From Reds beat writer Hal McCoy:
General manager Walt Jocketty was genuinely disturbed that he had to designate for assignment infielder/outfielder Andy Phillips, who is out of options and can be claimed by any other team.
Jocketty hopes that doesn't happen. "Don't write anything nice about him so no team will claim him," he said.
Then he said a bundle of nice things. "He did a good job for us and has a good future," said Jocketty. "He knows his role and is a versatile guy. And he's been with a winner (New York Yankees) so he knows what it takes."
Quote of the day
"That would be sacrilegious. We wouldn't to do that."
— manager Dusty Baker, waiting until after Baseball Chapel services in the clubhouse Sunday to tell Andy Phillips he has been designated for assignment instead of pulling him out in the middle of the meeting.
Shades of Bubba getting DFA'd by the Yankees after getting out of
Bible study.
Hal McCoy is a really interesting
story himself. It's apparently well-known in Cincinnati, but I just heard about it recently. He's legally blind. He lost most of his vision to due optic nerve strokes a few years ago. One day when he couldn't even see his bag on the luggage carousel, he decided to retire. He went to the Reds clubhouse one last time, to say goodbye to the players. One-time Yankee (and long-time Red) Aaron Boone talked him out of quitting.
