A If barbers give estimates, it would have cost Volquez most of his $700 meal money for the current trip for a professional trim. Shearing the dreadlocks was what he called “self mutilation,” but if he hadn’t had the Tommy John surgery he would not have been able to lift the hedge clippers above his shoulders.
Q I remember Sparky Anderson once coming out to argue with an umpire, but immediately turned back without saying a word because he said the umpire told him, “I missed the call,” and Sparky said he had no comeback for that. Who was that umpire? — Joe, Phillipsburg
A That umpire was Lee Weyer, one of the best ever. He stood 6-foot-6 and weighed over 300 pounds. Despite his size, he had a high, squeaky voice that made him sound like Mickey Mouse when he called a strike. In that incident with Sparky, honesty was the best policy. More umpires should employ it and there would be less time wasted arguing, but some umps like to argue because they know they always win.
Q With the knowledge that most pitchers have successful Tommy John surgery, why did the Angels give up on Jose Arredondo, and have the Reds found a jewel off another team’s scrap heap? — Dan, Sydney, Australia
A Shouldn’t you be asking me questions about Australia Rules Football? Love that sport, especially the official in the white hat and white top coat who stands under the goal and makes signals like a traffic cop. Oh, Arredondo? Teams make decisions for different reasons, but that one was strange in that Arredondo was 10-2 out of the bullpen for the Angels in 2008 with a 1.62 ERA in 52 games. A diamond in the scrap heap? More like finding a million dollars in an old trunk in the attic.
Q Did the Reds even try to sign Lance Berkman, because if they had they’d be in first place right now. — Mike, Houston
A As I understand it, nobody tried to sign Berkman. Not one offer. So he picked up the telephone and called the St. Louis Cardinals and asked for a contract/tryout. Why didn’t somebody give him a number with a 513 area code? As for being in first place, that’s a stretch — although it would be interesting if you could take away what he has done for the Cardinals and add it to the Reds.
Q What are those colored rope necklaces a lot of the Reds are wearing? Did they bring good luck? — Judith, Dayton
A Nothing mystical or magical about them. They are the current style trend (everybody has to have one). Most ballplayers get them from Brett Bros. They are braided titanium and are said to relieve pain in the neck and shoulders. If that’s the case, with all the Reds pitchers suffering shoulder problems this year, the team should order them by the gross and Homer Bailey could wear six at a time.
Q What is your take on the home plate collision that knocked San Francisco’s Buster Posey out for the season? — Mark, Columbus
A After the fact, of course, some folks want a rule to forbid a catcher from blocking home plate, something that has been part of the game since they began stitching baseballs. Ridiculous. With all the armor a catcher wears, it is usually the runner who comes up limping and coughing up sand and pebbles. The next time a shortstop is knocked out of a game by a runner breaking up a double play, they’ll want that play eliminated, too, and pretty soon they’ll be serving tea and crumpets between innings.
Q On the last road trip, when the Reds were calling up a new pitcher every day, I wondered how the new guys get their new uniforms so fast, as far as getting numbers and names on the jerseys? — Mike, Yellow Springs
A Any player on the 40-man roster or any player invited to spring training is assigned a number and has uniforms with his name on the back. In the rare case where a player was not in camp, like Jeremy Horst and Tom Cochran, the team carries extra jerseys with numbers, but no names. They also carry packages of letters that can be sewn on when a player without an already-made uniform arrives. One of the blanks are sent quickly to a seamstress, hopefully one who can spell, and his name is sewn on. If a seamstress can’t be found, clubhouse manager Rick Stowe dons needle and thread.
Q I read that Dusty Baker said they don’t need somebody like Yonder Alonso and/or Todd Frazier because offense is not the team’s problem. Isn’t it a fact that the more runs you score the more games you win? — John, Indianapolis
A Offense is good, pitching is better. The idea to score more runs is a good one, but a better idea is to keep the other team from scoring more. The Reds continue to be in the top two in most National League offensive categories. They score enough. Too often, though, the other team scores more. So Baker’s point is well-taken — more and better pitching, please.
Q Do you think third base coach Mark Berry is an issue, because I think he sends runners when he should hold them and holds them when he should send them and sometimes just stands there clueless? — Louie, Benson, N.C.
A Actually, Berry is one of the better third base coaches I’ve seen. So much goes into when to send runners and when to hold them — the runner’s speed, the game situation, how many outs, who is coming up to bat, the score. I judge a third base coach by how many times a year I have to question him about his judgement and with Berry it is about once a year. Clueless? What kind of clues does he need? It is a game of baseball, not a game of Clue. If the third base coach is a team’s major problem, then that team must be invincible.
Q I know a regulation baseball game is 4½ or 5 innings, but when rain ends a game, some games are ruled complete games, some don’t count and must be totally replayed with no statistics counted from the previous game and some games are continued at a later date from the point where rain stopped it. What’s the difference? — Dan, Pittsburgh
A If a game is rained out before five innings, it is replayed entirely and none of the stats from the rained-out game count. If the home team is ahead after 4½ or more innings and the rains stop the game, the home team wins. If the visitors are ahead after five or more innings and rain stops the game, the visitors win. If the game is tied after five innings and stopped by rain, the game will be picked up where it was stopped by rain and finished, with all stats counting. Clear? Now don’t ask about the infield fly rule or the balk rule, puh-leez. My rules knowledge is nearly exhausted.
Q I know the Reds have a team physician, but do they have a team psychologist? — Jeff, Springboro
A Dr. Tim Kremchek, of course, is the team doctor. They also have three trainers, a team dentist, a nose, ear and throat specialist, a head injury specialist, a foot specialist, a dietician and on and on and on. A psychologist? If one is needed, they know where to find one, although I don’t know of one whose specialty is transferring hits, balls and strikes from a couch to the field.
Q Do you think getting sent to Triple-A was a wake-up call for Edinson Volqeuz? — Kyle, Dayton
A Well, they’ve yet to catch him sleeping on the mound, so a wake-up call wasn’t needed. In fact, he needed to be wide awake to listen to roving pitching instructor Mario Soto and Louisville pitching coach Ted Power. Judging from early return, Volquez was bright-eyed and bushy-headed when Soto and Power extolled the virtue of throwing the baseball in the same zip code as home plate.
About the Author