Greatest Hype Greatest Letdown All Time Reds Team

[RedlegJake]

Sort of like the All Futility team with a twist - the guys who were supposed to be gre-e-e-at and wound up busting completely. The only requirement for inclusion is they actually made it to the big league squad - with huge hype - and then busted. I have four to start the team. I didn't add Homer because he still has time and it wouldn't be fair to him.

1B - Willie Greene (only because Larson is at third)
3B - Brandon Larson
SP - Brandon Claussen
SS - Kurt Stilwell (traded to Royals instead of Larkin, many thought the Reds traded the wrong guy)

[Cedric]

Eddie Milner, Kal Daniels

[westofyou]

Paul Householder - Dick Wagner claimed he was the most talented player he had ever seen in the minors.

Bruce Beryni - On and Off wild as they came

Jeff Jones - My first lesson on old players at low levels of the minors

Mo Sanford - After that first game I was thinking wow...

[dougdirt]

Brandon Claussen is on the all time let down team? I never realized his potential was looked at as that high? The guy was never a big time prospect and even when he was a Yankees top prospect their farm sucked and he then had shoulder surgery which sapped him of some of his velocity and stuff. We got him 2 years after that.....

[jojo]

I wonder if the name which we shall not speak any longer will make this list....

[VR]

I realize your intent is for farm system guys, but that's a pretty shallow list for the Reds organization over the last 30 years.

As far as letdowns go....I thought John Denny, one year removed from the Cy Young award, would get the '86 team over the hump.

[RedlegJake]

Not only farm guys - any player traded here with great hype and hoopla that he was going to be great and then totally failed - not Junior, his hype was high but he did give some good moments - so lets dispense with him; however - Cesar Cedeno comes to mind. Denny is a good one, too.

[osuceltic]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Paul Householder - Dick Wagner claimed he was the most talented player he had ever seen in the minors.

Bruce Beryni - On and Off wild as they came

Jeff Jones - My first lesson on old players at low levels of the minors

Mo Sanford - After that first game I was thinking wow...

Householder is the first name that came to mind. And you're right about that first Mo Sanford game. Against the Padres, if I'm remembering correctly. I thought the same thing ... wow ...

[RedlegJake]

Woody Fryman is a good one, too - although his hype was mostly Wagner trying to explain the Perez trade.

Householder - oh yes! I remember all the hype - even the announcers carried on when he'd make a good play "Oh my gracious what an arm, what speed, great hustle on that one, what power!" Then they noticed the call for those kind of blurbs were getting further and further between.

And Jeff Jones. I got the same lesson. What 40 homers for Cedar Rapids was it? The then AA farm club? So they promoted him straight to the big league team.

[westofyou]

Woody Fryman is a good one, too - although his hype was mostly Wagner trying to explain the Perez trade.

Not really, the Tigers obtained him in 1972 and he helped them immensely in winning the AL East, he was a stud for them.

YEAR TEAM         AGE W   L   PCT   G    GS  CG  SV  GF  IP     H    R    ER   BB   SO    ERA  RSAA
1972 Tigers       32  10   3  .769   16  14   6   0   0  113.2   93   31   26   31   72   2.06   18 
     TOTALS           10   3  .769   16  14   6   0   0  113.2   93   31   26   31   72   2.06   18

The Reds had also just lost Gullett so they needed a LH pitcher pretty bad.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by RedlegJake

further and further between.

And Jeff Jones. I got the same lesson. What 40 homers for Cedar Rapids was it? The then AA farm club? So they promoted him straight to the big league team.

Age 24 in A ball 1982, Cedar Rapids .301 BA 42 HR's/26 2bs/22 steals 91 BB/151 K's, started opening day 1983 for the Reds

[ochre]

[klw]

Does Austin Kearns deserve to be listed? Householder is the name that leapt to mind for me.

[Chip R]

Does Jr. make the list? When he was traded here he was expected to be the all World CFer and lead the Reds to many championships but he never lived up to the hype. Of course it was going to be pretty tough to do that.

[RichRed]

Gary Redus. A ridiculous 1.346 OPS in Rookie ball and a 1.004 OPS in his lone AAA season. Was supposed to be Eric Davis before Eric Davis came along. Didn't quite work out that way.