Some Mid-week Observations

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, writing this with toothpicks propping open my eyes after staying up all week to watch and write about the Cincinnati Reds on their Lost Journey to the left coast. —THE HOMER HUNT: It is referred to as Great American Small Park for a reason. Home runs […]

McCoy: Reds End 39-series futility

By Hal McCoy When the Cincinnati Reds opened a three-game series with a loss to the Detroit Tigers, it was more than a forgone conclusion that the Tigers would win the next at least one of the next two. History said so. And the 46-26 Tigers are arguably the best team in MLB. Then why? […]

Observations: ‘Skipper’ — You Can Book This One

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, thanking MLB’s streaming of every game so this baseball junkie can overdose on game after game after game. —OF MANAGERS AND DOGS: There is a terrific new book on the market by Scott Miller, one of the game’s best baseball writers. It is called ‘Skipper,’ a […]

McCoy: a 1-0 loss…to the Pirates???

By Hal McCoy TJ Friedl led Tuesday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a triple off the top of the PNC Park’s 21-foot high wall. And he didn’t score. That set the tone for a 1-0 loss, the eighth time the Reds have been shut out, tying the Pirates for the most in MLB. […]

OBSERVATIONS: A Tale Of Two Sad Cities

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave — the last one before a 19-day hiatus in Greece and the Italian Amalfi coast. See ya all on the flip side. —ELEMENTARY WATSON: Who thought any organization could waste more money than the U.S. governent. But the Cleveland Browns succeeded. They would have been better […]

OBSERVATIONS: Why Didn’t Mama Name Me Gene?

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, just six days before I’ll be climbing the steps of the Acropolis, if I can make it. —GENE EQUALS GENES: Why didn’t my mom name me Gene? If she had, I might have made it to the major leagues with the New York Yankees. (Oh, what […]

OBSERVATIONS: And More On Pete Rose

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave and now what do I do with the Cincinnati Reds season thankfully over? Well, it is just a few days before Nadine and I and some friends will visit Greece and the Italian Amalfi Coast. —PETE AND REPEAT: If you thought the 1,000-word piece I wrote, […]

McCoy: Good Times And Bad Times With Pete Rose

By Hal McCoy Pete Rose was too tough to die. It can’t possibly be true. He always slid head first and he was always safe. But it is true and it is so damn difficult to comprehend. He passed away Monday at age 83. Little more than a week ago he was in the Cincinnati […]

Ask Hal: Can Hitters Differentiate Four From Two?

By Hal McCoy Q: Are hitters able to differentiate between a four-sem fastball and a two-seam fastball? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek. A: If they can’t, the front of their uniform is likely to read Altoona, Pensacola or Somerset. MLB hitters can tell the difference between fastballs, changeups, sliders, curveballs, splitters, sweepers, sinkers, knuckleballs and spitballs. Is […]