Cubs give Stephenson another lesson
By HAL McCOY The growing pains continue for the Cincinnati Reds and there isn’t a pill in the medicine cabinet to cure it. Feeling the most pain these days is 23-year-old starting pitcher Robert Stephenson, who showed Wednesday night why the Reds kept their top pitching prospect in the minor leagues for most of the […]
Mismatch: Cubs’ Lester vs. Reds’ Smith
By HAL McCOY It was a mismatch from the moment Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price made out his lineup card and wrote, “Josh Smith” as his pitcher and Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon wrote “Jon Lester” on his card as his pitcher. Smith, an emergency volunteer starter because the Reds are short of starting pitchers, […]
Reds get a nasty dose of Aroldis Chapman
By HAL McCOY So now the Cincinnati Reds know how it feels and it wasn’t a fun feeling. It was bone-chilling. For the first time since they traded Aroldis Chapman, they had to face the Cuban Missile Monday night in revved-up Wrigley Field. And Chapman was, indeed, the most revved-up human being in Chicagoland when […]
A memorable day at the plate for Straily
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds are easily recognizable on any baseball field. They can’t play incognito. They could play games in their civilian clothes and they would be recognized. They’ve tried camouflage tops and caps. They’ve tried red tops with ‘Los Rojas’ on the front as part of Hispanic Heritage. And on […]
A long night’s work, all for a loss to the Pirates
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — There certainly was an international flavor permeating the environs in and around Great American Ball Park Friday night. Outside the park, in downtown, they were celebrating the German Oktoberfest with enough beer to float the Bismarck. Inside the park, the Cincinnati Reds wore red jersey tops that read, ‘Los Rojos,’ […]
Straily can deal with Great American Small Park
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Once upon a time Matt Garza was a better-than-average major-league pitcher. Of course, once upon a time bread was 12 cents a loaf, gas was 11 cent a gallon, eggs were 79 cents a dozen and coffee was 37 cents a pound, all back in 1950. But over the past […]
Stand-in Sampson stands tall for Reds
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The Battle for the Bottom began Monday night in near-empty Great American Ball Park as baseball fans obviously didn’t want to see two really bad teams and couldnl’t tear themselves away from two NFL Monday Night Football games and Dancing With the Stars. Instead of Ryan Braun they obviously wanted […]
Reds win as Iglesias staggers in 8th, 9th
By HAL McCOY Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tim Adleman thought he had this thing all figured out, how to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night in PNC Park. Do it all by himself. And for five innings he did just that — he held the Pirates to two runs; he contributed two hits, scored a run […]
Nova lives up to his name against Reds
By HAL McCOY A nova is a star that shows sudden brightness and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Ivan Nova certainly is living up to his name. And the Cincinnati Reds received a large does of Nova Thursday night in PNC Park during a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nova needed only 94 pitches to throw […]