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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 > June > 04 > Entry
All-Star matchup: Volquez vs. Hamilton
Picture this. And it could be reality.
First inning of the 2008 All-Star game. Pitching for the National League, Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez. Batting for the American League, Texas’ Josh Hamilton.
How breathless would that be? About as breathless as me after walking up the ramps of Wrigley Field to get to the press box.
Volquez did it again Wednesday. The Phillies have to hate this guy who wears his hat cocked back on his head and a perma-press smile. They faced him twice in spring training and couldn’t hit him. They faced him on April 6 in Cincinnati and couldn’t hit him.
They faced him again Wednesday in their own cigar box ballpark and they could hit him even less — no runs, two hits, two walks, eight strikeouts and an 8-2 record.
“We owed him that win,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “He pitched those 1 2/3 innings in that 18-inning game in San Diego, where he volunteered to pitch, and we lost it.”
Asked about a possible All-Star appearance, Volquez’s diamond-studded smile broadened and he said, “I’m not thinking about it, but it would be nice if it happened.”
Volquez still can’t get over the sting of being traded by the Rangers last winter.
“When they called me and told me I was traded, I asked, ‘Why?’ ” he said. “They never answered, just said they’d call me back. They never did. I mean, I had my best year of pitching ever last year and they traded me.”
The Reds couldn’t be more happy about that.
Volquez had to be at his best because Philly’s Brett Myers threw a no-hitter for 5 2/3 innings. He walked Brandon Phillips in the sixth and he scored on Joey Votto’s double that erased the no-hitter and the shutout with one sweet swing of the bat.
It was Phillips and Votto again in the ninth for an insurance run, a single by Phillips and another run-scoring double by Votto.
So let’s hope Volquez and Hamilton march on. What an All-Star matchup.
My prediction: Volquez strikes him out with a change-up on the hands. Or Hamilton hammers a home run on a fastball on the outside corner.
What do you think? Who does what to whom in this All-Star matchup?
Addendum (or is it ad nauseum)?
Corey Patterson was 0-for-4, striking out with two on and one out in the eighth. He is now 0-for-22. I fear his initials might mean something cruel: CP for Can’t Play.
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Edinson Volquez
Comments
By Bob Purkey
June 5, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this
I understand why Baker let Cordero bat with one out in the 9th, but he should have had STRICT orders to not swing the bat. Let whatever happen happen….stike out, who give a sh*t! But his second career at bat? Of COURSE he grounds into 2bl play. A strike out would have at least allowed the leadoff to bat with bags jammed and 2 out. Oh Dusty, what are you thinking sometimes?!By John Doe
June 5, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
CP sucks. The best announcing team is Thom and the Cowboy. Chris Welsh ia a motormouth. He and George Grande tralk about everything that is in their press pack and miss two or three pitches at a time. George continually gets names mixed up. How he has lasted 15 years is beyond me.By Y-City Jim
June 5, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this
No Patterson today!!! PTL!!!By Joe Pfaffl
June 5, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
Why is Patterson back and why is he batting 2nd and playing ? 2 1/2 more years of Dusty Ball !By LetsTalkReds
June 5, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this
LETSTALKREDS.com Last night was a big win. A must-win some might call it. But after the game, I couldn’t help but wonder what in the heck Dusty Baker was doing. That was flat out questionable managing. In my opinion, the mistakes started in the bottom of the 8th inning, when with two outs, Baker opted two bring in Cordero to get the last out rather than Burton. I’ve never been a person in favor of using the closer in an 8th inning “carry-over” role, but especially when Burton is pitching at the top of his game. I feel that it messes with the closer’s flow and momentum for the ninth when he has to sit in the top of the inning. The top of the ninth inning was just unbelievable. The Phillies brought in JC Romero who is the definition of a “left-handed specialist”. Left handers are hitting .065 against him while right handers hit closer to .350. After Brandon Phillips singles and Adam Dunn walks, Dusty could have chose to bunt with Joey Votto. Personally, that is what I would have liked to see happen in order to work for an insurance run or two. However, I understand the decision not to since Votto has been hitting the ball hard. That decision worked out as Votto doubled on a first pitch fastball into the gap. Edwin Encarnacion is then intentionally walked to load the bases. This is where I REALLY begin to have the problem with the managing of this game. With the bases loaded and no outs, why in the heck would Dusty Baker allow left-handed swinging Paul Bako to hit. Bako was already 0-3 with 2 strikeouts at that point and had looked bad at the plate all night. Against a left-handed specialist, the logical call would have been to pinch hit Ross, Andy Phillips, or even the switch hitter Valentin. On a team with 3 catchers, why would you allow the left-handed hitter Bako to bat. I thought Dusty was all about matchups. I still don’t understand the lack of a move. Bako then grounds into a fielders choice, getting the run cut down at the plate. That brings up Cordero for his SECOND CAREER AT-BAT. He promptly grounds into a double play and the Reds are unable to make anything out of the bases loaded no-outs situation. I hate to play the hindsight card but should Burton have been used in the 8th, a pinch hitter could have been used in the pitcher’s spot. That game should never have ended 2-0. The Reds had the opportunity to blow it open with some good managing. Something they didn’t get. Don’t get me wrong, we won. But managing that poorly is going to lose us a lot of games over the course of the season.By Mike-Cinci
June 5, 2008 11:29 AM | Link to this
I can’t argue with everyone who found problems with Dusty’s moves in the 9th inning last night. He should have pinch hit for Bako but the Phils would have countered with a righty. I would also bat Patterson lower in the order if he has to play. The guy can’t take a walk. You would think after a few years of mediocre results he would learn to do this. Where is Dan O’Brien when we need him? He wanted everyone to take at least one strike.By Mike
June 5, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
Jim…Your’e exactly right..Grande is terrible!..What the mystery is..people on blogs emails etc. ALL say the same.!!.Why is he there? Do you ever wonder why fans for years have always turned him off (the sound) and listened to the radio instead. That’s not desireable if your in charge of programmming at FSN. FSN has to know it. But we can always turn him off thank goodness. Put Thom on and watch the difference!By Y-City Jim
June 5, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
If Dusty is going to play Patterson for his defense then put him in the 8 spot. Just because he is fast does not warrant putting him high in the batting order. In fact, the pressure is probably too much for him. Lower in the order, he can relax. Be objective, Dusty. He is not the ball player you think he is. Speaking of CP’s defense, it sure looked like he turned the wrong way on a ball in the 8th inning. He still caught it but…By Jim
June 5, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
Night inning strategy meltdown. Bako comes up with the bases loaded, no one out and swings at the first pitch, why? Still only one out and Cordero comes up to bat, he should have put the bat on his shoulder and taken three strikes to give Hairston a chance with two outs. Instead he hits into a double play. Is the coaching staff watching the same game I am? Also, George Grande on TV, he is aweful. When Janish came in to run he could not figure out who would play where in the bottom of the 9th, he got all excited when Cordero hit the ball, only to be a routine DP. And can someone tell him that it is Hairston not Hairiston?By Gary
June 5, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this
I can believe Dusty brought back Cory-CP-‘can’t play’-Patterson since Dusty has been in his corner all year so far, but i don’t understand why he did. For the sake of the team instead of his personal relationship or ego to bring him back the options of putting Janish at short and Hairston to the outfield make more sense. But Dusty has made many a questionable move so far. Hopefully we won’t be calling him Dusty - DB - ‘ding bat’ Baker by the end of the year.By Florida Buckeye
June 5, 2008 10:16 AM | Link to this
I was disgusted when I saw Patterson in the line up; but, with that said I understand that it was out of necessity, rather than desire to play him. However, I don’t understand batting him second, nor do I understand pinch running for Dunn, in a game which very well could have gone into extra innings…remember San Diego?!? Dunn can change the game at any moment with a swing…and He wasn’t the leading runner…Also, there must be something more to Valentine not getting PT: perhaps, pitch selection, attitude towards Dusty, etc., I just dont get having a resource on the bench, and using CP to pinch hit - as happened the night Bruce was called up - instead of Javey…By Doco
June 5, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this
Hey Hal. Any word on Hopper? He’s been out awhile and it sounded like a phantom injury in the first place. How did he get hurt this bad not even playing? If he comes back they can send CP back down. And the only spot for CP to hit is 8th. If by some miracle he gets on then the pitcher can sacrifice and the top of the lineup has a lot of RBI potential.By Mike
June 5, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this
If CP means Can’t Play..and he continues to bat at the top of the order, continues his exercise in futility, and seems baffled by every pitcher he faces reflected by .195..is has to be true. But more than that…it’s an indictment to Baker. It reflect solely on him and the Reds. youi would have more smarts and pride than let this stigma continue!By Poopsey
June 5, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this
The Rangers are 30 & 30 and in 3rd place in a four team division, so Hamiltons high power stats aren’t exactly pushing them toward the top. The Reds are 29 & 31 and Volquez has 8 of those wins. I’d take Volquez over Hamilton in that match up. What could Patterson have on Baker to allow that kind of ineptitude to continue?By Ted Lawson
June 5, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this
It our two pitchers keep pitching such as they are then we got the best of that deal for Hamilton but that is the way a trade should be to help both teams.By Ted Lawson
June 5, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this
It our two pitchers keep pitching such as they are then we got the best of that deal for Hamilton but that is the way a trade should be to help both teams.By Keith
June 5, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
I think a lot of people would agree that Patterson was the only choice to bring up, and I can see why he would be starting, but WHY is Dusty batting him second?! Why is Dusty putting on the hit-and-run with Dunn? Why is Dusty our manager?By AP-FLORIDA
June 5, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
Hey we KNOW cp can’t play, why not try dickerson? Maybe he can play-odd are he is better than teacher’s pet…how about letting codero swing last night? that shows alot of baseall IQ…WOW…!By Gene
June 5, 2008 8:05 AM | Link to this
Bob, While most of us seconed guess managers all the time, I don’t honestly see how the Reds could have called up anyone else, other than Patterson, to fill the present need on the team. Dusty obviously would say Corey has his swing back, in order to try and give him a little confidence that the call-up was not just out of desperation. When Dusty said they would have liked to have left him down a little longer, that tells us his real feelings. Situation just didn’t allow for that.By Pete
June 5, 2008 7:43 AM | Link to this
Cory PATHETIC!By Bob
June 5, 2008 7:16 AM | Link to this
Baker said Corey had his stroke back. The management of the ninth inning was a stroke of a different nature; that of genius. Have you ever seen poorer mgt. strategy than in that blown opportunity? Reds upper brass must have lost their collective minds to let Baker get away with this Patterson fiasco.By Illya Harrell
June 5, 2008 5:40 AM | Link to this
Hal, I just love your stuff. “About as breathless as me after walking up the ramps of Wrigley Field to get to the press box.” Classic. One thing though, the first Phillips/Votto run was in the seventh. So Myers actually tossed 6 2/3 hitless innings.By MAC
June 5, 2008 4:22 AM | Link to this
Paul Bako: 0fer 4 w/ 5 LOB again. PB = Passed Balls, Poor Base Stealing Throws, Poor Bat ect. Valentine deserves a start at least once a week & a chance to jump start this enemic offense w/ his quality bat IMO. If Dusty wanted to continue to coach old Cubs, then he should have stayed in Chicago. We continually herd about the “put up or shut up” talks given to Belise; when are Bako and Patterson going to be called into the office?By rob
June 5, 2008 12:20 AM | Link to this
That’s cold. CP..can’t play. Tend to agree though. I was suprised not to see Ross hitting for Bako with the bases loaded. Ross is more likely to walk into one than Bako.By Deaner
June 4, 2008 11:56 PM | Link to this
Staying pretty safe with your predictions aren’t you Hal? :) Great post… you wrote exactly what was on my mind tonight.By Andrew
June 4, 2008 11:48 PM | Link to this
Hal, Love your blog. Keep up the great work. Sounds like Volquez vs Hamilton in the All Star Game is a real possibility. Also sounds like Volquez is a really smart guy. I read where he commented tonight that he got Utley on K’s twice tonight on inside changeup noting that Utley had a little hole in his swing. Looks like Volquez may be the only one who has been able to exploit that hole. Pretty impressive stuff. On another note, any idea as to why Baker didn’t hit for Bako with the bases juiced in the ninth facing a tough lefty in Romero? Do the pitchers really like throwing to him that much more than Ross or Valentin?