New playoff format? Yuck. Let’s just let everyone in
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: If you wrote the script for a movie about the 2022 Cincinnati Reds, what would the title be? — DAVE, Miamisburg/centerville/beavercreek.
A: Losers, Born Losers and The Loser’s Club already are taken. How about 100 Ways to Lose Games or We Pitched Good But We Sure Couldn’t Hit or Lonely Nights in an Empty Park. Writing a movie script about this team might be easier than writing game stories.
Q: Do you like the new playoff format? — ROBERT, Big Canoe, Ga.
A: MLB’S method seems to be the more the merrier. With 12 teams, that’s 40% of the 30 franchises. Why not let ’em all in? That way the Reds and Pirates would play at least one round. I am not in favor of first-round byes, either. I say the three division winners and the second-place team with the best record as one wild card. That way the postseason won’t last until the middle of the NFL season.
Q: Can a pitcher pitch a perfect game and lose? — BRAD, Cloverdale, Calif.
A: Absolutely … I think. It is possible because of Commissioner Rob Manfred’s ghost-runner-in-thesky rule. Hunter Greene retires 27 straight Pirates for nine innings and the game goes into the bottom of the 10th and it’s 0-0. Pittsburgh’s ghost runner is on second. Wild pitch, sacrifice fly, game over, Pirates win, 1-0. Perfect game for Greene and a loss. And with the Reds, this is always a distinct possibility. Q: If you could go back in time, what MLB game or event would you have loved to witness and write about? — GREG, Beavercreek.
A: I’d like to go back in time and whack about 50 years off my nearly 82 years on this planet. But I can’t. I was fortunate to witness and write about The Big Red Machine,
Tom Browning’s perfect game, Pete Rose’s 44-game hitting streak and his 4,192nd hit to pass Ty Cobb and two Homer Bailey no-hitters. I would love to have covered the game in 1927 when Babe Ruth hit his record-setting 60th home run, then sat down with him for a beer or three, a couple of hot dogs and a big, fat cigar.
Q: With all the records being broken, do you think Joe Dimaggio’s hitting streak will be broken? — BEN, Florence, Ala.
A: Pete Rose was the closest to Dimaggio’s 56-game streak with 44, ironically 44 years ago (1978). Unless hitters change their approach and quit trying for home runs and quit striking out so much, the record is safe. Players don’t care about batting average and singles anymore and a lot of singles need to be hit to maintain a streak. If a player has a 10-game hitting streak these days, broadcasters make a big deal of it.
Q: Is there a particular position that you believe is the No. 1 priority for the Reds in the draft? — SEAN, Fort Thomas, Ky.
A: The draft isn’t until next June, so the Reds need to address their situation in the offseason. The starting pitchers appear solid. Other than Jonathan India and Tyler Stephenson, the Reds are big-time devoid of offense from position players. Will they spend money for free agent position players or concoct some trades to add them? That should be their off-season mission and they need to open the checkbook real wide and let the moths escape.
Q: What’s your best memory of a conversation with a player or coach? — ALAN, Sugarcreek Twp.
A: Has to be the fight I instigated between manager Lou Piniella and pitcher Rob Dibble. Dibble didn’t pitch one night when he should have and I asked Piniella why he didn’t. Piniella said Dibble told him he had some soreness in his arm. I approached Dibble and asked him what was wrong with his arm. He said, “Nothing.” I told him what Piniella said and he said, “Then Lou is a liar.” I went back to Piniella and said, “Your closer just called you a liar.” Piniella leaped from his office chair, ran into the clubhouse, jumped on Dibble and the fight was on. And I had a great story.
Q: When will we see you or hear you on Sean Casey’s podcast? — DAVE, Northridge.
A: His podcast is called “The Mayor’s Office,” and it is outstanding. If and when he calls, I’ll accept with honor. Sean and I are close. In fact, I procured him to speak at a night meeting of the Agonis Club in early November and the guys are in for a monumental treat. I heard him speak last year at Moeller High School and he was dazzling. There isn’t an adjective that Casey won’t throw at you.