Quintana treats Reds like Team USA
By HAL McCOY If the Cincinnati Reds happened to see what Chicago White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana did to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, then they should have been prepared for what he did to them Thursday in Glendale, Ariz. Quintana, pitching for Colombia, held Team USA, the eventual WBC champion, to no […]
Reed pitches a beauty but Reds lose ugly, 9-1
By HAL McCOY Cody Reed obviously realizes what is at stake and he put his best foot forward Tuesday afternoon in Goodyear, Ariz. And he may be landing both feet squarely into the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation. It is hard to believe that anybody for the Reds pitched well in a game against the Los […]
Feldman Opening Day starter — by attrition
By HAL McCOY The selection of Scott Feldman as the Opening Day starter by the Cincinnati Reds can be reduced to one word: attrition. The Reds announced Monday that the 34-year-old righthander will face the Philadelphia Phillies on Opening Day April 3. They had only two real options — Feldman or Brandon Finnegan. From there […]
Stephenson strong after Garrett struggles
By HAL McCOY While most of the sports world is distracted these days by the NCAA basketball March Madness, the Cincinnati Reds are engaged in their own version of March Madness. Trying to find more than warm bodies to fill the starting rotation is maddening. For most of spring training, Amir Garrett has been saying […]
Arroyo appears OK after getting hit in the face
By HAL McCOY The pitching mound continues to be a disaster area, a black hole and a land mine for the Cincinnati Reds. The latest victim on that little island in the middle of a baseball field is 40-year-old Bronson Arroyo. And it was a freak accident. He forgot to duck. He was hit in […]
Reds bullpen shuts down Tribe
By HAL McCOY Brandon Finnegan, most likely tuning up for an Opening Day start April 3 against the Philadelphia Phillies, worked four somewhat strenuous innings Friday night against a Cleveland Indians split squad. And what better pitcher to start a game on St. Patrick’s Day than Brandon Finnegan, an Irishman through and through with a […]
Who was that ‘nameless’ guy?
By HAL McCOY It happens every spring and sometimes more than once a week. A veteran pitcher, a guy who is a lock to make his team, faces a guy on the other team wearing a high 90’s number on his uniform without his name on the back. The established pitcher is working on things, […]
Garrett perfect, but Reds lose DeSclafani
By HAL McCOY With all the available spots on the Cincinnati Reds starting rotation, Amir Garrett grabbed the baseball by the seams Monday afternoon and said, “Hey, look at me.” And the Reds will look at a lot of options after disturbing news Monday that projected Opening Day starter Anthony DeSclafani has a sprained ulnar […]
Reds win two, but pitching injuries hit hard
By HAL McCOY The news out of the Arizona desert Sunday concerning the Cincinnati Reds was alternative news compared to what will transpire Monday closer to home in Cincinnati. Pitcher Anthony DeSclafani returned to Cincinnati to undergo an MRI examination on his barking elbow. And it is pretty clear that DeSclafani not only won’t make […]