First Reds team in 54 years without a Hall of Famer?

[Mainspark]

I'm not certain what it means - maybe nothing - but it strikes me that the 2009 Reds might be the first Cincinnati squad since 1955 to not include at least one future Hall of Famer.
I'm fully aware that someone on the current roster might live up to their potential and go on to put up Cooperstown-worthy career statistics.
From Frank Robinson's rookie season in '56 (and it became apparent fairly quickly that he was a HOF-caliber player) to Junior's last year as a Red in 2008, there's always been at least one guy, sometimes more, who seemed destined for the Hall.

[Jpup]

I'm not certain what it means - maybe nothing - but it strikes me that the 2009 Reds might be the first Cincinnati squad since 1955 to not include at least one future Hall of Famer.
I'm fully aware that someone on the current roster might live up to their potential and go on to put up Cooperstown-worthy career statistics.
From Frank Robinson's rookie season in '56 (and it became apparent fairly quickly that he was a HOF-caliber player) to Junior's last year as a Red in 2008, there's always been at least one guy, sometimes more, who seemed destined for the Hall.

Jay Bruce.

[mth123]

Maybe were in a time period like the late 60s and early 70s. While its true that those teams had Rose, Perez and later Bench, I don't think it was clear at the time that the Reds had guys with HOF caliber careers in their midst. The 90s were the same way. It wasn't until the late 90s that Barry Larkin's career was hall worthy.

Maybe in 10 years we'll be looking back on the Hall of Fame careers of Willy Taveras, Norris Hopper, Mike Lincoln and Jeff Keppinger.

[red-in-la]

Bench had HOF written all over him by 1970.

[dfs]

Maybe were in a time period like the late 60s and early 70s. While its true that those teams had Rose, Perez and later Bench, I don't think it was clear at the time that the Reds had guys with HOF caliber careers in their midst.

Huh....I think it works the other way around. I think as fans we tend to inflate our opinion of the guys on the field and see potential hall of fame career's where they may not actually be.

There was a brief period in 83-84 after Bench retired but before Rose came back where Concepcion or Parker are the only real links. Doubtfull that either of them end up in. Otherwise the string from Robby to Junior looks pretty good.

[George Anderson]

Huh....I think it works the other way around. I think as fans we tend to inflate our opinion of the guys on the field and see potential hall of fame career's where they may not actually be.

There was a brief period in 83-84 after Bench retired but before Rose came back where Concepcion or Parker are the only real links. Doubtfull that either of them end up in. Otherwise the string from Robby to Junior looks pretty good.

Bench played in 83' and Rose came in 84'.

Also John Franco was on the 84' team. He probally has a better chance than Parker or Concepcion of making the HOF.

[dfs]

Bench played in 83' and Rose came in 84'.

Exactly. There was a period after Bench retired before Rose came where there wasn't an obvious Hall of Famer on the roster.

Also John Franco was on the 84' team. He probally has a better chance than Parker or Concepcion of making the HOF.

Really? You think so? I guess if you consider left handed reliever a position, he could be considered one of the best ever in terms of career value. Without looking I suspect Parker will draw more votes than Concepcion and Franco combined.

[Always Red]

Bench had HOF written all over him by 1970.

Until 1971, the lung scare and the poor season.

But Bench rebounded nicely!

[George Anderson]

Really? You think so? I guess if you consider left handed reliever a position, he could be considered one of the best ever in terms of career value. Without looking I suspect Parker will draw more votes than Concepcion and Franco combined.

I'm not saying Franco should be in but there are other relievers already in who he is an equal to.

Also he played in that all important city of New York. That alone gets ya extra votes.

[Mainspark]

Bench retired at the end of the '83 season, and Rose didn't return until the following August. But Tony Perez signed as a free agent before the '84 season and was on the team all that year.

[dfs]

Bench retired at the end of the '83 season, and Rose didn't return until the following August. But Tony Perez signed as a free agent before the '84 season and was on the team all that year.

Ah....Ok thanks. I missed Tony.

[red-in-la]

Until 1971, the lung scare and the poor season.

But Bench rebounded nicely!

I meant that you could see in a brief 2 seasons that Bench was going to be one of the great ones.

[Mainspark]

Regardless of when it became apparent a specific Reds player was Hall-of-Fame bound, this franchise between 1956 and 2008 had at least one future Hall of Famer on its in-season roster at all times, with the logical assumption that Barry and Junior eventually get in.
To take it a step further, and into a "what if" element, had Pete been able to keep his demons in check (or hidden) a few years longer, and if Barry makes it in on the first ballot, the franchise would have gone through the same 53-season period with at least one first-ballot Hall of Famer on its roster, save for the brief interruption between Bench's 1983 retirement and Rose's return the following August.
Whether any other franchise has staged such a long string of first-ballot Hall of Famers, I don't know. The Yankees would be a logical guess, but then again Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra, incredible as it seems, didn't get in on the first ballot.

[Always Red]

I meant that you could see in a brief 2 seasons that Bench was going to be one of the great ones.

I know. But lots of guys start out great and then for one reason or another cannot put it all together. Bench shook off the lung scare (I think he had an open biopsy prior to the 1971 season) and a terrible 1971 season to rebound and eventually gain the HoF.

Anyone could also see that Eric Davis was just as talented a player as Johnny Bench, maybe even more so. In the beginning. My point being that you can't just assume anything.

[blumj]

If you think about it, all of a week ago, there weren't too many bigger 1st ballot locks than Alex Rodriguez.