Q: How much did the injury to Jonathan India contribute to the Reds’ losing record so far in August? — ALAN, Sugarcreek Twp.
A: It didn’t help, just as the loss of a productive Jake Fraley didn’t help. But that’s subjective because we’ll never know how they might have performed. And with India out, Matt McLain moved to second and Elly De La Cruz to shortstop and that has worked out well. And Fraley’s absence has given Will Benson a chance and he has shown some good at bats and outstanding outfield play. With the Reds and all their injuries, it has been the next-man-up mentality, and it hasn’t been detrimental at all.
Q: While watching the Little League World Series, I noticed that Texas had a left-handed throwing catcher and I’ve never seen that and wonder why? — MARK, Englewood.
A: As a left-hander myself, I’m tempted to say it is because we’re too smart to get back there and get beat to shreds. The last full-time catcher who threw left-handed was Jack Clements, who played more than 1,000 games for the 1884-1900 Philadelphia Phillies. And he was smart enough to invent the chest protector. The last lefty to catch was Benny Distefano, three games for the 1989 Pirates. Mike Squires caught two innings for the 1980 White Sox and Dale Long caught 1 2/3 innings for the 1958 Cubs. Baseball is prejudiced against us southpaws — no catcher, no second basemen, no shortstops and no third basemen.
Q: Isn’t the strike zone from the batter’s knees to the letters because the strike box we see on TV seems to be between the batter’s knees and his belt? — LARRY, New Carlistle.
A: It seems as if every umpire has his own strike zone and forget the rulebook. And that box they show on TV is the same for every hitter, whether it is 5-foot-5 Jose Altuve or 6-foot-5 Elly De La Cruz. So we know that isn’t right. The official strike zone has changed several times. The current rulebook says a strike when the ball passes between the midpoint of a batter’s shoulders and a point just below the kneecaps. That’s about as vague as it gets and some of the umpires’ calls are more than vague.
Q: Who’s calling the pitches for these young pitchers for the Reds and are the days gone where the catcher signals them, and the pitcher throws it or shakes him to throw what he thinks needs thrown? MIKE/BILL, Centerville/Kettering.
A: The catcher still calls for the pitches, only most of the time it is through modern technology, the PitchCom. Before every series, the pitching coach gathers the pitching troops, and they go over all opposing hitter’s strengths and weaknesses and try to pitch accordingly. I just wonder how long it will take the Houston Astros to intercept those PitchCom signals.
Q: It seems Matt McLain almost always takes the first pitch and opposing pitchers know it and throw him a first-pitch strike, so wouldn’t he hit 30 points hire if he swung at those pitches? — DAVE, Waynesville.
A: That’s a matter of batter preference. A lot of them do it. Some just like to watch that first pitch to get comfortable in the box and see a pitch before they swing. And who’s to say. If McLain swung at all those first pitches, he might be hitting 30 points lower. He has great bat control and can afford to take a strike (or a ball). He is hitting near .300, so let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.
Q: What do you think of TV broadcaster Barry Larkin’s unrelenting optimism about the ‘23 Reds? — RICHARD, Tipp City.
A: Totally expected. He played his entire Hall of Fame career with the Reds. He still works with the players in spring training. He feels he is still part of the team. He does criticize the pitchers for mislocating pitches or throwing the wrong pitch. That’s why I love Jeff Brantley. He says what he thinks, and it isn’t always positive. And sometimes you can hear the disgust in his Mississippi drawl.
Q: They always make a big deal out of Graham Ashcraft’s ability to induce ground balls. What does a pitcher do to get batters to hit a grounder? — AL, Phoenix.
A: Ashcraft has two pitches that induce grounders, a slider and a cutter. Both pitches, when he executes, come to the plate just above the knees. Then they take a downward plunge. The batter swings at what he believes is about knee-high, but if he connects, he hits the top of the ball which drives it into the ground. Ashcraft’s best friends are his all-rookie infielders (when Joey Votto sits) because they intercept the grounders and throw out the frustrated batter.
Q: Who was the first professional athlete you interviewed and how old were you? — LARRY, Springfield.
A: Yikes, that was 61 years ago, my rookie year as a journalist in 1962 with the old Dayton Journal Herald and I was 22. For a couple of years, I covered high school and college sports, no pros. In 1964, I covered the Cleveland Browns (the last year they won an NFL championship). My first pro interview probably (don’t hold my fingers to the fire on this one) was the great Jim Brown, although I remember being totally intimidated by his immense talent. And I’m sure I began the interview with, “Pardon me, Mr. Brown. Do you have two seconds?”
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