Reds sign another name coach and other observations
By HAL McCOY ,UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave watching four of the top teams in college basketball open the season against each other — Kansas-Michigan State, Duke-Kentucky. What a lineup. It is like watching The Final Four in November. Either Kentucky forgot to send its first team or Duke’s entire lineup is NBA-ready. —The […]
New Reds pitching coach states his case
By Hal McCoy More than three days after word leaked, the Cincinnati Reds officially introduced new pitching coach Derek Johnson Friday afternoon. Johnson, pitching coach the last three years with the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers, participated in a media conference call Friday and said all the things fan want to hear. The former Vanderbilt University coach […]
Reds lure Milwaukee pitching coach to Cincinnati
By HAL McCOY The Cincinnati Reds promise to spend money this off-season already has paid dividends — not for a pitcher or pitchers, but for a new pitching coach. The Reds outbid the Milwaukee Brewers for highly-regarded pitching coach Derek Johnson. Johnson spent the last three seasons as Milwaukee’s pitching coach and the Brewers wanted […]
Former Reds catcher Werner scoffs at LA’s analytics
By HAL McCOY UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, comforted by the fact that spring training is only 107 days away, not ready for a long winter’s nap and wondering if it is time to buy the sun screen? —Anybody who is old-school baseball and anti-analytics has to love these remarks from Don Werner, formerly […]
Farrell probably Reds manager, Brewers take out Rockies in 10
By HAL McCOY UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave while watching and waiting for the offensive explosions and fireworks from offensive-minded Colorado and Milwaukee in Game One of the National League Division Series. (It didn’t happen). Another incredible post-season game unfolded in raucous Miller Park. Mike Moustakas drilled a two-out, two-strike line drive single to […]
Low payroll no excuse for being non-competitive
By HAL McCOY The 2018 baseball season is over for the Cincinnati Reds and some fans insist their season ended shortly after the All-Star break when their starting pitchers thought five innings was a complete game. And the bats, so potent in the first half when grand slam home runs were sprayed here, there and […]
Reds finish season with 95 losses, one more than previous two years
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The long, long, long disappointing and once again another embarrassing season is thankfully over for the Cincinnati Reds and now the real work begins. The playing part of the season concluded Sunday afternoon, a game that was everything but audience participation. It resembled tee-ball because it was full participation, nearly […]
Reds continue stumble toward the finish
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — Those weren’t the 2015 World Series champion Kansas City Royals on the Great American Ball Park grass the last two nights. The Cincinnati Reds just made them appear to be a world championship entourage. The Royals occupy last place in the American League Central, losers of 102 games, but for […]
Don’t say ‘I’m tired’ around Jim Riggleman
By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — As an old school manager, there are certain facets in baseball that Jim Riggleman lists as his personal Ten Commandments of the game. He talked about one early this week and when he finished a long dissertation he slammed his fist on his desk with high-decibel emphasis and said with […]