Hall-of-fame baseball writer Hal McCoy knows a thing or two about America’s pastime. If you want to tap into that knowledge, send an e-mail to halmccoy1@hotmail.com.

Q Because a team played so poorly down the stretch while clinching a playoff spot, has any team ever declined a postseason appearance? — Dave, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek

A That would be like you turning down a free filet mignon with all the trimmings because you haven’t eaten well lately. It is a 162-game season, from April to October. The teams with the best records go to the playoffs, even if they lose every game in September but still have the best record. And teams that make the playoffs make extra money and nobody says no to extra bucks.

Q With what seems to be an embarrassment of pitching prospects, will the Reds consider grooming Arolids Chapman as a closer? — Joe, Dayton

A An embarrassment? A team is never embarrassed to have too much pitching. And Chapman is sort of being groomed that way right now, pitching an inning at a time. But they say he’ll be a starter next year and that mystifies me because the Reds already have Bronson Arroyo, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Homer Bailey, Travis Wood, Mike Leake and Matt Maloney vying for five spots. With his 103-mph fastball and body-buckling slider, Chapman seems suited for the closer’s role. And can he sustain throwing over 100 for six, seven or eight innings? Doubtful. But then would you want to stand in and face 98 and 99 when his velocity is ‘down?’

Q Jim Edmonds’ home run and baserunning injury got me to wondering — if a player hits a home run and cannot complete his circuit, can a team put in a pinch-runner to complete the home run trot? — Bob, Springboro

A Maybe the third base coach could run onto the field and drag him around the bases. Or maybe they could put him in a wheelchair, like in Weekend at Bernie’s. Actually, according to Gabriel Schechter of the Baseball Hall of Fame, since the ball is dead once it leaves the park, if Edmonds couldn’t complete his home run trot, the Reds could put a substitute into the game to complete the home run. If the ball is in play, like a ball hit off the wall, and the player comes up lame, he is fair game to be tagged out while writhing in agony between second and third.

Q What are the differences of managing a playoff game as opposed to a regular season game? — Jim, Oakwood

A Not much. It’s the same game — nine innings, team with the most runs wins. The only difference might be in the final game. With everything on the line, a manager might bring in a starting pitcher in relief, the way Bob Brenly did in the 2001 World Series when he started Chris Schilling and then brought in Randy Johnson. Now I see Johnson’s career is out in the cold, throwing snowballs for Geico.

Q Nearly all major-league teams no longer wear stirrup-socks and look as if they are playing in their pajamas. When did this start and why hasn’t Commissioner Bud Selig said it looks tacky and bush league? — Meriwether, Richmond, Va.

A The way some teams play, as if sleepwalking, they should wear pajamas. Back in 1978, Clemson University coach Bill Wilhelm made his team wear their pants down to their shoe tops — perhaps the program couldn’t afford socks. As for the majors, the first to completely cover his socks was George Hendrick of the St. Louis Cardinals and nobody could ask him why because he didn’t talk to the media. As for Selig, there is no rule about the length of pants and he would have to go to the Players Association to get one passed. Bud has more important things on his paper plate (from the daily hot dogs he eats at a Milwaukee street corner vendor).

Q I’ve been a Reds fan since the 1950s and in all that time the team was blessed with outstanding shortstops like Roy McMillan, Leo Cardenas, Dave Concepcion, Barry Larkin and Orlando Cabrera’s contribution has been underrated this year. Who was better, Concepcion or Larkin? — Fred, Milford

A I’ll give you first pick and take the other one. Doesn’t matter to me. Both were Hall of Fame shortstops, although Larkin was better offensively. Both served as team captains and were the only two players ever to wear a captain’s ‘C’ on their shirts. You know what? On pure glove work, I’d take McMillan or Cardenas, too. You couldn’t get a baseball past either one with a grenade launcher.

Q I am a huge Pete Rose fan, but one thing that bothers me is that all the people who were around him during his gambling problems were steroid users and peddlers, so I wonder if he used steroids to prolong his career to pass Ty Cobb? — Ken, Miamisburg

A Early in the investigation, Rose once said, “All I am is a picker of bad friends.” Yes, his companions at that time were a bunch bloated-body guys from Gold’s Gym in Cincinnati. There is no evidence whatsoever that Rose resorted to steroids. Gee, I hope not. That might keep him out of the Hall of Fame.

Q Is it possible that Brandon Phillips might have saved the season with his remarks about the St. Louis Cardinals, because is seems that somehow that took the stuffing out of the strutting Cardinals team? — Bertin, Dayton

A So you think there was method to Brandon’s madness? I do, too. There was a reason he said it and while the Cardinals then whipped the Reds three straight, they have been nothing but timid losers ever since. And to his credit, Phillips never backed down on his opinion, an opinion shared by many, by the way, but only Phillips was brave enough to say it.

Q Has Johnny Cueto done anything to respond to the Jason LaRue incident when he kicked LaRue and gave him a concussion that ended his career? After all, LaRue is in the Reds family and something should be done for him. — Mike, Houston

A It is likely that LaRue was going to retire after this season anyway. And I’ve been told that over the course of his career LaRue sustained more than a dozen concussions (which he never mentioned while playing for the Reds). That’s a bit harsh to say that Cueto ended his career. And while he originally signed with the Reds, LaRue is a member of the Cardinals family, not the Reds. While nobody condones the way Cueto defended himself in the fight, he paid a price.

Q The Reds have lost their high Class A affiliate in Lynchburg, Va., so isn’t it time Dayton fans are rewarded by having the Dragons moved from low-A to high-A? — Bill, Union

A The problem is that Class A is a bus league and the only high-A leagues are in California, Florida and on the East Coast, making travel prohibitive for Dayton. It’s tough to play baseball with sores on the posterior. But why not Triple-A? The Dragons were fifth in attendance this year for all of the minor leagues. But so was Louisville, the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate. Why not Double-A? Akron has a Double-A team. Carolina is the Reds’ Double-A affiliate and what’s the lure there?

Q What were your thoughts on the controversial book “Ball Four” when it came out and what are your thoughts now, 40 years later? — T.W., Sherman Oaks, Calif.

A When Jim Bouton’s book came out in 1970, it was a shocker. He was a relief pitcher for the old Seattle Pilots and his book was a tell-all that revealed clubhouse and bullpen secrets, most of them off-color. I loved it. I still have my original copy and read it often. It’s hilarious. Forty years later? You see more off-color stuff these days on Oprah. But I still love it and still read it.

Q The Reds starting pitchers always have a high pitch count early, and since it is all of them isn’t this something the pitching coach should address? — Bob, Lakeland, Fla.

A Bryan Price not only addresses it, he stuffs it in an envelope and puts a couple of stamps on it. It is a problem. But it is a problem league-wide. Not everybody can be Greg Maddux or Cliff Lee. And I think a lot of it has to do with the some umpires and their incredibly shrinking strike zone.

Q As I sit here and watch Yonder Alonso get a hit, I wonder why manager Dusty Baker keeps Brandon Phillips in the leadoff spot when he is something like 1 for 50? — Joe, Dayton

A Huh? Are you saying Alonzo is a second baseman or that Alonzo is a leadoff hitter? He is neither and never will be. As for Phillips, even when he isn’t hitting (he was 9-for-71 at one point after his hand injury), his true value is his glove and he continued making daily/nightly Web Gem plays. True value? Maybe Phillips should do a True Value hardware commercial.

Q How do you compare this year’s utility players on the Reds to past years? — Tom, Beavercreek

A The best in a long, long, long time. Have the Reds ever had a super-sub like Miguel Cairo, who plays anywhere and just keeps hitting? Have they had a pinch-hitter and usable outfielder like Laynce Nix? Have they ever had a glove on the bench like Paul Janish? Have they ever had an RH factor at one spot like catchers Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan? Usually the Reds bench was an exercise in futility, not utility.