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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2011 > June > 21 > Entry
Baker says Cardinals still have the right stuff
CINCINNATI — It was a couple of hours before a persistent downpour forced postponement of Tuesday’s Cincinnati Reds-New York Yankees game in Great American Ball Park and the media was gathered around the desk of Reds manager Dusty Baker.
With Albert Pujols out for four to six weeks, won’t the St. Louis Cardinals suffer cardiac arrest and slump toward the bottom of the National League Central?
Baker won’t fall into that trap and he took the mountain-top road when asked about it.
“I don’t know about that, we’ll see in six weeks,” he said. “A lot of times somebody else picks it up. They still have that dangerous Matt Holliday and Lance Berkman and Skip Schumaker and Jon Jay is a good player. I’ll let you know at the end of six weeks because it is hard to predict what is going to happen.”
Baker, though, couldn’t resist pushing onward on the subject, especially when somebody mentioned that the Cardinals lost starting pitcher Adam Wainwright for the entire season during spring training and the Cardinals continued to hang tough.
“Yeah, well, Kyle Lohse picked it up and Kyle McClellan picked it up,” Baker said.
THEN AFTER A pause, Baker said, “I ain’t really worried about the Cardinals. If we do our job and get our thing together and worry more about what we need to do and not worry about anybody else, that’s how you do well.”
A persistent writer said that the Reds had to look at this six-week period as a time to take advantage of the St. Louis misfortune and Baker said, “No, not at all. I don’t look at it that way. Not at all. There was a period early this season when Pujols wasn’t hitting, like he wasn’t even there at all. But Berkman and Holiday were damn near one-two in the league in hitting.
“You take Berkman out of the equation and see where their offense would be,” he said. “That’s the biggest acquisition they made during the winter. I worried about if he would return to form, which he has.
“The Cardinals have three big bats in their lineup with some guys to get on in front of them,” said Baker. “There aren’t many teams that have three or four big bats in there like they do.”
IT WAS POINTED out that the Reds have had their injury problems, too, especially in the starting pitching department and Baker said, “Yeah, we were treading water for a while and as soon as it looked as if we might start swimming we were treading water again.”
More than the Cardinals or the Milwaukee Brewers, Baker is looking at the present — the Reds string of interleague games.
So far, they are 1-6 in interleague play and they are in the midst of 12 straight games against the American League East.
So far they are 1-2 against Toronto and 0-1 against the Yankees, with two more against New York at home, then three at Baltimore and three at Tampa Bay.
Then they have three at home against the Cleveland Indians of the AL Central, against whom the Reds are 0-3 this year.
“We have to figure out how to win in this interleague, especially against this American League East,” he said. “It appears to be the toughest division in baseball, to me. Historically it has been for a long time. They have some awfully good teams in that division.
“There aren’t many National League teams that are faring very well against American League teams right now,” Bakder added.
Before Tuesday’s games, the NL was 25-37 against the AL and the Cardinals (4-2) were the only NL Central team with a winning record in interleague play.
BAKER ADDRESSED (sort of) his thoughts on the way he uses outfielder Chris Heisey, The People’s Choice to be the regular left fielder.
Heisey started five of the last seven games, but Jonny Gomes was scheduled to play Tuesday night. As a starter over 21 games, Heisey is hitting .240 with 15 RBIs. As a pinch-hitter, he leads the league with a .381 average (8 for 21) and leads the league in pinch-hit RBIs with eight.
“I have my opinion on this and other people have their opinions,” said Baker. “I can’t worry about everybody else’s opinion. I have a job to do and I work with what I think my personnel can do. There was a time last year when everybody wanted Laynce Nix to play and there was a time everybody wondered why Jonny Gomes was or wasn’t playing. Now there are people wondering by Freddie Lewis isn’t playing.
“I can’t worry about confirming what I think because that’s why I’m getting paid to do this job,” he added. “I’m down here with these guys. I’m not in the stands, I’m not calling in the talk shows, so I’m not concerned what anybody thinks about anything. Let’s just see where we are while we’re in the thick of things and see where we are at the end.”
People wonder why Baker keeps playing Gomes and he said, “I continue to try to wait on Jonny Gomes because we need run producers right now and he has been a run producer for us. Anybody else the fans name has played well, but they haven’t been run producers.”
BAKER RECALLED how when he played for the Atlanta Braves as a young player and batted behind Hank Aaron.
“I’d watch pitchers throw Hank hanging breaking balls, nothing change-ups and sinkers that didn’t sink,” he said. “Then I’d come up there and they’d throw me nasty, unhittable pitches. So I went to Hank and I said, ‘How come they are pitching me the way they should be pitching you?’ And Hank said, ‘Because they aren’t afraid of you, they aren’t pitching with tension.’”
LAST WEEK I received a great number of excellent questions for Ask Hal, better than usual, and most of them are good. Need some more now. Send ‘em ASAP to halmccoy1@hotmail.com to make this Sunday’s paper.
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By Mike Mc in Ky
June 23, 2011 9:11 PM | Link to this
WE WON 1OUT OF 3 AGAIN!! This will give us so much momentum knowing that if we win 1 game in each series is gonna be fine with our management. Just listening to ol Dusty & Chris Welch sing the praises of yet another AL Team that beats us down. I don’t know how many more series losses Walt wants us to lose. He never was this thickheaded in St Louis! PLEASE give us more hope at SS & LField for that matter… We still have a combined 29 rbi’s and zero homeruns! Dont be fooled about Jonny Gomes resurgance lately, thats .300plus this month in very limited playing time.But I think that alot of you are right that the team and announcers are looking bored to death for the last 5 or 6 weeks! We need a shake up quick, or were done like the astro’s.
By Mike Mc in Ky
June 23, 2011 9:10 PM | Link to this
WE WON 1OUT OF 3 AGAIN!! This will give us so much momentum knowing that if we win 1 game in each series is gonna be fine with our management. Just listening to ol Dusty & Chris Welch sing the praises of yet another AL Team that beats us down. I don’t know how many more series losses Walt wants us to lose. He never was this thickheaded in St Louis! PLEASE give us more hope at SS & LField for that matter… We still have a combined 29 rbi’s and zero homeruns! Dont be fooled about Jonny Gomes resurgance lately, thats .300plus this month in very limited playing time.But I think that alot of you are right that the team and announcers are looking bored to death for the last 5 or 6 weeks! We need a shake up quick, or were done like the astro’s.
By Believe It
June 23, 2011 1:58 PM | Link to this
Anyone who thinks the measure of whether or not a baseball player can be effective, as an everyday player, is made by playing said player, every 3rd, 4th and 5th day,is telling a self-serving lie! The ability is measured by playing the man everyday for months—as in, Bruce, Stubbs and Gomes. They have had their months—Heisey Hasn’t. Courageous efforts he has given for a talent like his, to be stifled, watching all other outfielders strikeout everyday, while he is forced to sit! The man, like Dickerson, is being screwed, ‘BIG TIME’.
By Steve in Richmond
June 23, 2011 1:43 AM | Link to this
Pay attention Dusty critics, Heisey will NEVER hit three homers in one game in the rest of his career. Once again NEVER, this was a magical night and I was there for both games. Pitchers in the NL are now becoming aware of scouting reports on him and he will no longer be overlooked. He needs some repair on the hole in his swing and pitchers will use the outside black to make him the ground out king. Build on the moment, repair the swing.
By jim m
June 22, 2011 9:59 PM | Link to this
Awesome to see Heisey hit 3 homers leading off!! time to let him stay in LF at leadoff and Stubbs after Rolen in the lineup. John Fay hears Cozart is possibly coming up Friday. Maybe that sparked the team tonight..lets hope so!!
By jim m
June 22, 2011 9:59 PM | Link to this
Awesome to see Heisey hit 3 homers leading off!! time to let him stay in LF at leadoff and Stubbs after Rolen in the lineup. John Fay hears Cozart is possibly coming up Friday. Maybe that sparked the team tonight..lets hope so!!
By Bill*
June 22, 2011 9:20 PM | Link to this
Anyone who thinks the measure of whether or not a baseball player can be effective, as an everyday player, is made by playing said player, every 3rd, 4th and 5th day,is telling a self-serving lie! The ability is measured by playing the man everyday for months—as in, Bruce, Stubbs and Gomes. They have had their months—Heisey Hasn’t. Courageous efforts he has given for a talent like his, to be stifled, watching all other outfielders strikeout everyday, while he is forced to sit! The man, like Dickerson, is being screwed, ‘BIG TIME’.
By pedroneedsbourbon
June 22, 2011 6:33 PM | Link to this
Good ol’ Dusty. Love to hear the knowledgeable baseball veterans like Dusty and Sparky talk shop. Brennaman will never go—his old man swings too much clout around Redsland
By Wizard
June 22, 2011 5:58 PM | Link to this
Please leave Lewis at leadoff. He looked good today. Makes contact. Doesn’t strikeout. Quick bat. OK defense. Most importantly—HE ISN’T STUBBS!
By redsfandownunder
June 22, 2011 5:16 PM | Link to this
I traveled 9,000 miles with my family and took my 2 boys to their first major league game today…..very disappointing how the Reds continue NOT to hit. Hopefully I haven’t turned them off baseball forever. Free Sappelt. Free Cozart. Free Alonso. There are options in AAA to bring up or make a trade. Time to fix the holes.
By Jim M.
June 22, 2011 4:45 PM | Link to this
Another loss!! and the same players are still not held accountable. there needs to be aHUGE shake-up before the season is lost.. the hitting coach needs to be gone. Jacoby has to lead MLB in how many his players strike out over the past 6 years!.. there needs to be a new coach with different batting ideas to help these hitters. the team looks unmotivated and lack of leadership. No mention of anybody on this team or front office upset or ticked off how this team is playing and that really bothers me!!!.. To make a statement they have to make some trades or promote Cozart and Sappelt to give this team a spark.. Seeing Baker say GOMEs is his DH makes me yawn!.. No urgency at all to win.. losses are mounting and all you hear is they will be fine.. Will they thin k that once the PIRATES pass them in the standings???? Or is that another excuse they do nothing to help the team at the deadline and are satisfied with 80-81 wins???? IM NOT!! Wish BOB and WALT were not!!
By Randyman
June 22, 2011 1:55 PM | Link to this
Baker’s doing the best he can which isn’t and won’t be good enough this year. You need to go after a Lance Berkman caliber player to take some pressure off these youngsters like Stubbs and Heisey and give them a chance to develop. There are 6 or 7 teams who are already out of it and ready to unload some matured talent. I don’t know what Walt is waiting for. Please tell me that he’s not hanging out with Mikey Brown. You watch, within the next week, the Cardinals will go after a good talent to replace Albert.
By KNOW IT ALL
June 22, 2011 1:43 PM | Link to this
RickRed you are so correct about Thom and Cowboy. They are so so blah, boring, and ignorant… ALSO WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR DDN TO READ ONE OF THESE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMENT SECTION ISN’T LOADING PROPERLY AND WHEN THE GRAY AREA APPEARS IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GIVE US ACCESS. PLEASE READ MY COMMENT DDN
By RickRed
June 22, 2011 12:45 PM | Link to this
DDN - please fix the comments section - it takes forever to load, if it ever does. Adding to yesterday’s comments re broadcasters - if they replaced Thom and Cowboy, no one would ever miss them.
By Kyle
June 22, 2011 11:34 AM | Link to this
Finally, Stubbs has been dropped down today. That should have happened a long time ago.
By KNOW IT ALL
June 22, 2011 7:48 AM | Link to this
Finally I am not the only person that does not agree with what Baker says what he does is valid. He has minimal justification on what decisions he has made. Some of you have bright ideas as to the batting order changes needed to be made. Baker after 4 games now should realize what he is doing is not working offensively. Make the changes Baker. Double Header today but don’t think weather wise they will get both game sin.
By Mike Mc in Ky
June 21, 2011 10:24 PM | Link to this
Heres to thinking of all that bs Dusty comes up with anytime anyone confronts him on whats wrong with the Redlegs. He thinks he is beyond anyone questioning his decision-making ability!! Does he know that we’re gonna be sub .500 if we keep puttin Stubbs leadoff,Janish&Renteria at SS(ph with the bases loaded too), Bruce should be in 3 hole, Joey V 4th, and go a legit bat for the 5th or 6th spot instead of waiting on Jonny Gomes. Im goin crazy watchin Dusties moves with the game on the line, and puttin 0 hrunsEDGAR in there with Ramon, or Jonny Gomes !! Someone tell me how him an Walt for that matter, keeping their damn jobs?? I went through years of waiting till last year, and if things don’t change quickly, it’ll more heartbreak in October! MARK MY WORDS REDS FANS!!
By Believe It
June 21, 2011 7:40 PM | Link to this
Same ol’ Baker BS! You can’t be a run producer, if you aren’t allowed to play, regularly! If you keep Heisey on the bench he’ll never be productive, and the answer to the LF problem! If you play him, he might! If you keep playing Stubbs and Gomes, and Bruce for that matter—you will end up with Failure, just like you did by playing others ALL DAMN YEAR: Patterson,Taveras, Gonzales!70 games of failure should provide enough history of lack of production, to play others,instead of running your BS about ancient history behind Hank. Talk to Walt. He might want to look at C. Dickerson, now hitting .313 for the best franchise in the history of the game!