QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy knows a thing or two about our nation’s pastime. Tap into that knowledge by sending an email to halmccoy1@hotmail.com.
Q: I saw a list of the top 25 players with the sweetest swings of all-time, headed by Ken Griffey Jr. Does it surprise you that Joey Votto is not on the list? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek.
A: Have you seen some of those defensive thrusts Votto takes to foul off pitches? Effi- cient, but not sweet. Votto’s swings are not picturesque, just spartan and effective. I haven’t seen that list, but I’d wager most are left-handers. For some reason, left-handed swings are prettier. This, of course, comes from a guy who swung from the left side, but not very sweet. lot there, but Keuchel and/or Quintana would look spiffy in a Reds uniform.
Q: It is difficult and unfair to compare today’s playe rs to those of the Ty Cobb/Babe Ruth/Tris Speaker eras, but would you share your greatest starting eight for players after 1950? — KJD, Waynesville.
A: Indeed, impossible. And the game changes all the time and has changed dramatically in the last 10 Q: Who are some of the years, all strikeouts and quality pitchers available home runs. I am old school, in free agency and who some say one-room schoolwould you bid on if you house old school. But here were Bob Castellini? — goes: catcher Johnny Bench, GREG, Beavercreek. first base Stan Musial, sec
A: You can start with Matt ond base Joe Morgan, shortHarvey, already on the Reds stop Derek Jeter, third base roster, if he wants to stay and Mike Schmidt, left field Barry Mr. Castellini can dig deep. Bonds (yeah, I know), cenClayton Kershaw will be a ter field Willie Mays, right free agent but there is no way field Roberto Clemente. My the Dodgers will let him walk. team, my opinion. Others on the FA list include
Patrick Corbin, Gio Gonzalez, Dallas Keuchel, Shelby
Miller, Garrett Richards and
Jose Quintana. Not a whole Q: Who is controlling this so-called rebuild with the Reds and does it really exist in your opinion? — Q: What is the logic behind hitting the pitcher eighth and a weak hitter like Billy Hamilton ninth? Is this another silly idea from Tony LaRussa? — RON, Vandalia.
A: In the case of Michael Lorenzen, a better hitter than Hamilton, it makes great sense. Actually, the theory is that it gives a team two leadoff hitters back-to-back, in the Reds’ case Hamilton ninth and Scott Schebler first. To me, though, I often see the pitcher batting eighth come to bat with two outs and runners on base. Of course, when the No. 9 hitter isn’t producing, what difference does it make? You can’t hide a bad hitter any place in the order. KEITH, Brookville.
A: It is not a so-called rebuild, it is real. How else can you describe it with all the trades of established players for prospects/sus- pects and the constant audi- tions for starting pitchers? The rebuild is a four-headed conglomerate of owner Bob Castellini, president of base- ball operations Dick Williams, executive advisor to the CEO Walt Jocketty and general manager Nick Krall. And there is a lengthy list of special advisers. In other words, a whole bunch of cooks. One wonders how they ever come to decisions, although I suspect Castellini has the final say.
Q: When a batter hits a ground ball over the pitcher’s mound and into the outfield, why do broadcasters say the ball was hit through the box? — KEITH, Butler Twp.
A: In the formative days of baseball, there was no pitcher’s mound. Pitchers threw from flat ground and his area was marked off with a square, a box. That’s why balls hit over the mound are referred to as going “through the box.” If baseball wants to eliminate hitters strik- ing out every third at-bat, it could eliminate the mound and force pitchers to work off flat ground, sort of like The Flat Earth Society.
Q: If I told you that after 151 games one MLB team wo u ld have only one player with more than 14 home runs, no player with more than 65 RBIs and only two pitchers with more than four wins, how many wins would you think this team would have? — CRAIG, Dayton.
A: At first gasp, I’d say you are describing the Bal- timore Orioles. But you aren’t. I’d say this team has 85 wins (yes, I had to look it up). You are talking about the incredible Tampa Bay Rays, the team with the best record in baseball since Aug. 1. And they are doing this while playing in the Amer- ican League East with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. They would be tied for first place in the American League Central, they would be leading the National League East, and tied for first in the National League West. But they are 17½ games behind Boston in the AL East.
Q: Do you think interim manager Jim Riggleman has managed his way out of a chance to get hired with the way he has managed the pitchers? — RICK, Vandalia.
A: What pitchers? When he first took over after Bryan Price was fired, the team played much, much better and his stock was high. The stock plummeted recently with the team’s struggles. He is managing the pitchers, and the whole team, with a sense of trying to win every game. He knows his pitchers and how most can’t wade through the batting order a second or third time. I have no fault with the way he has managed a bad team. That said, the team’s performance has pushed Riggleman down the list of prospective managers for 2019.
Q: Did broadcaster Jeff Brantley get fired for his comments? — JOHN, Huber Heights.
A: For those who didn’t read or hear Brantley’s comment during a game, he said, “I have seen no improvement at all from last year to this year from the young starting pitchers. None.” That’s what I love about Jeff Brantley. He is honest and forthcoming. He gives his opinion, good or bad. Yes, he is employed by the Reds, but fans aren’t stupid and they see what he sees. It won’t be sugar-coated by Brantley. No, he hasn’t been fired and shouldn’t be. He is doing his job the way it should be done.