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 > 02 > Entry
Heating up in Hotlanta
Report on the problems of the airlines, Part XVIII:
The flight landed in Atlanta 20 minutes early and after a five-minute taxi that seemed as if we were headed back up I-75 to Dayton, the pilot pulled to a stop on the tarmac.
On comes the intercom: “Some good news and some bad news,” says the pilot. “The good news is that we arrived 20 minutes early. The bad news is that our gate is occupied.”
Thirty minutes later we pulled into a parking spot. Not a gate, a parking spot. We unloaded and walked 200 yards to the terminal door. Now what good was landing 20 minutes early? Probably so the airline could post an “on-time” arrival. I won’t name the airline, but it rhymes with Smelta.
Had a nice lunch, though, in Mid-town at The Front Page News - and how can a baseball writer resist a restaurant with that name? The waitress said one of the owners used to be a newspaper guy but wised up and went into the restaurant business. Either way, newspaper or restaurant, he slings hash.
Then there is Friday traffic in Atlanta - or traffic in Atlanta at any hour, any minute.
Aaron Harang arrived at the park at 4 p.m.
“Left the hotel at 3 and drove to the park,” he said. “I was on the freeway and never drove faster than 20. I called my wife twice and called my brother.”
Aaron’s brother, Darrell, pitches Double-A in New Hampshire in the Toronto system. “He pitched 3 2/3 innings the other day and threw 38 pitches,” said Aaron. Gee, wonder where he gets that?
“My brother and some friends went to Fenway Park this week because one of their buddies got called up by the Blue Jays to pitch,” said Harang. “They were rooting loudly for the Jays and they got hassled pretty bad.”
Speaking of hassles, Ryan Freel is not in Friday’s lineup after getting three hits Wednesday in St. Louis. Corey Patterson was back in center field and batting leadoff.
Hold off the venom and the vituperation - for now. Manager Dusty Baker said Freel will play Saturday and Sunday and he wasn’t playing Friday because he hadn’t faced Atlanta pitcher Tim Hudson. Patterson has faced him (1-for-5).
And while Freel appreciates your support, he wants it known this isn’t all about him and it is all about everybody being against Patterson, which Freel says is unfair.
About not playing Friday, Freel said, “I’m just keeping my mouth shut. Hey, I’m not saying I’m the missing piece here to make us win. I played Wednesday and we didn’t win.
“I’m not going to put my foot in my mouth and it isn’t all about me,” he added. “I said from Day One when I came to the Reds that I just want to win. Whatever it takes to win. I don’t want people to think I’m against him (Patterson) and that I’m not pulling for him. I want to play, of course I want to play, but I want to win. If I’m sitting on the bench and we’re winning, I don’t care.”
But he is sitting and they are NOT winning.
“If I’m playing well and we’re losing, what good is that?” he said. “I just love to play, I love this game, but it doesn’t owe me anything. I owe this game everything. It is not about playing time and I don’t want the reputation of being anything but a hard player, a gamer who wants to play every day.
“We have to win, whatever it takes,” he said. “It shouldn’t be focused on one person, not just on Corey Patterson. We’re losing games by one or two runs and our home runs aren’t up, based on who we have on this team. Look at the power guys, look at smallball guys, look at some of the pitching - you can’t put the blame on one person, you can’t blame Corey Patterson. That’s not fair for anybody. He is a pro who has been around the game and he is a good player, despite what people are saying about him. He doesn’t want to be where he is.”
And that was Freel’s State of the Union address on a Friday night in Hotlanta.
Quick interpretation: He wants to play. He knows he can help. But he doesn’t hold it against Patterson, nor does he blame Patterson for the 12-17 record. “It’s a team game,” he said, uttering a baseball cliche that is as true as a cliche ever gets.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Aaron Harang
Comments
By ShockMonkey
May 3, 2008 9:25 AM | Link to this
I noticed a touch of the Bob Baboone, Dave Miley, Jerry Narron stare in Dusty last night. You know, when the team is spirling into the abyss of ineptitude and you’re at a loss on how to stop it. Sure came early this year. Gosh, maybe Pete Mackanin wasn’t so bad. The purge to youth can began now. I’ve seen enough of Griffey and Dunn.By fred
May 3, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
sorry ryan, i’ve considered your point of view, but i still blame pattersonBy Xenia-PH
May 3, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this
I really enjoy reading your ‘sidetrips’ (taxi rides,favorite parks,offdays, etc.)as much as your daily coverage. Is there a book coming some day ala Roger Kahn?By Mike
May 2, 2008 10:42 PM | Link to this
The problem is the middle of the line-up. Griffey, Phillips, Dunn have been awful and there is little hope Griffey and Dunn will get better. Why isn’t Votto playing? Patterson was a bad signing. It pains me to say this but this team is not very good. The Reds must develop a robust farm system or they will be a continuing on-going disaster. Unfortunately building a farm system takes time and the Reds have wasted the last 15 years. “I want to win now” is easy to say but very hard to do. The situation is moving beyond ugly.By Jim M.
May 2, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this
Ist May 2nd, this team doesnt look like anything but a last place team..Dusty has let me down as to think his fav player Patterson doesnt get on base and he says he hates losing but refuses to play Freel who just had 3 hits..and doesnt get mad after a game!!! I feel bad for BOB because he wanst to win like us fans, but he has lousy players that dont hit!! most of the players that hit in spring training are not on this team..( Jay Bruce, Andy Green, Andy Phillips) and they played like they were hungry.. the players we have here (DUNN doesnt EVER play with a high intensity) and if im coach im telling him to hit to the freaking leftside EVERYtime on that dang shift in batting practice so he does it in a game. why give easy outs away??By Sigh Yung
May 2, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this
Bench Them!By Kyle
May 2, 2008 8:55 PM | Link to this
Of course we’re playing Dusty’s boy for his defense. Oh, wait, how’s that pop fly working out for you that led to two runs in the 4th? Give me a break.By donb51
May 2, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this
So, the old cliche, “its a team game” is being used again. Then why isn’t everyone paid the same. If one guy is paid 4 times more than another guy, then shouldn’t that guy be expected to contribute more directly to Wins than the other guy? Well, your vaunted 13 million dollar home run hitter has not hit a home run that has mattered in 29 games this season (go ahead, check each game, it’s true. But, but, but, he walks a lot! Yeah, as a result of those, he has helped in two games with a walk or a single - that’s it. Let’s see, 9 players, a team game, then each player should figure in a win at least one in every 9 wins, given everyone is equal. The more highly paid players should figure in contributing to a win at least once in every 4 wins - if he is 4 times more compensated. At this rate, we can figure in our highest paid player will figure in helping out every 15th game - unless he gets really hot!By Mike
May 2, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this
So, Patterson plays because he is 1-5 or .200..not exactly hitting the cover off the ball…Freel not seeing Hudson is a crutch..especailly after 3 hits last time out!! Patterson has been annointed. Freel even though the so called critics say “he can’t play everday..he wears down!! ” He’s not an everyday player. One question..Why not?? Who knows what makes Patterson an everyday player..he apparently was in the room when reputations were handed out..Freel wasn’t.Freel needs to play.