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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 > August > 26 > Entry
The Big A’s: Alonso, Arroyo
While the Cincinnati Reds were winning a meaningless August game under the roof of Minute Maid Park, shielded from the thick humidity outside, news was being made elsewhere.
In the stifling humidity of Sarasota, Fla., in front of a few dozen fans swatting mosquitos, Yonder Alonso made his professional debut, a double off the wall in Ed Smith Stadium in his first at-bat.
See, he can use a wooden bat. Is he ready for the majors? Probably not quite yet.
Soon, maybe? The Reds certainly could use some heavy weaponry, even though they performed a major accomplishment Tuesday night by beating the Houston Astros, 2-1.
This one was won because pitcher Bronson Arroyo cranked up a dandy, a five-hitter and the first complete game this year by a Reds pitcher — the Reds being the last team without a complete game.
And a home run by rookie catcher Ryan Hanigan provided the winning run.
Arroyo certainly knew that closer Francisco Cordero was not back from attending the birth of his child and pitched accordingly.
“Arroyo came in after the eighth inning and said, ‘Give me a chance,’” said manager Dusty Baker. “I said, ‘You got it.’ I haven’t had the opportunity all season to say that.”
Said Arroyo, “With Coco (Cordero) not around, well, if he’s here I’m sure Dusty let’s him have the ninth. If I got somebody got on, I’d hope he would come and get me.
But Arroyo pitched a quick 1-2-3, with Lance Berkman ended it with a deep fly to center — sort of apropos.
“It was nice to have Berkman up there and to get him because he has beaten me so many damn times,” said Arroyo, 0-3 against the Astros this year before Tuesday. “In this park, I’m up 3-1 and he hits a three-run jack or something.”
Baker was appreciative of what Arroyo did.
“Bronson was masterful,” Baker added. “To hold this team to one run in this park, that’s masterful.”
Was Arroyo and the starting staff aware that the Reds had no complete games?
“Oh, yeah. We were aware,” he said. “Even if you have an off year you usually sprinkle in a few here and there. I knew after last time when I went seven and he pulled me. We thought, ‘We might not ever get this thing.’ Now we got one, so we’re off the schneid for this season.”
Arroyo’s sinker had the Astros digging divots in the infield, leading to a pair of key double plays. In contract to Sunday’s five-error fiasco, the Reds were digging dirt to make plays on ground balls — two exceptional ones by third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, two by shortstop Jeff Keppinger, one by first baseman Joey Votto and one by second baseman Brandon Phillips.
“A lot of good defensive plays that won’t show up in the box score,” said Arroyo, cognizant of the team’s five errors Sunday in Colorado that showed up glaringly and in bold type in the box score. I had the sinker worker to get those ground balls and if a couple get through I probably don’t come close to finishing.”
Arroyo picked up a clue from home plate umpire Dana DeMuth when he batted in the third inning and DeMuth called him out on what Arroyo thought was a low pitch.
“He rang me up on balls I thought were really low,” said Arroyo. “So I went to the mound and test him out. He called those strikes, too, so I said, ‘Beautiful,’ and tried to stay way, way low with my pitches, down at the bottom of the zone, right at the knees. And those got me all those ground balls.”
So now the Reds are 2-8 this season against a team this is 15 games out of first place in the National League Central and an even .500 — even though the Reds act as if they are playing the Angels, leaders of the AL West by 16 games over second place Texas.
The winning blow was struck by rookie catcher Ryan Hanigan, an eighth-inning home run above the yellow line and off the viaduct in left field.
Still, the Reds struck out 12 times — and that’s 26 in two games. They had five hits, same as they had Sunday in Colorado.
Jay Bruce struck out three straight times, giving him seven straight strikeouts over two games before he grounded out in the ninth inning.
Yonder, where are you?
Nineteen of the Reds’ final 31 games are against four teams either leading their division (Chicago Cubs, Arizona) or within six games of the leader (Milwaukee, Florida) or is within 3 1/2 games of the wild card leader (St. Louis).
Houston is not one of them.
After his gem, Arroyo was more concerned about his hair and said as he came out of the showers, “These people don’t realize you can’t wash your hair with Pert-Plus. Your hair will fall out.”
Meanwhile two Reds farmhands from Class AAA Louisville and five from Class AA Chattanooga will play for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, whose pitching coach is Louisville’s Ted Power.
Outfielder Drew Stubbs and pitcher Charles Fisher are the representatives from Louisville, while pitchers Robert Manuel, Pedro Viola and Sean Henry, plus infielders Chris Valaika and Justin Turner are the Chattanooga representatives.
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Comments
By Steve
August 28, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
Could we have a few more spelling and grammatical errors please? Jeezus, don’t they edit this stuff?By BrarHopper
August 27, 2008 10:41 PM | Link to this
BrarHopper to rockiesredsfan… forgot to mention that you can have Majewski, too. Deal?By PantenePro
August 27, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this
So Hal..if Bronson doesn’t care for Pert, can you tell me which brand gives him such beautiful hair?By BrarHopper
August 27, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
Hello rockieredsfan! Sorry to do this to ya, but how about the reds giving the Rockies EE & Coffee & Belise & Corey & toss in Josh Fogg. An offer they can’t refuse. Also, why not throw in hack 2nd string catcher Bako? There, now I feel better. And Matt, may goddess bless you, my child. Domini domini domini, you’re all Catholics now!By Matt
August 27, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this
God bless you, Brarhopper.By rockieredsfan
August 27, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Strong indication that the Rockies will be looking to deal 3rd baseman Garrett Atkins in the off-season and I believe the Reds could really use him at 3rd. A solid hitter (295 avg, 16 HR,337 OBP, 458 SGL 80 RBI’s) with good defense. Problem might be what the Reds could offer for him. The Rockies no doubt will be looking for a couple of top prospects or a key pitcher in return.By BrarHopper
August 27, 2008 4:24 PM | Link to this
LOL! It’s Matt against the world! he’s in heaven in that he now has more than me and Wiz and BIRDIS41 and timb abd bobs and Huber and a list of others to rail against and feel paranoid about. Matt, buddy, ya brought it yourself! I know, I know, go slip into your wounded victim child mode and hurls out a bunch of new attacks. Hahaha!By birdie41
August 27, 2008 4:10 PM | Link to this
Matt,obviously you did read timb & bobs comments because you continue with your insulting comments.You also did not read the article in the SPORTING NEWS about A.HARANG and how Baker is the reason for his problem after the way he used him in the 18 inning meaningless game.I believe the SN is a very well respected baseball paper!By Matt
August 27, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
BIRDIE41, you should try adding something to this blog other than nonsensical statements and gibberish. I called your comments about Dusty Baker ruining pitchers ignorant because that has been proven incorrect by multiple sources, who have a lot more knowledge about baseball than you or me.By birdie41
August 27, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
TO MATT(and timb & bobs) Matt,you need to read timb & bobs comments and maybe you can see how to write a good blog comment without calling people names like ignorant and all the other names you use.GOOD JOB TIMB AND BOBS!We all appreciate your type of blogs.By timb
August 27, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this
You know, Bobs, you might be onto the cutting edge of GM thought or you might be stuck in the dead ball era. Word has it, that people like Billy Beane are now looking for defensive efficiency, since every GM knows about OBP (the idea is to attempt to find unappreciated skillsets and then acquire players with them, e.g. OBP used to be ignored while BA was prized and now only casual fans care more about BA than OBP). Personally, as I mentioned 20 bombs scores more runs than 20 errors allows, so I think the offense is more important in a corner than defense. On the other hand, if he were playing 2nd base or catcher and couldn’t play defense? That would be an enormous problem. anyway, nice talking with yaBy bobs
August 27, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
Bronson, like any other player just needs to be consistent. That doesnt mean he has to win every game or pitch well every game, but can go month(s) without pitching well. Timb, your boy stunk up the place again offensively last night, but to answer your question of few blogs below, I would rather have a good defensive player. EE showed that you can be miserable at the plate, but still help your team win by playing good defense. Since the norm for EE is errors and no hits, I cant wait until we have a new third baseman next year.By Gary Maloy Jr.
August 27, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this
Bronson deserves his place in the rotation. I just wish he were as good during April-May-June as he was in 2006 when he first came over from the BoSox. He seems to be a late starter. Might the difference be that he in 2006 was prepared to pitch for the Red Sox, while last year and this year he knew he would be pitching for the pitiful Reds? Just a thought…By Matt
August 27, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this
Fantastic effort last night by Bronson Arroyo. He showed why he should be a part of this team not only for the rest of the season, but for several more seasons. He is a seasoned veteran who knows how to play the game, and it showed last night. He won his 12th game while providing a lift the Reds desperately needed. That’s what a veteran is supposed to do. Yes, he got off to a slow start this year, but he has more than proven that to be a fluke and that he is worthy to be the #2 starter in the rotation. Go Bronson, and go Reds!!By timb
August 27, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this
Let’s hope Alonso is really Roy Hobbs without the bullet wound, as this Reds offense (despite the “hustle”) is a painful and pathetic thing to watch.By FkdRad
August 26, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
I was one of the “280” real fans at the SaraReds game. Yes, it was hot and very humid with lightning off in the horizon. Yonder Alonso hadn’t played in a game since June 5th. Given that he looked comfortable at the plate and in the field. He went 1 for 3, getting a double to left his first time up. He walked once, grounded out to 2nd and struck out swinging his last time up against a lefty reliever. Jockerty and Buckley were behind home plate to see for themselves what 4.5 million gets them. Also, of note, Juan Francisco made his first start in left field and our regular first baseman since his call up from Dayton, Logan Parker (.320, 6hr) Dh’d