Hall-of-fame baseball writer Hal McCoy knows a thing or two about America’s pastime. If you’d like to tap into that knowledge, send a question to halmccoy1@hotmail.com. For more Ask Hal, log on to DaytonDailyNews.com/reds.

Q: When Drew Stubbs comes to the plate, if the fans yelled, 'Dreeeeeew,’ wouldn’t that show a little love from the fans that he needs to get it going? — Dave, Miamisburg/Centerville/Beavercreek
A: The fans yell, “Bruuuuuuce” when Jay Bruce comes to the plate and Bruce was in a 1-for-24 slump before finally going 2-for-3 on Friday, so how is that working out? Maybe the fans should give both the silent treatment.

Q: Doesn’t WLW lose all credibility when it spoofs listeners with false stories about Sean Casey coming back to the Reds? — Mark, Bloomington, Ind.
A: What credibility? WLW’s Seg Dennison said it best about the talk-show host who made up the story: “He should blow the dust off his credentials and show up at the ballpark once in a while.” I worry about the common sense and gullibility of the people who called the show believing Casey was coming back to the Reds.

Q: I read that the Reds were 32-2 when Drew Stubbs scores a run, but I can’t figure out the meaning of this statistic. Can you enlighten us? — Kyle, Cleveland
A: It means Stubbs needs to score a run in every game, doesn’t it? That stretches out to about 152-10 for a full season. Explain it? Can’t do it. Nobody can. Just one of many baseball anomalies, like when the Reds couldn’t beat Roy Oswalt even if he sent his second cousin to the mound, as long as his last name was Oswalt.

Q: I understand all the padding for a catcher’s mitt, but what’s the purpose of the big gloves all first basemen wear, and do they have to wear them? — Brad, Greenville
A: A player can wear cloth work gloves if he wants or even go barehanded. A shortstop could use a catcher’s mitt if he wanted, and Barry Larkin probably could have without losing any defensive ability. The claw-like first baseman’s glove is to give the first baseman a better chance of digging throws out of the dirt and the glove is so big because first basemen don’t normally have to dig a ball out of the glove to make a throw.

Q: Would the Pittsburgh Pirates be above .500 without Andrew McCutchen? — Gabe, Middletown
A: Would the Reds be above .500 without Joey Votto? Would the St. Louis Cardinals be above .500 without Carlos Beltran? Who knows? McCutchen certainly is an exciting and great player, but no team can play above .500 without a strong surrounding cast. For Pittsburgh, could it be Andrew McCutchen & The Pirates of Pennants?

Q: Marty Brennaman has missed this entire homestand and his son, Thom, said he was on his honeymoon. Did he get married? — Judy, Dayton
A: I’ve never heard of a honeymoon without a wedding ceremony first. Yes, Marty got married, going against the advice he once gave me: “Don’t marry them. Ever. The minute you marry them they change.” In my case, Marty was more wrong than a U-turn on the Autobahn.

Q: Will Walt Jocketty make a move to try to get some offensive help during Joey Votto’s absence? — Kyle, Dayton
A: Votto’s absence has nothing to do with it. Jocketty said even before Votto’s surgery that he was searching for either a leadoff hitter or a cleanup hitter. That hasn’t changed. He’s still looking, still listening, still hoping other teams don’t try to pillage and plunder him to make a deal. He’d rather play Monty Hall and take what’s behind one of three doors, all hiding good players.

Q: Do the writers who cover the team get World Series rings because I know broadcasters do? — Jason, Eaton
A: Broadcasters are paid by the team so they do, indeed, get World Series rings. Writers are paid by their newspapers and it would be considered a conflict of interest to accept a reward from the team they cover. That’s relatively new, though. Back in the 1970s, I did receive rings from the Reds (blush) in 1975 and 1976. I gave one each to my two sons.