A Another lapse? You have two lapses in this one question. First, I've not yet mentioned Votto and Yastzremski (I can barely spell it) in the same sentence, not even in the same breath. Second, Secretariat was not the last Triple Crown winner. That would be Affirmed in 1978. But we all know you don't have any horse sense. Or baseball sense.
Q Seems to me the MVP is Joey Votto's to lose. What does he and the Reds have to do for him to win it? – Pat, Troy
A It would help if the Reds won the division and not St. Louis, because then we all know who would win. All Votto has to do is to continue playing like a super hero. But you never know about voters. The year Steve Carlton won the Cy Young, I was the only voter who didn’t vote for him. I voted for LA’s Jerry Reuss. Well, he did beat the Reds five times that year.
Q With all the travel involving West Coast and East Coast teams, why doesn't MLB split the map in half and split the leagues to put all teams in the East in one league and all teams in the West in the other league? — Glenn, Hamilton
A First of all, somebody would have to send MLB a map and show them how to use it. It does make sense, but teams have to agree to shift leagues and we're talking 30 teams. In baseball, you're lucky if you can get two teams to agree on one thing. In baseball, all things are answered with one word: tradition.
Q Do the Reds have their own airplane and if so, what kind and how many people does it hold? I would hate for them to have to travel commercial flight. — Mike, Anaconda, Mont.
A Back in the 1970s, the Dodgers owned their own airplane and later the Padres also had their own. But they weren't cost-effective. The Reds haven't traveled commercial since the Marge Schott days. They have a deal with Delta and have charter planes all to themselves, usually a Boeing 757. And what's wrong with traveling commercial? The writers do it and I think players should be subject to security strip searches and loss of luggage or gear sent to the wrong city. Umpires do it, too.
Q When foul balls go into the dugout, one player will look at it, then he'll give it to a teammate and he, too, will look at the ball. What's the heck are they looking for? — Steve, Fairborn
A Amazingly, a baseball always finds a guy in a batting slump. So he'll look at it, then show it to his seatmate and say, "So this is what a baseball looks like? I haven't touched one in a week." And if the guy is in a fielding slump, he'll immediately drop the ball.
Q Who are the bullpen catchers? Are they employed by the Reds, and on the road do they travel with them or does the home team furnish one? — Gary, Djerkvik, Norway
A There are two guys who catch pitchers in the bullpen. One is a hired bullpen catcher, Mike Stefanski, a former minor-league catcher (786 games) in the Reds system who also played first base, third base, outfield and pitched in four games over his 13-year minor-league career. He never made it to the majors. The other is a bullpen coach, Porky Lopez. Lopez also doubles as Johnny Cueto's interpreter during interviews. He played seven years in the minors as a catcher and hit .203. They both travel with the team, they both get major-league meal money, they both wear nifty Reds uniforms with their names and numbers on the back. Mostly, they are seen and rarely heard.
Q Cody Ross, Jose Guillen and Johnny Damon are performing well and Manny Ramirez to a lesser extent, but all have been put on waivers. What's going on? — Larry, Piqua
A Happens every year. The Reds even put Ken Griffey Jr. on waivers. Teams do it to see if other teams want that player. If somebody claims him, then his team can withdraw waivers and try to make a trade with the team that claimed him. Or, if they want to dump salary (or the player), they put him on waivers and if somebody claims him, they say, "OK, he's yours. Take him."
Q It seems as if the Reds may not be as interested as they should be in Dusty Baker if reports are true that he has been offered a one-year extension, which to me seems insulting. What gives? — Mike, Houston
A Walter Alston (Darrtown, Ohio) signed 23 straight one-year contracts and even let the Dodgers fill in the numbers. Tommy Lasorda did the same thing. Those, of course, are rare. Given the fact the Reds signed Baker originally to a three-year deal, a one-year extension does seem curious, especially with the success of this year's team. Tony La Russa signed a one-year extension to manage St. Louis this year and he hasn't re-upped. So if Baker says no, well, hmmmmm.
Q Will a non-productive Aaron Harang cost the Reds the NL Central, because right now the Reds are forced to rely on two rookies (Mike Leake, Travis Wood) who are maxing out their innings and another pitcher fresh off Tommy John surgery (Edinson Volquez)? — Mark, Bloomington, Ind.
A A month ago Reds fans were ecstatic over the deepness of the starting rotation, but now? Leake appears out of petrol and is in the bullpen. Volquez is struggling to find command. Wood has one bad start this week, so let’s not jump to conclusions there. Harang isn’t getting anybody out during his rehab in Louisville, so he remains suspect. I wouldn’t toss it all in Harang’s lap, but September is going to be extremely interesting. The good thing? The Reds have an easy schedule.
Q When a batter reaches first base because a fielder trips over his baggy long pants, is it scored a hit or an error? — Kenneth, Middletown
A If the ball ricochets off the fallen defender and his baggy pants, error. If the defenser trips over his baggy pants but doesn’t touch the ball, hit. Remember when players wore skin-tight double knits and we all worried somebody would split their britches bending to make a play? Would it have been a hit or an error when the player ignored the baseball to cover his exposed posterior?
Q With Jordan Smith sent down last week, he has to stay in the minors 10 days before he can be recalled, unless another pitcher is injured. That means he won't be back before September 1 and won't be eligible for the playoffs. Am I right? — Bill, Villa Hills, Ky.
A That's the rule, yes. But the Reds have a loophole and they can use it for Smith or even Aroldis Chapman, when he is called up after the deadline. If a team has any players on the 60-day DL, it can replace those players with anybody on the 40-man roster for the playoffs, even if it is after September 1. The Reds have two players on the 60-day DL.
Q My daughter wants her 16th birthday on October 18 to be a Reds party, so can you tell me when the first World Series game will be played? — Judy, Hamilton
A Amazing. My birthday is October 18. I'll bring the ice cream. The first World Series game is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27, meaning the WS will wander into November. If your daughter believes the Reds will be in the World Series, delay the party nine days. If the party will be at the ball park, buy here a heavy parka for her birthday.
Q What impact has Scott Rolen had on the younger players, such as Joey Votto, as to showing them how to be a classy leaders? — Lance, Dayton
A An immense impact. Votto lockers next to Rolen and young players like Jay Bruce and Jonny Gomes gravitate to Rolen's corner like lemmings. And that's a good thing. Rolen is a professional with a capital 'P.' Now if he can get Votto not to dispute called strikes, his mission will be accomplished.
Q What are your favorite Lou Piniella memories when he managed the Reds? — Lisa, Dayton
A I could fill this newspaper with my stories about Sweet Lou. In fact, I could fill a book. And they all are my favorites. A short one: For some reason, Lou once had a large gum ball machine in his office, with the plastic top the size of a beach ball filled with gum balls. After one tough loss, when writers entered his office, the plastic top was in shards and his floor was covered with gum balls. He smiled and said, "Watch out for the gum balls, guys."
Q During the Reds' 12-11 win over the Giants last week, when Pablo Sandoval stole second, the batter thought the pitch was ball four and stepped in front of catcher Ryan Hanigan. Wasn't that obstruction and what classifies as batter interference? — Bradley, Dayton
A Hanigan should have hit the batter in the helmet with his throw and then the umpire might have ruled obstruction. As in most rules, it is up to the umpire's discretion. I don't think I've ever seen that one called.
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