Observations: Francona Still Learning His Team’s Capabilities
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATONS from The Man Cave and with baseball finally under way I’ll steal a line from Roger Angell, baseball’s William Shakespeare: “Baseball is not life or death, but the Cincinnati Reds are.” —TITO TALK: As a new manager, Terry Francona kept his eyes and ears focuesd on his team, trying to […]
McCoy: Did Opening Day Leave A Bad Taste, Or What?
By Hal McCoy Take a pill, Cincinnati Reds fans. Brew some hot tea. Squeeze a lemon in it. Yes, the Cincinnati Reds lost on Opening Day. Yes, they blew it, permitting the San Francisco Giants to score four runs in the ninth inning, a stab in the posterior with a hat pin. Yes, new manager […]
McCoy: A Return To The Great American Ball Park Press Box
By Hal McCoy CINCINNATI — Terry Francona walked into the pre-game interview room and it was as if he thought I was resurrected from the dead or at least a ghost from baseball seasons past. His first words, nearly shouted, when he spotted me in the room full of media mongrels was, “Holy sh – […]
McCoy: Some Cincinnati Opening Day Memories —Good And Bad
By Hal McCoy CINCINNATI — Terry Francona makes his debut as Cincinnati Reds manager on Opening Day today in Great American Ball Park. It isn’t his first Opening Day debut in Cincinnati and one wonders how his nervous system will function this time. In 1987 Francana was a player in the twilight of his playing […]
OBSERVATIONS: Just Who Are ‘Reds Prospects?’
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Day Air Ballpark press box, getting my first live and in color baseball and what’s the first thing I witnessed? A walk, a base on balls, a free passs. . .just getting those cliches polished up. —WHAT PROSPECTS: Is it embarrassing when a team of prospects beats the […]
Ask Hal: The Game-Winning RBI Stat Was Meaningless
By Hal McCoy Q: Whatever happened to the Game-Winning RBI that MLB used to emphasize clutch hitting? —DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek. A: Good riddance to a bad stat. . .and baseball is full of bad, meaningless stats. And this was one of them. It didn’t emphasize clutch hitting. It was more timing. If a batter drove in […]
OBSERVATIONS: Injuries Already Plaguing The Reds
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, just hours away from witnessing a professional baseball game — the Cincinnati Reds againstg the team’s prospects at the Dayton Dragons’ Day Air Park. —OH, THE INJURIES: One thing for certain that the Cincinnati Reds or any team needs is for players to stay clear of […]
McCoy: Can The Reds Win The NL Central?
By Hal McCoy It is not known if Norman Vincent Peale was a Cincinnati Reds fan, or even a baseball fan. He lived and grew up in Reds Country, Bowersville in Greene County. If he was a Reds fan and was still with us, the author of ‘The Power of Positive Thinking’ could use this […]
Observations: You Can Always Book It
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, just a few days (Tuesday) before the Cincinnati Reds appear live and in color in Dayton to play the team’s top prospects. —BOOK IT, BILLY: It is sheer delight when I shamble across the street to the mailbox and find a package in a plain brown […]