A: Francona isn’t a step ahead of most fans, he is 90 feet ahead. But I still believe De La Cruz belongs in center field. Advocates for him to stay at shortstop will point to the fantastic diving play in Baltimore when he made the catch while still flying through the air with the greatest of ease. That helps my point. He could be making many plays like that in center field. He makes spectacular plays at shortstop, but boots routine grounders and makes errant throws on routine plays. And what are they going to do when flashy minor-league shortstop Edwin Arroyo is ready...and many say he is ready right now.
Q: Do you see commissioner Rob Manfred implementing a run rule after the Reds scored 24 against the Orioles? — JEFF, Troy.
A: That’s one rule he could make that I would agree with. If a team is ahead by 10 or more runs after seven innings, game over. That would eliminate the silliness of having position players who have never pitched appear on the mound. It’s a farce. All it does is permit players to fatten their statistics, like the grand slam Noelvi Marte hit off catcher Gary Sanchez, throwing 55 miles an hour as if he is pitching in a Home Run Derby contest. And by the way, in 2007 the Texas Rangers beat the Orioles, 30-3.
Q: Is a batter standing in the on-deck circle or a base coach required to move on a foul ball? — BILL, Kenton.
A: Yes, they certainly are required to move their bodies out of the way of pop fouls, even if they are standing inside the on-deck circle or a coach is standing in the coaching box. If they don’t get out of the way, impeding the process of a fielder catching the ball, interference can be called and the batter is out. I would think that would cause the batter to aim a few epithets at his offending teammate or coach.
Q: Why do they still paint the third base and first base coaching boxes when it appears no coach ever stands in them? — DENNIS, Beavercreek.
A: It must be cosmetic because you are correct, coaches stand everywhere but in those boxes. And they are not required to do so. The third base coach is the biggest offender. The first base coach stands in the box with a runner on base so he can communicate with him. But without men on base, both coaches stand 10 to 20 feet toward the outfield, fearful they may be hit by a line drive.
And with a runner rounding third, the third base coach is usually halfway between home plate and third base, signaling the onrushing runner to stop or keep going.
Q: Are you surprised that the big market Chicago Cubs don’t have a higher payroll in an attempt to swamp the small market teams in the National League Central? — GEORGE, Morton Grove, Ill.
A: It appears to me that they have already done that. While the Cubs are only 10th on the payroll scale at $196.3 million, that’s $55 million higher than the next highest National League Central team. That’s St. Louus, 19th at $141.5 million. Cincinnati is next, 22nd at $115.5 million, followed closely by 23rd Milwaukee at $115.1 million and 26th Pittsburgh at $87.6 milion. In addition, the Cubs made the best move in the off-season by trading for Kyle Tucker, then giving him a $500 million contract extension. I’d say that’s leaving the rest of the division neck-high in a swamp, circled by alligators.
Q: Was Vada Pinson overshadowed by Frank Robinson and just too nice and too compliant to get recognition from voters for the Hall of Fame? — WILLIAM, Huber Heights.
A: As far as nice goes, he once punched baseball writer Earl Lawson because Lawson suggested he’d be a better player if he bunted more. But he was a nice person and that’s not a hindrance for The Hall. Writers love compliant, cooperative players who are good quotes. Pinson was all of that with Hall of Fame numbers. There might be something to being overshadowed by Frank Robinson, but they didn’t play together that long. I do believe playing for The Big Red Machine and all its Hall of Famers hindered Dave Concepcion getting in, where he belongs.
Q: Any thoughts on reducing the MLB pre-season as well as the number of regular-season games? — RICHARD, Troy.
A: No and yes. No on reducing spring training. The six weeks mostly are for pitchers to get their arms in shape and ready to go nine...er, five or six innings. And it is the most fun-in-the-sun time of the year for baseball writers. Yes on reducing games. Play should be from May 1 to September 1. That eliminates freezing weather in April and freezing weather in late October during the playoffs and World Series. Baseball was not designed for hoodies and thermal underwear, it was designed to play under a hot sun in short-sleeved shirts.
Q: How many pitchers are also position players in today’s game? — CHRIS, Vandalia.
A: Right now, only Shohei Ohtani and even he is limited to being a designated hitter/outfielder. He had surgery on his elbow last year, which has kept him off the mound so far. Before Ohtani, there were two players who briefly played for the Reds as both pitchers and outfielders — Brooks Kieschnick and Micah Owings...neither with much success at either position.
Q: If the MVP voting was close, would the voters hold all the errors Elly De La Cruz makes against him? — MICHAEL, Peterborough, United Kingdom.
A: Shouldn’t you be asking if British soccer star Bobby Charlton doesn’t play strong defense he won’t win the Ballon d’Or trophy? As for Elly, it shouldn’t matter. It seems as if MVP is all about average, runs batted in, home runs, doubles, runs scored and stolen bases. Defense is an afterthought, so Elly has no worries there, even if he once again leads MLB in errors.
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