Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
I've already posted once on this thread, but I wanted to add that I don't believe you can ever replace the players you rooted for as a kid in your list of favorite players; it is like a first love.
I enjoyed the Reds 1990 World Champions, but I was 35 years old by then, older than the Reds players. 35 year old men don't ordinarily worship 25 year old baseball players. You cheer for them, but that's it. I think if I met Barry Larkin or Eric Davis or Jose Rijo, I could talk to them. I'd be respectful, but I would know they were just men.
Ah, but when you are a kid of 10 or 11, those players are virtually gods. If I met Pete Rose or Johnny Bench or Tony Perez, I'd be speechless at first, even now. They are the players whose photos hung on my walls as a kid, whose baseball cards I thrilled to get. I started rooting for the Reds in the spring of 1966. Rose was starting his fourth year in the majors, Perez his second. No one else who later made up the Big Red Machine was even on the scene yet. I got to see the first at bats, the first pitches of Bench, Nolan, Gullett, Concepcion, Griffey Sr.. I was already "there" when Foster, Carroll, Morgan, Billingham, Geronimo, Borbon, Norman arrived via trades. I saw them come, I saw them go. I saw them fail terribly (the 1972 World Series and 1973 NLCS) and I saw them win gloriously (the 1975-76 World Series).
The Big Red Machine was the greatest team in Reds history, but even if some future Reds team would surpass the BRM in wins and championships, no team, in no sport will ever surpass what the BRM are to me--the greatest, the most loved team of my life.
I still recall my reaction when I was at Riverfront Stadium in the summer of 2000 for ceremonies honoring Sparky Anderson's induction into the Hall of Fame. Highlights of the Big Red Machine in its prime were shown on the Stadium's screens, and then the individual members of the Big Red Machine, much older than they appeared to be in those highlights (other than Perez, who seemed not to have aged) came onto the field, one by one. Chills ran down my spine and tears came to my eyes, surprising me. That reaction expressed my love for a team and I guess my sense of what had been lost, theirs and my youth.
My ten favorite Reds of all time? Pretty much any player who wore a Reds uniform between 1966 and 1976.
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Wow I thought this would be easy until I started reading names and then I was like man this will be hard. But here goes in a particular order.
1.) Barry Larkin- I could gush (and probably will) for life about him in many ways. His play in all facets were brilliant & graceful, and his class was top of the charts. Would not take ANY HOF SS over him.
2.) Eric "The Red" Davis- Barry edges Eric mainly based on longevity and production. But Eric was my 1st favorite Red who I actually watched all the time. His swing and his joy for the game are unforgettable.
3.) Jose Rijo- He had a short but productive career, but when he was on top of his game he was lights out. He also had great passion for the game and was a fierce competitor. When I think of the Reds 25 yrs from now, I will think Barry, Eric and Jose.
4.) Sparky Anderson- How can you not love Sparky. IMO He is the epitome of what a manager should be as far as being the man and character he was. I cannot speak to his x's and o's much because I am just a shade young. But the results say it all.
5.) Marty & Joe- They loved the Reds, and it showed in the way they called the game. Marty is no more critical than any other hardcore fan can be and he is usually far more right than that fan. And Joe's love for the game and his historic views were always real fun. As a team you could not have gotten better.
6.) Joe Morgan- A guy whom I never got to see play much but again the results are there. Plus I have been able to see his baseball intelligence when he does games. IMO if Joe Morgan said it, it's as close to right on as there is. (Ok I am not getting into that argument either)
7.) Dave Concepcion- I didn't watch him in his prime, but I did see him play some and his talents on the infield were 2nd to none. Going into the hole and that quick release were awesome, and his bat wasn't a detriment to his game. He should be a HOF, w/o question.
8.) Sean Casey- Class w/ a capital C. And on field he played hard 100% of the time, his passion for the game is unmatched! And if he was at the plate w/ men on and the game in the balance, it was a done deal. A winner.
9.) Chris Sabo- His approach to the game and his intensity were trademarks of his game. The best Reds 3B of my time in all aspects. Sure he had a corked bat once but hey, those goggles were the coolest.
10.) Adam Dunn- "The Future" He is a talented guy and one who works hard at his craft. Such power and discipline. I hope he stays a Red.
Honorable mentions: Marge Schott & Lou Piniella. Eddie Milner, Gary Redus, Mariano Duncan, George Foster, Ron Oester (Loyalty), Billy Hatcher, Paul O'neill, Dibble, Myers, Charlton,Tom Browning, Bret Boone, Austin Kearns. Also a special thanks to Joe Oliver and Billy Bates for my only World Series Championship!
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Johnny Bench
George Foster
Davey Concepcion
Ken Griffey Sr.
Mario Soto
Eric Davis
Barry Larkin
Jose Rijo
Ken Griffey Jr.
Adam Dunn
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedsBaron
I've already posted once on this thread, but I wanted to add that I don't believe you can ever replace the players you rooted for as a kid in your list of favorite players; it is like a first love.
Yeah, you're right. I left off guys I idolized as a kid, like Maloney, O'Toole, Lee May, Pinson, even Deron Johnson and Leo Cardenas. I was trying to get a representative sample of all 150 years I've been a fan, but the guys I followed as a kid will always have a special place in my heart.
Johnny Edwards was the Reds catcher when I started as a fan in '62, and I was a catcher. So he was my first favorite, along with Frank Robinson.
I'll get you yet, Milt Pappas. You can't hide forever.
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Quote:
I've already posted once on this thread, but I wanted to add that I don't believe you can ever replace the players you rooted for as a kid in your list of favorite players; it is like a first love.
True, since I was a Tiger fan until age 12 my list would change to
Pete
Kaline
Lolich
Freehan
LeFlore
Foster
Davis
Larkin
Dunn
Soto
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
No particular order......
George Foster
Dave Concepcion
Pete Rose
Johnny Bench
Tony Perez
Paul O'Neill
Adam Dunn
Ron Oester
Austin Kearns
Big Klu
I could practically have placed the whole Big Red Machine starting lineup in there, but decided to sprinkle in a few names from the lean years.
Manager - Sparky Anderson
High honorable mention to Chris Sabo, Mario Soto, Tom Browning, Nasty Boys trio, Eric Davis, Bill Doran, and Hal Morris.
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Casey
Larkin
Concepcion
Bench
Dibble
Nolan
Soto
Rose
Perez
Davis
Managers:
Anderson
Piniella
Johnson
Rose
No one else
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Barry Larkin
Eric Davis
Johnny Bench
Mario Soto
Joe Morgan
Ken Griffey Sr.
George Foster
Tom Browning
Jason LaRue
Adam Dunn
I'm sure on the order of the first five, the second five not so much. In fact 6-20 might be running in a dead heat.
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Being I've only been on board since 99..
Adam Dunn
Ken Griffey Jr.
Greg Vaughn
Dimitri Young
Barry Larkin
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Eric Davis
Johnny Bench
Junior Kennedy
Barry Larkin
Pat Pacillo
Mario Soto
Chris Sabo
Steve Christmas
Joe Nolan
Tim Layana
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
:) It's easy to love the star players like Rose, Bench, Perez, and Davis. I have my ten, some I can't explain why, but will always hold a place as Reds whom I really liked for one reason or another...
Doug Flynn : He was very nice to me as a kid whose dad had season tickets in '75 and '76, helping me get every players autograph and giving me one of his bats on the last day of the '76 season. When I met him 28 years later at Reds Baseball Heaven, he was the same class act that he was as a player.
Don Gullett: I was a pitcher and played Knothole baseball in the '70's. He was my favorite player, and I always wore #35.
Bobby Tolan : He had his achilles surgery at the same time I was having my tonsils out at Christ Hospital. My nurse told him there was a kid upstairs who loved the Reds, and Bobby came to my room and talked about the Reds for a half hour with me. He got my address from my dad and sent me an autographed picture. No matter what he did later, I always loved Bobby Tolan.
Hal King : The greatest scrub in Reds history along with Billy Bates.
Others
Doug Bair
Tom "The Blade" Hall
Jack Billingham
Mario Soto
Gary Nolan
Bill Bonham
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Quote:
Originally Posted by KronoRed
Being I've only been on board since 99..
Adam Dunn
Ken Griffey Jr.
Greg Vaughn
Dimitri Young
Barry Larkin
You know, you're right...that one great season Vaughn had with us was special. Also, how could anyone not like a guy like Dimitri? What a character.
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
born in 88
eric davis
chris sabo
adam dunn
sean casey
ryan wagner (same reason as LBB, and i talked with him while he was warming up down in houston last april)
KGJ
jose rijo
paul o'neill
aaron boone
barry larkin-went to a lot of home games at riverfront during the 95 season where he was ripping it up and all i can remember is him getting some sort of RBI at every game i went to lol. you can never go against your first favorite player.
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
Johnny Bench
Joe Morgan
Barry Larkin
Joe Nuxhall
Fred Norman
Tom Hall
Eric Davis
Tom Browning
Jose Rijo
Doug Flynn
Re: Your top 10 Favorite Reds of your lifetime
1. bip roberts
2. eric davis
3. ken griffey jr.
4. barry larkin
5. dmitri young
6. aaron boone
7. austin kearns
8. deion sanders
9. denny neagle
10. brandon claussen
im only 17 so they're all recent