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Ask Hal: Baseball questions and answers
By Hal McCoy
Dayton Daily News
You've got the questions, Hal McCoy has the answers. Visit DaytonDailyNews.com/reds for more "Ask Hal." To submit questions about baseball, e-mail hmccoy@DaytonDailyNews.com
QUESTION — If Danny Graves wants to be roughed up, as he said he wanted to be against the New York Yankees in spring training so he didn't go into the season without giving up a run, tell him to imagine that it is the regular season. — Dave, Centerville
ANSWER — At least you aren't roughing up Ken Griffey Jr. or Barry Larkin this week. Hey, Danny Graves had 41 saves last year and has 172 for his career. Yes, he blew nine last year, but he is a sinkerball pitcher who gets a lot of ground balls. With the Reds' infield defense last year, even you could have played the infield. Dave, I have a homework assignment for you for next week. Figure out who on the Reds you do like and tell me why.
Q — I am going to be the father of triplets, two future Reds and one Princess. My wife has agreed to let me name one of the boys Griffey Allen. I thought it would be neat to get an autograph from the original. Should I send a letter to the stadium or take my chances through a fan site? — Bruce, Columbus
A — You are going to name one of the triplets after John Allen, COO of the Reds? He'll be proud. Oh, I bet you mean Ken Griffey Jr., don't you? Tell you what: Name one of the other triplets McCoy Allen and I'll get you Griffey's autograph. Just kidding. I'll take care of it.
Q — I wonder if manager Dave Miley just didn't want pitcher Jose Acevedo around. Will Acevedo's departure influence his friend, Wily Mo Pena? — Bill, West Point, N.Y.
A — Miley doesn't make that decision by himself, but believe me, if he thought Acevedo would pitch the way he did at the end of last season Miley wouldn't care if he stood on the mound stark naked singing Who Let the Dogs Out? — he'd be with the team right now. Acevedo came to camp out of shape and with the attitude, "I've got this team made." Then he pitched miserably. The feeling is that Acevedo was sent to Louisville to fork down some humble pie (minus the ice cream).
Q — Hey, I'm a little lost with the cut of Bobby Estalella? Didn't he hit circles around Javier Valentin? What does Javier have over Bobby? — Neighbor Nate
A — Sometimes I think teams have their minds made up before spring training begins. It was for sure Jason LaRue was the No. 1 catcher. They like Javier Valentin because he is a switch-hitter, although he is feeble from the right side, and he can play first base. I really liked what I saw of Bobby Estalella, and when someone hits .464 in spring games, as Estalella did, well, somebody's mind already was made up or they were out getting hot dogs when he played. I can just see the Chicago Cubs or St. Louis or Houston signing him and having him beat the Reds a game or two.
Q — I've made a habit in the last few years to scan the transactions, looking for used-up veteran pitchers that other teams have given up on, knowing they'll end up with the Reds. It's a great feeling this year knowing that we are going to send guys to the minors who really are good enough to pitch in the majors. — Ron, Vandalia
A — All I can say is that milkshake sales must have been way up at United Dairy Farmers last year, because CEO Carl Lindner finally blew the dust off his baseball checkbook and permitted General Manager Dan O'Brien to sign some players. This year when pitchers get hurt or are ineffective, the Reds can call up a pitcher from the minors who won't be a guy who last had a winning season in the majors during the Watergate investigation or was a guy who is a household name only in his own household.
Q — Tell Adam Dunn that I spent $10 for our office NCAA basketball pool and entered his selections as posted in the Dayton Daily News. Naturally, I would have wired Adam any winnings. You can tell Adam I want my $10 back. His picks stunk. — Ken, Oakwood
A — We all know Dunn is a football player dressed in baseball clothes, but a darn good one. Apparently, what he knows about basketball you can put under his hat and have room for Austin Kearns' hair. But who am I to talk? My picks were worse than Dunn's. But at least I didn't pick Oklahoma State to win it all, as he did. I picked North Carolina, but those other three teams in the Final Four are strangers to me.
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Originally Posted by CincyRedsFan30
