. What a concept. Now get to work! It’s your day off!By John
May 1, 2008 8:27 PM | Link to this
Hal, your writing is great. Keep it up, you always give me a laugh. Elks are going all the way this year in the GWOC. Go Centerville!By Brent
May 1, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this
I hope your grandson hits better than his father! I know he hits better than the the Reds catching trio.By Scott
May 1, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this
Keep up the great work, Hal! Hope to see your grandson in a Reds uniform someday.By Steve
May 1, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
What are your thoughts about Ryan Freel’s deficiencies in CF compared to Patterson? He cost us dearly yesterday on a play that Patterson probably would have made. Hal, why is there no discussion of batting Keppinger in the leadoff spot? Patterson is a talented CF, he’s just a poor fit for a lead off hitter. You and I agree, and have since March, that the solution to this problem is Jay Bruce. Just think how much further along he would be, like Joey Votto is, if they had been playing Bruce since last September.By Brian
May 1, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this
Very cool blog. I know Eric will be excited to see you there as will the entire Centerville team as they continue their trek towards the GWOC Central title. Baseball at its’ purest. What a refreshing thought. No primadonnas, just young men playing for the love of the game. Go Elks!