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 > 23 > Entry
Volquez denied number 16
Dusty Baker calls it, “The Cy,” and everybody around baseball knows that can only be the Cy Young Award. And the Cincinnati Reds manager entertains long-shot hopes that Edinson Volquez is in the running for the National League Cy Young.
Volquez should have won his 16th game Saturday night in Coors Field, enhancing his credentials, but the bullpen did him wrong in a 7-6 Cincinnati defeat.
Instead, it was “The Sigh.”
He turned a 4-3 lead over to the bullpen, but Lincoln gave up three straight singles in the seventh and Nick Massek’s first pitch was drilled for a three-run double by Matt Holliday.
Volquez gave up three runs and six hits over six innings and with seven more starts is in position to become Cincinnati’s first 20-game winner since Danny Jackson won 23 in 1988, although a victory Saturday would have made it much easier.
“I’m trying to keep Volquez close to the ‘Cy,’ even though it’s an outside shot,” said Baker. “I want him to keep that ‘Cy’ in sight. He says it’s no big deal, but it’s a bid deal for me because it would be a big deal for him.”
It would be a monumental upset at this juncture because Arizona’s Brandon Webb is 19-4, while Tim Lincecum, also pitching for a bad team (San Francisco) is 14-3.
And Volquez’s opponent Saturday, Hamilton native Aaron Cook, is a candidate, too, with his 15-9 record.
As per usual, Paul Bako is caught as Baker continues to use the veteran catcher for Volquez and Johnny Cueto.
“Bako has been doing a good job with the kids and especially the way those kids have been throwing to him,” said Baker.
“And Cueto has been throwing outstanding, too, with Bako, so Bako will get tonight and tomorrow (with Cueto) and we’ll give the kid (rookie Ryan Hanigan) a couple in Houston.”
Bako did Volquez no favors in the second inning when the Reds led, 1-0. Colorado had runners on first and second with two outs. Cook stunned everybody by dropping a bunt up the third base line.
Bako pounced, but his throw was a cloud-scraper into right field and both runs scored for a 2-1 Colorado lead, which stretched to 3-1 in the third.
The Reds tied it in the fourth when Rockies manager Clint Hurdle permitted Cook to pitch to Jay Bruce with runners on second and third with one out — with Corey Patterson (.193) and Bako (.213) batting behind him.
Bruce singled for two runs, then the Reds took the lead in the sixth on three straight singles, including Joey Votto’s third hit, his third straight game with three hits.
Baker was asked if he liked what he has seen from Hanigan and he said, “Oh, yeah. He gives a good target, he is in the ballgame, he calls a real good game. And he studies, you know?” Last week, Baker affectionately called him, “A down-and-dude.”
Asked if Bako’s work with Volquez and Cueto made him a candidate to return next year, Baker said, “Yeah, I think so.
“Whoever our catcher is, especially if it is Hanigan, Bako would be like (Chicago’s) Henry Blanco. He’s made all the difference in the world helping (rookie) Geovany Soto. That’s down the line, so we’ll get that when we get there,” said Baker.
Volquez created his own mess in the fourth when he issued back-to-back walks before Cook’s two-run bunt. And Volquez needed 40 pitches to get through that inning, assuring himself of a short night.
When his count reached 103 after six innings it was shower time — with a 4-3 lead.
“That’s going to happen,” Volquez said of the bullpen meltdown. “I don’t get mad. They don’t want to give up runs.”
They gave up runs because neither Lincoln nor Massek could keep the ball down. Both were up in the zone.
“We just couldn’t keep the ball down,” said Baker. “Lincoln needed to get a double play, but couldn’t, and neither could Massek. He got it up, too. You can’t mess with Matt Holliday with the bases loaded. We’ve escaped it a couple of times, but sooner or later he is gonna get you.
“These guys can hit and they’re dangerous in this ball park,” Baker added. “You try to stay away from the big inning, but that’s what got us in the eighth (four runs).”
Baker wanted dearly to get Volquez that 16th win, but said, “It’s tough to throw 40 pitches in the second inning. That’s a lot and you know that is going to come back to get you.”
Volquez isn’t giving up on the magic 20, though.
“That would be great, to win 20 in my first full season,” he said. “It would be good for me and good for the team, too.”
Chris Dickerson homered in the seventh, cutting it to 7-5 and Bruce homered in the eighth, cutting it to 7-6.
And pinch-hitter Ryan Hannigan drew a one-out walk in the ninth to become the potential tying run, but lefthander Brian Fuentes struck out Dickerson and got Jeff Keppinger on a fielder’s choice grounder to short.
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By LugHuberPoolHopper
August 24, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
Bonehead Baker speaks again: “Todd Frazier (Class A Sarasota, Fla., shortstop) played on the Toms River, N.J., team that won the Little League World Series (1998),” Baker said. “He has 12 homers, but I’m thinking he might be too big (6-foot-3, 215 pounds to play shortstop.” Has dusty ever heard of Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod)? He’s 6’3” 225, probably too big to be a SS!? Ha! How about Cal Ripken Jr @ 6’4” 225. Dusty says, ” but I’m thinking…” and that’s where the trouble starts. Gads, does think guy bother to think before he speaks?By MAC
August 24, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
So, our Def catcher made another throwing error, failed at 2 hit and run attempts and left 3 runners on base in front of him? Somebody tell me why Valentine couldn’t be given a chance to catch against RH pitching? Pitches could be called from the dugout; Bako looks over before every pitch as it is anyway! More Rusty Baker BS!By hij
August 24, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this
As entertainment i really enjoy the 1 run games & think that could be the key to Reds success to turn around the ‘08 record in those games. I don’t have the answers, but it’s still a great game to watch & my family loves GABP.By hij
August 24, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
Start of game: 7 of 8 hits were singles and we’re leading 5-3. Great defensive plays especially in center field. Then, error by catcher & walks. The margin of error on this time is very small, but they are more exciting & have potential. I share someones concern over 7-9 in lineup batting ~.200 being 3 innings of low production.By AP-FLORIDA
August 24, 2008 7:19 AM | Link to this
How long will Rusty continue to give up 2-3 innings a game? cp/bako/pitcher? That’s 3 outs 78-81% of the time. play hanigan, see if he has it for next year, and play anyone for cp. Sign eric davis for the rest of the year or even billy hatcher. Rusty is like matt, he needs serious help.By post office Dean
August 24, 2008 7:18 AM | Link to this
It was nice to see a leadoff hitter with speed and “hustle”,, getting a double in his first at bat, seems like most of the usual Reds would have been happy with a single, Dickerson brings some hope and excitment to the team. As for Patterson, we have speed in the outfield with Dickerson and Bruce, why do we NEED,CP, Dusty is hiding something.By Ritter Collett
August 24, 2008 1:11 AM | Link to this
Boy oh boy, Paul Bako sure showed his stuff again tonight, didn’t he? Ross was better. Hannigan’s the future. Valentin could be no worse than Bako. He needs to ride the pine.By Sigh Yung
August 24, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
You mean like in Sigh Yung, Hal?