‘Misfits’ Cabrera, Straily carry the Reds
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Sometimes it just works out that the littlest guy on the field does the biggest damage. Just ask pitchers who face Houston’s Jose Altuve, all 5-foot-5 of him. But Altuve gets to play every day. Cincinnati Reds back-up catcher Ramon Cabrera, all 5-foot-7 of him (and that is literally a […]
Barnhart, DeSclafani ‘slam’ door on Marlins
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — It was Studio Baseball in a steady drizzle Tuesday night in Great American Ball Park, a game played strictly for television and for the gratification of Tucker Barnhart and Anthony DeSclafani. Why? Because little more than 3,000 fans actually passed through the turnstiles Tuesday to occupy seats after a few […]
Sloppy performance hands one to the Marlins
By HAL McCOY Mediocre pitching, sloppy baseball and a makeshift lineup is a Betty Crocker recipe for defeat. And the Cincinnati Reds did all three Monday night in Great American Ball Park. It all added up to 6-3 defeat to the Miami Marlins in the first game of a four-game series. The mediocre pitching, bordering […]
Another ‘Hard Knock’ lesson for Cody Reed
By HAL McCOY The education of Cody Reed continues to be The School of Hard Knocks, with another knot being applied to his forehead Sunday afternoon during a 7-3 defeat. As the acknowledged best pitching prospect in the Cincinnati Reds pitch-rich organization, Reed is pitching more like Donna Reed or Jerry Reed than a major […]
Bailey throws darts at the Brewers
By HAL McCOY The last time Homer Bailey pitched, it was in Pittsburgh and he was one step above awful and in the post-game interview he said, “The pitcher stunk.” He didn’t have to say that Friday night in Milwaukee. He could have said, “The pitcher was great,” but he didn’t. That isn’t in his […]
DeSclafani hits another snag, finally loses
By HAL McCOY Anthony DeSclafani has hit a snag in his baseball haberdashery. The stoic Cincinnati Reds right hander sought his seventh victory for the third time Wednesday night and was denied by the St. Louis Cardinals and Jaime Garcia, 3-1. DeSclafani was 6-and-0 at the start of each of his last three starts and […]
Billyball ignites Reds past Cardinals, 7-4
By HAL McCOY St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina probably begs and pleads and cajoles his pitchers by saying, “Please, please, please don’t let Billy Hamilton get on base.” But they do. And they pay — Molina, the pitchers and the Cardinals. When Hamilton gets on base he becomes a human merry-go-round as he swiftly […]
Cingrani, Ohlendorf ruin Reed’s night
By HAL McCOY The Cincinnati Reds received a clear and vivid snapshot of what they expected Cody Reed can be and will be in Busch Stadium III Monday night. Unfortunately for Reed and the Reds, what should have been Reed’s first major league victory turned into the nightmare of all nightmares. The Reds led, 4-0, […]
Straily outpitcheds Ol’ King Cole
By HAL McCOY Gerrit Cole, a 19-game winner last year for the Pittsburgh Pirates, must think he is facing The Big Red Machine when he pitches against the last place Cincinnati Reds. When Cole works against the Reds he pitches like Old King Cole or Nat ‘King’ Cole. After losing Sunday afternoon in PNC Park, […]