A: That would be Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych, who before each inning got down on his hands and knees and smoothed out the mound, then held the baseball up to his mouth and talked to it. For the Reds, it would be pitcher Brad ‘The Animal’ Leslie, who pounded his chest like Tarzan and screamed after every strikeout. And pitcher Turk Wendell chewed four (not three, not five ... always four) pieces of black licorice during every inning and brushed his teeth in the dugout between innings. Notice that they are all pitchers, a truly different breed.
Q: Will MLB step in and put a limit on the length of the oven mitts players strap on their hands when they get on base? — BRIAN, Bellbrook.
A: My proposal: Ban the darn things. They definitely give the runners two or three inches of extra reach... and they’re ugly. Why can’t they just keep their batting gloves on? You can bet that soon a player will sell advertising on those oven mitts, something like, “Bake your perch in a Samsung.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Q: During the All-Star game this year, players were allowed to challenge balls and strikes calls. Do you think that’s a great idea? — EDWARD, Lakeview.
A: Not only do I think it is not a great idea, I don’t even think it’s a good idea. Yes, they used it in the All-Star game which means it soon will be in a regular-season MLB game near you. More and more challenge situations are invading the game and soon pitchers will be able to challenge the color of a batter’s shoes. I will admit that with the box on TV it is obvious umpires miss five to ten balls and strikes calls every game, some very egregious. But it usually goes both ways, for and against both teams. But, in this technology-run society, it’s coming.
Q: Can’t the owners fire baseball commissioner Rob Manfred? — RYAN, Englewood.
A: Yes, they can. The owners hire him and can relieve him of his duties. But why would they? He is beholden to the owners because he works for the owners. I haven’t heard of any dissident owners regarding Manfred. And the owners never have fired a commissioner. Baseball is stuck with him until he retires on his own terms after the 2029 season.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Q: In all your years of covering sports, what two teams had the most intense rivalry? —KEVIN, Centerville.
A: Without question, it was The Big Red Machine of the 1970s and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both were in the National League West at the time. The Dodgers had great teams, but couldn’t consistently beat the Reds. After one wide victory by the Reds in Dodger Stadium, LA manager Tommy Lasorda, Italian through and through, pounded his desk with his fist and said, “We’re just the meatballs to the Reds’ spaghetti.” Then he ate two plates full.
Credit: Charles Krupa
Credit: Charles Krupa
Q: Team A wins a World Series then misses the playoffs for years, but Team B makes the playoffs five years in a row but never wins the World Series, which is better? — ALAN, Sugarcreek Twp.
A: Obviously, Team A is a one-hit wonder, probably full of luck for one year. Team B is built to win and if it makes the playoffs every year it is a very good team even if its players never wear World Series rings. Give me Team B and something good to write about in the post-season.
Q: With MLB talking about expanding in two cities, how are they going to build minor-league affiliates for those teams? — LARRY, Dallas, Tex.
A: Great question since commissioner Rob Manfred eliminated 42 minor league teams and there is talk he plans to amputate several more. If two MLB teams are added he is going to have to back track and come up with at least 10 towns with affiliated teams. My question, though, is where is the MLB talent coming from? MLB teams already are watered down with players of lower quality than one expects in the majors.
Q: The 1956 Cincinnati Reds finished with a 91-63-1 record because the second game of a doubleheader with the Cubs was stopped after seven innings with the score tied, 7-7, so what happened and why wasn’t that game finished at a later date? — BOB, Belmont.
A: The game was rained out. Back then, they didn’t pick up games where they left off. They replayed the game in its entirety and the Reds record wasn’t 91-63-1. It is listed as 91-63. The Reds finished third, two games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers and one game behind the Milwaukee Braves. That tie game was just tossed into a trash can as if it never happened.
Q: Who is the official scorer and does he hide behind a curtain and is he paid? — GREG, Beavercreek.
A: For years, a home team baseball beat writer was the official scorer and he was paid a minimal amount each game. I never did it because I thought it was a conflict of interest (“Hey, Eric, give me a hundred bucks and I’ll change that error to a base hit.”) Eventually, MLB phased out the writers and hired official scorers. No, the Reds’ official scorer, Ron Roth, isn’t hiding behind a curtain. He has a seat in the press box. Yes, he is paid but he is wise enough never to go into the clubhouse. Players hold grudges.
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