Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > May > 03 > Entry
Oh the embarrassivity
Jose Rijo had a phrase when he pitched one of his rare clunkers: “I have reached the height of embarrassivity.”
To that you can attach the 2008 Cincinnati Reds, who on Saturday night in Turner Field reached a new height in embarrassivity.
They were beaten, 9-1, in a game started by a minor-league call-up, Jo-Jo Reyes. And even though it was 2-1 in the seventh inning, the feeling was rampant. This game won’t be won. It was the same feeling Friday night when Edinson Volquez gave up a two-run home run in the fourth. This game won’t be won.
And neither game was won. The Reds never scored in either one after it was 2-0 and 2-1.
There is no fire on this team. I don’t know what brimstone is, so I’m not sure if the team has any of that. But there is no fire.
Manager Dusty Baker is helpless. What can the man do? It isn’t his fault.
He tried something different, mixing up the batting order. But it’s the same people, so what’s a manager to do? He moved Ken Griffey Jr. to second and he struck out three times. He dropped Adam Dunn to sixth and he was 0 for 4 with a strikeout and a grounded into a double play.
Baker can shuffle and alter and adjust all he wants, but until Griffey and Dunn begin to hit and drive in runs, the embarrassivity will continue.
The bullpen exploded on this night. While the offense was getting only four hits and scoring its first run after 21 scoreless innings, the bullpen couldn’t keep it close in the seventh inning when it was 2-1.
Mike Lincoln, Jeremy Affeldt and Jared Burton contrived to give up six runs in the seventh and Francisco Cordero, just in there to get some work, gave up another run in the eighth. The seven bullpen runs are the most this season.
General manager Wayne Krivsky already has been fired. Walt Jocketty, surveying this wreckage, may want to reconsider playing reconstruction engineer on this mess.
Baker won’t be fired, not with his guaranteed $12 million contract. Nor should he be.
Who is the next fall guy? Batting instructor Brook Jacoby is probably next on the hit list, even though it isn’t his fault that the Reds have scored five runs in their last four games, all defeats, and punched 18 hits, eight in one game - three, four and three in the others.
Oh, the embarrassivity.
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By null
May 5, 2008 12:39 AM | Link to this
Anyone have an excedrin?By Mike
May 4, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this
Well..in the morning Cincy newspaper..no less than 2 sports writers advocate a “new” line up that has Dunn batting in the 2nd spot. Now this is supposed to do 2 things..1.) he will see more fastballs..2.)pitchers won’t be able to dodge Dunn because Phillips will bat 3rd. Problem: Dunn is not aggresive, would rather walk, strikes out too much, has no speed which is needed at the top of the line up, and certainly is not a contact hitter which #2 has to be! The Reds aren’t payinig him 13 million to have 100 walks..by the way..he has 24 walks AND 24 strike outs..not the best idea for a #2 hitter!! Best place for Dunn..#6 0r #7..no higher! Moving him to #2 would be an exercise in futility just like when Bob Boone batted him 1st!!By rob
May 4, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this
I second the comments of the other Rob at the top of this post. As long as Griffey and Dunn are the face of the franchise the Reds will not win. They are neither winners or leaders. I realize the Reds have had many problems the last 7 or 8 seasons, but the two constants have been Dunn and Griffey. Baker called both of them out at the start of spring training and it hasn’t done a darn bit of good. Phillips, Encarnacion, Votto, Bruce, and the 3 young pitchers are the future of the club. The future is now.By Mike
May 4, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
Ken Griffey Jr. is over the hill. Adam Dunn just can’t deliver in the middle of the lineup. Overall this team may prove to be one of the worst teams of the last 25 years.By Rob
May 4, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this
Please people, listen to the HOF’er Mr. McCoy. He’s seen a lot of managers in this clubhouse; as has another HOF’er Marty Brennaman, this is not on Dusty Baker. And I’ve heard Marty say that Dusty is great to change this culture. This team has lacked a certain amount of fire for years. We saw sparks of it in ‘06, but that was when they were close to winning. But we aren’t going to get it from a clubhouse that has this corner outfield in place. They are the albatross hanging around the necks of those others that go out there and bust it - there are some young passionate players out there on this team and down on the farm but it ultimately falls back on the big money guys that are supposed to support this offense, and when you see them trudging around with their ‘que sera, sera’ attitudes, it’s hard for the other guys to overcome it.By HuberTucky
May 4, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
Last night, watching Griffey stand there with the bat on his shoulder and take strike two and strike three, perfect fastballs right down the middle says it all. No heart, no passion. And it’s rubbed off. The other night when Griffey and Dunn sat out, the Reds won. DUH! When they play, the team plays dead. DUH!By TBill
May 4, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
You mean that “Uncle” Carl Lindner’s money isn’t going to fix the Reds?? That “Junior” isn’t the 2nd Coming of Christ?? No, the Reds are mediocre like the Bengals and everything Cincinnati. They can’t get it done whether it’s the Riverfront, casinos, or pro sports. Hang on to your 1990 World Series shirts, folks, ‘cause it ain’t gonna happen again!! “Embarrassivity”? Never knew Rijo had such eloquence! At least he was a winner….By sun deck lover
May 4, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
I don’t think that anyone who has watched this team the past 4 or 5 years is shocked at the lack of offense. Sure, historically they have scored their share of runs at the end of the year. 12 or 13 runs today, and 12 or 13 runs over the next week. This lineup is all about the 3 run dinger. Which brings me again to Dunn. I like him. He plays every game, sometimes gets stiched up during it. At the end of the year he will have his 40 homers, 99 rbis, 100 walks, but he is a terribly inconsistant hitter who is a bad fit on this team. He would be great for the Yankees, Indians, etc. but we need an everyday right handed guy in lf. Also, since we are into eating contracts, please eat Patterson’s. Dusty has to be the only person surprised by his play (including Corey). We need to move Mr. Hat too. Good ballplayer, but Votto is here and 2 left hitting 1st basemen is one of the worst roster moves ever made. Sorry Wayne.By nick
May 4, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
I hate like hell to make this observation, but when is it going to be time to step up and say that the Dusty Baker experiment in Cincy has gone on far enough and its time for him to go and watch his son play little league and not have to watch this bunch on the Reds continue to attempt big boy ball!By Florida Buckeye
May 4, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
I agree with the train of thought that the team has no fire: Just look at the body language between those who bust their butts, and those who dont. Freel goes all out and barely misses a slicing fly to left, whereas Griffey doesn’t even make an attempt on a sinking liner - that was catchable - the very next play…afterwards FSN cuts to Baker, who’s shaking his head…what gives? Why keep a player in - no matter how many hr’s and Cooperstown - if he doesn’t want to give it his all?!?By ShockMonkey
May 4, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this
It’s the apathy which permeates through these players. As Hal says, you just know the game won’t be won when we fall behind. We have zero killer instinct. This team is boring. There’s no heart, passion, excitement, nothing. We’re NOT winning with Griffey and Dunn so slash the payroll, get what you can and go young.By bill
May 4, 2008 8:52 AM | Link to this
The number 44 keeps coming to my mind…..and know, it’s not Adam Dunn.By Brick
May 4, 2008 8:33 AM | Link to this
I remember when I was a junior in high school we played a team and were completely overmatched. We made error after error and they pounded us into submission. I remember during the course of the game the other team laughing it up in the dugout and yelling “rag team, rag team”. I bet the Braves were laughing it up in their dugout yelling “rag team, rag team”.By Kyle
May 4, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
Message to Walt: DO SOMETHING! Message to Dusty:It’s ok to bat for Dunn with a lefty on the mound and runners in scoring position with two outs. Really, it is.By redfuture
May 4, 2008 7:29 AM | Link to this
How about stubbornivity! These guys are too stubborn to hit the ball the other way like the Braves have been doing. They don’t trust their teammates. Try batting Grif and Dunn in the 9th spot for alternate games, how about the embarrassivity of that?By donb51
May 4, 2008 7:03 AM | Link to this
Hi Hal, I notice you have started to use “it’s no one’s fault” in the article - especially when referring to Baker. I know you are proud of your 38 or so years of journalism, as much as I am of my 38 years of being around the Marine Corps (20 of those being active duty). The most important thing I was taught was the the man in charge is responsible for all things good and all things bad - up and down the chain of command. Players are hitting? Then the batting coach needs to be looked at? Team not winning day to day? Then the manager needs to be looked at? Team not winning year after year? Then the GM needs to be looked at. I do know that Pete Mackanin coached 80 games last year and had a record of 41 and 39. The GM did make some moves to improve the pitching, so all in all, we should be doing better. The only other thing that changed was the MANAGER? Looks like we need a good commanding officer on the field that can get the players motivated in a positive way - instead of everyone scratching their heads. One final note. We’ve had Dunn and Griffey for seven years. How’s that working out for us???By bruce
May 4, 2008 2:39 AM | Link to this
Sitting Dunn and Griffey is not the answer. Sticking with a set lineup is. Finding and sticking to a proven leadoff hitter is. Giffey and Dunn blamed so often for everything that can possibly go wrong will hit if left alone in the same spot in the order, just look at the career stats.By MAC
May 4, 2008 12:43 AM | Link to this
On a positive note, MB showed that he has the stuff WHEN he locates it! Problem is, he seems to lose foucus at the worst of times. Offensively, Freel, Votto, EE, Kepp had good ABs: worked the count and went w/ the pitch…good team ABs. Everyone else looked lost and UNWILLING to change their approach. Phillips’ 1 success was when he gave in & hit the ball where it was pitched: note to Griffey & Dunn.By DonL
May 4, 2008 12:42 AM | Link to this
Oh good it’s Sunday and maybe we can win a game by leaving Dunn and Griff out of the lineup. My take on Dunn is that if he has to play he should bat 8th, protected by the pitcher although at this point the pitchers are hitting better than Dunn who is useless with men on base.By almost frankie
May 4, 2008 12:13 AM | Link to this
Didn’t the Reds have a good game in San Francisco the night both Dunn and Griffey rode the bench. Why not try that for awhile. It couldn’t be any worse than it was tonight. Oh, and Patterson (big mistake) can join them. It is a joke that he is even here, but we are not laughing.By Sigh Yung
May 3, 2008 11:53 PM | Link to this
In addition,if Dusty wants to end the “shift”—Put Dunn third in the order behind Griffey who is hitting second—and have him bunt—if the shift is on. If it isn’t, he will at least have bigger gaps to get base hits, if the opponent decides to play baseball positions, as they were originally meant to be played. In other words, help the team start being successful offensively!Runners will be in scoring position—and those coming up after Griffey/Dunn will have the table set for them!!!By Sigh Yung
May 3, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this
Why is the brass remaining so stubborn about bringing up new faces? If our $21 million dollar twosome is having trouble even making contact with bat and ball—why not sit them down? At least, the hitting coach could demand that they bunt when the “shift” is put on them— we had FOUR hits tonight! Any pitcher would be finding it difficult not to think he must be “perfect” each inning, because of the lack of run support! In the first inning of each game—if the leadoff hitter in front of Griffey gets on first—a bunt from Griffey is a certain base hit—a runner is now in scoring position! We did not hit into a double play—we have a chance to score a run with nobody out! Hello out there!This is doing something for the team!!! Unless Dunn and Griffey are willing to do this for the team Sit them—and as soon as possible TRADE them!By got milk
May 3, 2008 11:04 PM | Link to this
For the second consecutive season the Reds are eliminated by Mother’s Day. There’s simply no way this team recovers to make this an interesting season. This will be losing season #8 in a row, and quite frankly, I don’t see anything that leads me to believe that ‘09 won’t be #9 in a row. They’re making the Bengals look pretty good …