DeSclafani: No walks, no runs, one big victory

By HAL McCOY CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds wore their olive green-trimmed uniforms to honor the military Friday night in Great American Ball Park and played with military-like precision. And the drill instructor was Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, perfection personified while pitching the Reds to a 3-0 victory over the first place Arizona Diamondbacks. […]

Riggleman: ‘We’re working on hitting the cutoff man’

By Hal McCoy CINCINNATI — There were many disconcerting events on the recent three-city trip by the Cincinnati and that’s always the way when the work sheet says two wins and seven losses. The most glaring, though, was the way outfielders threw the ball back to the infield with runners scurrying around the basepaths. It […]

People who influenced a fortunate man

By HAL McCOY When you have had the great fortune I have had in my life — so, so fortunate — there have been more than a few people who paved the way and guided you through life’s many crevices. When my father, Harold, came marching home from World War II in 1945, I was […]

Stephenson less than ‘poetic’ against the Mets

By HAL McCOY Robert Stephenson’s season debut with the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday afternoon was less than poetic. In fact, he continues to be a riddle. After a dominant season at Class AAA Louisville, Stephenson was called up to face the New York Mets and looked a whole lot like the pitcher that has perplexed the […]

Romano rock solid, Stephenson pitches Wednesday

By HAL McCOY The Cincinnati Reds figured, or at least hoped, that Tuesday would be a good night, based on the opposing pitcher. But then the way the Reds have played lately a stuffed hippopotamus perched on the mound would give them trouble. They were facing Jason Vargas, he of the 2-and-7 record and 8.23 […]

Syndergaard, Mets continue mastery over Reds

By HAL McCOY The combination was awful for the Cincinnati Reds — the New York Mets and Noah Syndergaard. The Reds show little success against the Mets and Syndergaard, so the expected happened Monday night in Citi Field. Mets 6, Reds 4. The Mets have won 25 of the last 32 games against the Reds […]

No ‘beanball’ feedback, just another Reds loss

By HAL McCOY There were no extra-curricular histrionics Sunday afternoon in Nationals Park — just another Cincinnati Reds loss, 2-1, to the Washington Nationals. Joey Votto didn’t start the game, but it wasn’t because of a sore knee after he was hit by a Ryan Madson pitch Saturday night. The off-day for Votto was pre-planned. […]

DeSclafani good, Harvey bad as Reds split with Nats

By Hal McCoy In the days when Major League teams regularly played doubleheaders, in the days of The Big Red Machine, Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson would use one game to give his extra guys some playing time. They had a name for themselves: The Shock Troops and F Troop. And utility infielder Darrel Chaney […]

Reds: Nothing but bad news, Greene out for season

By Hal McCoy It was raining more than moisture on the Cincinnati Reds Friday. It was raining bad news. First of all, the scheduled Reds-Washington Nationals game Friday night in Nationals Park was postponed due to rain. Instead, the Reds and Nationals will play a day-night doubleheader Saturday — 1:05 and 7:05. The most ominous […]