OBSERVATIONS: It’s Robbie Robot behind the plate (ugh!)

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, pounding out some off-day notes awaiting a trip to the Oakwood Club for a strip steak and French onion soup. The Pepcid comes later. —The first report on automated/robotic umpiring is out and it is a gasser. The box score is a laugh riot. The automated […]

OBSERVATIONS: Striking out is not like striking up the band

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave on a dreary off day from baseball, and an off day from baseball is like a day without my morning coffee. . .it’s no fun for those around me. —Maybe Cincinnati Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez needs to re-bleach his hair blond, the way he had it […]

OBSERVATIONS: Winker making Bruce’s prediction come true

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, slaying time before the 10:10 p.m. start of the Reds-Dodgers game by reading Dave Parker’s autobiography, Cobra. It is worth the read and Parker pulls no punches. —It was a balmy spring morning in Tempe, Ariz. in 2015 and the Cincinnati Reds were in Diablo Stadium […]

OBSERVATIONS: Baseball is truly a ‘Family Affair’

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, wondering if the Cincinnati Reds can find six more like Nick Castellanos. —Baseball is, indeed, a— Family Affair, like the old TV show, although I doubt that ‘Jody’ ever played baseball. Start with the Bells — Gus Bell, Buddy Bell, Mike Bell and David Bell. Mix […]

OBSERVATIONS: Pete Rose puts his best perspective to work

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, sitting on the edge of my seat at the end of most Cincinnati Reds games, a change from recent season when I fell asleep by the seventh inning. —Pete Rose is back in baseball. . .well sort of. Rose has signed on with UptickTrade, a Mexican […]

OBSERVATIONS: Pitching teammates marvel over Wiley Wade Miley

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave. bleary-eyed from watching the Cincinnati Reds on the west coast, only to be awakened every morning at 7 a.m. by my Havanese, The Mighty Quinn, who must have a Mickey Mouse watch somewhere on his paw. —Nobody appreciates a pitcher more than another pitcher. And the […]

OBSERVATIONS: Shortstop can be hard to play on Opening Day

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, perusing some highlights/lowlights around baseball on Opening Day. —Two errors in two innings by Cincinnati Reds ‘new’ shortstop, Eugenio Suarez, led to three runs in the team’s 11-6 Opening Day mishap against the St. Louis Cardinals. As bad as it looked, it wasn’t the worst Opening […]

OBSERVATONS: Jesse Owens had a baseball connection

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, waiting for baseball to join college basketball, hockey, auto racing, college football, pro golf, soccer and the NBA on my crowded sports TV menu. —As we all know, or should know, Cleveland-born and Ohio State track legend Jesse Owens won four gold medals in the 1936 […]

OBSERVATIONS: It ‘ain’t’ easy making clutch free throws

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, reading Joe Lunardi’s book on Bracketology. I certainly didn’t learn much because I have two teams left in the Sweet Sixteen and everybody in the free world also has those two team. . .Gonzaga and Michigan. —As I watch players toe the foul line with mere […]