Keeping Bauer around might cost a tower
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: How many of David Bell’s coaches can you name? — DAVE, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek.
A: With the COVID- 19 rules, we can’t talk to the coaches and there are some newones I wouldn’t know if I bumped into them in the dugout. I’ve know Fred die Benavides for years and I know Delino DeShields. I know pitching coach Derek Johnson, hitting coach Alan Zinter and Lee Tunnell because the broadcasters talk about them. But ... Jose Duarte? J.R. House? Nate Irving? Joe Mather? Christian Perez? Jeff Pickler? Rolando Valles? Whoare those masked men. Remember when Sparky Anderson’s coaches were George Scherger, Alex Grammas, Ted Kluszewski and Larry Shepard?
Q: Do you think the Reds will make an effort to re-sign pitcher Trevor
Bauer, who is a free agent after the season, and what will it take? — RON, Charleston, W.Va.
A: Right nowthe question is whether the team tries to trade him before the Aug. 31 deadline if things don’t look up soon. If they keep him, he is probably gone after the season. It would take the Carew Tower, Fountain Square and three Skyline Chili franchises to keep him.
Q: Was it a clerical error and the Reds inadvertently let the wrong Iglesias go last winter? — ALAN, Sugarcreek Twp.
A: If it was a clerical error, the Reds would have an excuse. It wasn’t. They let shortstop Jose Iglesias go despite his defensive brilliance and clutch hitting.
Nowhe is ripping itupin Baltimore. They kept closer Raisel Iglesias, loser of 12 games last season and struggling this season. They brought in Freddy Galvis to play shortstop for his offensive punch. His punch is missing and his defense is far below the quality of Iglesias. Major mistakes.
Q: Would David Bell be manager of the Reds without his family’s strong ties to the team? — NANCY, Springfield
A: Being the grandson of former Reds outfielder Gus Bell and son of former Reds third baseman Buddy Bell certainly didn’t hurt. And Buddy works in the front office. They did offer the job to Joe Girardi, but he didn’t like the climate around the
team and took the Philadelphia job. David worked his way up— managed the Reds’ Triple-A-Louisville team, was Mike Matheny’s bench coach in St. Louis and was in San Francisco’s front office. His resume was good, but his DNA was better.
Q: Do you think it would wake up the Reds if they put cardboard cutouts of The Big Red Machine in the dugout? — RON, Vandalia.
A: I doubt if many of them know who played on The Big Red Machine. Theywere all born 10 to 20 years after the BRM. Baseball history isn’t a strong suit among today’s players. They probably believe “The Great Eight” is a rock group. And cluttering the dugout with cutouts wouldn’t help. They need to wake themselves up.
Q: Do you think majorleague owners could recoup some of their losses by allowing players towear advertising on their uniformslike theydo in NASCAR and the PGA? — GREG, Beavercreek.
A: That was discussed before this short season, but it gained no traction. Most NASCAR patches are for corporations that sponsor that particular car anddriver. The PGAguys justwear hats and shirts that carry the logos of the equipment they use. The way baseball is played these days, like slow-pitch softball, it would be apropos for a team to wear Jimmy’s Bar & Grill uniforms.
Q: Should MLB outlaw all the drastic shifts because so many ground balls andline drivesupthe middle thatwould be hits are outs? — LYNN, Springfield.
A: No, that’s the point of the shifts — take away base hits. Does the NBA have to play one defense? Does the NFL have to play one defense? Of course not. They adjust to stop the offense. It is up to the players to hit the ball the other way or drop downa fewbunts and teams would quit shifting. But players are as stubborn as my Aunt Opal and won’t do it, content to hit .142.
Q: Golf haschangeddramatically due to improvement in clubs and balls. Does baseball have any limitations on the type of wood in bats? — BRIAN, Bellbrook.
A: Baseball’s rules only specify limits on length and weight, nothing on types of wood. Generally, players use three types of wood, ash, maple and birch, although early this season it looked as if the Reds might be using balsa. If players want to use mahogony, teak or walnut, have at it. It is their choice. But no aluminum.