Cardinals score 10 in first, eliminate Braves
By HAL McCOY If fans saw the top half of the first inning Wednesday between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves, they saw it all — and then some. The half-inning lasted longer than Atlanta starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz’s last name. And he last as long as first name. The Cardinals scored 10 […]
Rays rip Verlander, even series at 2-2
By HAL McCOY Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch decided to put a quick end to his team’s American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Needing one win to end it, Hinch decided to start Justin Verlander in Game Four Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. And that was even though Verlander was pitching on […]
The almighty home run saves Rays, Cardinals
By HAL McCOY This is the Chinese Year of the Pig. And the Chinese also celebrate years of the rat, ox, rabbit and dragon, among others. Are we not certain that this might really be the Chinese Year of the Home Run? Back before political correctness evolved, any cheap home run, one hit down the […]
‘V’ for victory when Verlander pitches one-hitter
By HAL McCOY With Houston’s Justin Verlander on the mound, the Tampa Bay Rays knew runs would come at a premium. How about hits? The Rays not only didn’t score any runs, they barely scraped a hit off Verlander in Game One of the American League Division Series Friday afternoon. It was as if Verlander […]
Cardinals survive defensive doldrums, late Braves home runs to win 7-6
By HAL McCOY The St. Louis Cardinals, normally defensive dandies, tried their darndest to give away a game Thursday night. Early in Game One of the National League Division Series, the Cardinals played defense as if they didn’t know the definition if they had a dictionary in their hands. Lax defense gave the Atlanta Braves […]
OBSERVATIONS: Of the Reds, Harper, Sandoval (and more)
By HAL McCOY UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave while thinking about the five seasons — winter, spring, summer, fall and the best season of all, baseball. The Cincinnati Reds are off to a low-flying start, 1-and-3, and swinging as if they are using a wet rolled-up newspaper for a bat. They’ve had four hits […]
OBSERVATIONS: Castillo Reds’ Opening Day starter, UD and Wright State put up stern fights in NIT losses
By HAL McCOY UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS while spending a long, long evening in The Man Cave La-Z-Boy watching basketball (Wright State), baseball (Cincinnati Reds) and basketball (University of Dayton), leaving the chair only for bathroom duties and refrigerator raids. —In a somewhat surprising move, Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell named Luis Castillo as the Opening Day […]
Observations: Of baseball’s new rules, the Reds, Zion Williamson, Odell Beckham
By HAL McCOY UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, sitting in my La-Z-Boy next to my wife’s shiny new Lincoln Nautilus as my bank account shrinks. —Major League Baseball had to mix in a $1 million stipend into the Home Run Derby to entice players to compete. In the final round last year Bryce Harper […]
Wright State stops Green Bay comeback, moves to Horizon finals
By HAL McCOY Wright State University’s basketball team moved into the finals of the Horizon League tournament Monday night, but the Raiders had to take a deep breath and compose themselves early in the second half. The Raiders had a 20-point lead over Green Bay with 17 1/2 minutes left in the game. A runaway? […]