OBSERVATIONS: Elly Continues To Elevate His Game

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave after watching my Kentucky Derby pick, Forever Young, imitate a hand grenade at the wire. . .so close, but the jockey couldn’t pull the pin. —ELLY’S EAGLE EYE: There is no doubt in anybody’s mind, especially frustrated opposing catchers, that Elly De La Cruz will go […]

OBSERVATIONS: For What It’s ‘Werth’ In The Kentucky Derby

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, knowing that this week, Kentucky Derby Week, everybody becomes a horse expert, even if they don’t know a bridle from a bridal or reins from reigns and rains. —IS IT ‘WERTH’ IT?: It is Kentucky Derby week, so let’s mix in some baseball with horse racing. […]

OBSERVATIONS: Throwing 103 Is Nice, But Just Be Careful

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, giddy after getting off the scales and discovering after eating two of Nadine’s out of this world shrimp fajitas I’ve lost close to 50 pounds and I’m down to take-a-punch weight. —103 AND SKIDOO: The cheers from downtown Dayton could be heard on runway 24R at […]

OBSERVATIONS: The Positive Transition Of Michael Lorenzen

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave wondering if I believe what Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said after getting swept in Seattle: “Three losses doesn’t define ouur team.” —FIRST IMPRESSIONS: When Michael Lorenzen played for the Cincinnati Reds as a No. 1 draft pick, they couldn’t make up their minds what to […]

OBSERVATIONS: Jesse Winker Resurrecting Career with Nats

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, still yawning after The Late Show Monday night featuring Frankie Montas and The Walking Dead. Four walks in one inning? That’s hard to do, except the Reds’ Montas showed how easy it can be. —NOD, NOD, WINK, WINK: Jesse Winker is drinking from the Foutain of […]

ASK HAL: Petitions Won’t Get Pete Rose Into The Hall Of Fame

By Hal McCoy Q: Who is responsible for selecting the music in the clubhouse and determining the volume? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centervile/Beavercreek. A: In Cincinnati, the day’s starting pitcher selected the music, so it could be country, could be rap, could be rock n’ roll, could be salsa and it could be loud (and it usually […]

OBSERVATIONS: A Rose Is A Rose, For Pete’s Sake

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, wandering aimlessly because we are having some work done inside the house and the contractor has taken over The Man Cave with his equipment and tools. Fortunately, he is a Reds fan. —HIT KING FOREVER: If you haven’t read it by now, you are taking a […]

OBSERVATIONS: Dayton Dragons Get Off To ‘Hairy’ Start

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, wondering when we’ll see MLB games without the fans dressed as if they are on vacation in Antarctica. ‘Give me head with hair, long beautiful hair. Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen. Give me down to there hair, shoulder length or longer.’ Rhett Lowder looks as if […]

McCoy: Reds ‘Freeze’ Out Phillies After Seven-Hour Delay

By Hal McCoy The original schedule said the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies would throw the first pitch Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. With a foreboding weather forecast, on Tuesday they moved the time back to 4:05. That didn’t work, either. Both teams hibernated all afternoon in their clubhouse as a tarp covered Citizens Bank […]