Courtesy New York Daily News

(July 22, 2008) Whether they were looking to manufacture an excuse for Oliver Perez or a way to kill time, Keith Hernandez's and Gary Cohen's rant over Cincinnati delaying the start of Saturday night's game was condescending and petty.

The SportsNet New York voices were bent out of shape over Cincy's pregame ceremony, inducting three players (Barry Larkin, Cesar Geronimo, Joey Jay) and an executive (Gary Herrmann) into the Reds Hall of Fame, lasting 11 minutes longer than scheduled.

Hernandez and Cohen contended the ceremony - "elongated" by Larkin's acceptance speech - might have an adverse affect on Perez. They said the pitcher could get cold and tight waiting in the dugout after completing his bullpen warmup.

Funny, they did not express the same level of righteous concern for Reds starter Josh Fogg. He also had to wait longer than usual, right?

The SNY mouths presented a valid point. And yet instead of just making it (they never mentioned the temperature in the ballpark and basically ignored Kevin Burkhardt, who indicated Perez may have altered his warmup routine to compensate for the delay) and letting it go, both Cohen and Hernandez decided it was better to continue cheap-shotting Larkin and blowing the situation out of proportion.

"Barry Larkin said everything in his speech, except I thought he was going to extend (George) Bush's tax cuts," Hernandez said.

Was this the first time Hernandez had ever heard someone run his mouth too long while being honored? Cohen and Hernandez would've been mortified by Bob Murphy's lengthy Hall of Fame speech, given in 1994 while Steve Carlton waited in the wings melting in the Cooperstown heat.

As the Reds podium was being removed, Larkin stood mugging for photographers. Cohen called this "irresponsible." This all sounded like SNY's version of "Oliver Twist." Someone from the network should have taken poor, poor, Perez's temperature.

"I don't think they really anticipated Barry Larkin's stump speech," Hernandez sarcastically bellowed. "... This is uncalled for and inconsiderate. I know it's your day in the sun to bask in the glory but there are other considerations,"

Cohen - incredibly - contended he and Hernandez did not want to "disparage" the Reds. Or the ceremony for their new Hall of Famers.

Could have fooled me.