A: Unfortunately, I believe they do. Listen to any post-game interview of a player who had a game-winning hit and invariably he says, “I was just looking for that one pitch I could handle.” And broadcasters say it during a player’s at bat, “He’s look for a pitch in one specific spot, in his wheelhouse.” My question is what if he never gets that pitch? I guess that’s why strikeouts are the most things you see in an MLB game. Why not choke up on the bat, take a controlled swing and punch a hit on any pitch in the strike zone?
Q: Is Milwaukee considered a small market team? — JOE, Englewood.
A: The smallest of the small. Tiny. It is considered the smallest market in MLB. Outside Metropolitan Milwaukee, there are no major cities other than mid-sized Green Bay. Not far to the south are the Chicago Cubs. In contrast, in addition to Greater Cincinnati, the Reds have Louisville, Columbus and Indianapolis, all larger than Cincinnati, plus Dayton and Lexington. As for payroll, the Brewers were 23rd, just a few bucks lower than the Reds.
Q: What do you think about MLB not using the Ghost Runner during the postseason? — BILL, Fairborn.
A: The best thing MLB has done in years is eliminating the Manfred Man at second base to start extra innings. And it tells me that the commissioner considers it a gimmick not worthy of the postseason. How exciting was that 15-inning Seattle-Detroit game. With the Free Runner, that game probably would have ended in the 10th or 11th. Banish it for all time.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Q: Talk show host Colin Cowherd said the managers no longer make out their own lineup cards, that front offices do, so tell me he’s wrong? — MATTHEW, Kettering.
A: Wish I could say it ain’t so, Joe, er, Matthew. Mostly, though, it is a collaboration now that every team has an analytics department. The analytics geeks feed the manager reams of information and ‘suggestions’ about whom to play and where. Depending on the strength and self-confidence of the manager, he does what he thinks is right to win games or what he thinks is right for him to keep his job.
Q: Why do catchers nowadays stick one leg straight out when catching pitches instead of remain in a squat that way Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench did? — RUSS, Beavercreek.
A: They call it a kickstand stance and I’m told it enables them to get lower for the trick pitches that dive into the dirt, makes it easier to frame pitches in attempts to steal strikes and it reduces the physical stress on their bodies. To me, it looks as if it leads to more passed balls and wild pitches because it is more difficult to block those low pitches. In some cases, it might be pure laziness.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Q: You were in the pressbox for more than 50 years, so could you tell the difference between a fastball and a curveball the way announcers do instantly? — LARRY, Piqua.
A: I played the game for nearly 30 years and couldn’t tell the difference between a fastball and a slider, as my batting averages proved. In the press box, I could tell when a pitcher threw a big-bending curveball, but a slider, cutter, sinker, sweeper, change-up, knuckle-curve all looked alike to me. Broadcasters have the benefit of a TV monitor, but it still perplexes me how they discern each pitch so quickly. And they’re always right.
Q: Which is the best city for an expansion franchise? — GEORGE, Morton Grove, Ill.
A: Fans in Denver wonder when they’ll get an MLB team. I’d love to see a return to Montreal, but they lost the Expos because they couldn’t get a new stadium. There are several options: Charlotte, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Portland. Whatever they do, they need to take two from column A. They need to add two teams, one for each league, to balance at 16 teams in each league. It would make scheduling much easier. How about Charlotte and Salt Lake City?
Q: What are the Reds biggest needs heading into the off-season? — RYAN/ELVIS, Englewood.
A: How about new ownership, or is that too harsh? They need a front office that won’t waste money on sketchy free agents like Jeimer Candelario. They need ownership willing to invest money in a blue chip free agent or two. Mainly, on the field, they need a power-hitting left fielder, but scanning the list there isn’t much available — Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Tyler O’Neil, Jesse Winker, Michael Conforto, Mark Canha, Alex Verduho. Nah, pass on those. Maybe a trade?
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Q: If you could revisit just one baseball event in your lifetime, what would it be and why? — MATT, New Paris.
A: In more than a half century of covering baseball, I’ve covered close to 2,000 games and written more than 7,000 baseball stories. To say the least, I’ve been blessed. Picking one event is tough, but I’d have to say the 1975 Reds-Red Sox World Series. Many call it the best World Series of all time and the Carlton Fisk Game 6 home run as the best World Series game. I agree. When I harken back to sitting in the Fenway Park press box for that World Series, I still get chills, although at my age maybe I just need a blanket.
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