With the acquisition of pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres, the Cincinnati Reds have made it as clear as a crisp post-season October sky; they plan to compete in 2012.

Great American Ballpark – Home of the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Game
2009

The Reds began 2011 with a bang and fans were excited to enjoy a successful season. However the team faltered, in large part due to inconsistent starting pitchers, and the team eventually slipped slowly but surely out of contention. Granted the Reds are in a tough division as they battled regularly against the two teams that eventually made it to the National League Championship game in 2011 – the Milwaukee Brewers and St Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals, of course, went on to win the World Series.

However the days of Marge Schott are gone, and Reds management no longer favors players based on their lack of facial hair, nor do they rely on the fur from a dearly demised saint bernard for good luck. Reds general manager Walt Jocketty knows what needs require attention and controlling owner Bob Castellini is willing to do what it takes put together a winning team.

Mat Latos is a young, powerful addition to the Reds where they need it most – starting pitching. In 2011 Johnny Cueto (9-5, 2.31 ERA), Mike Leake (12-8, 3.86 ERA) and Homer Bailey (9-7, 4.43 ERA) were the only Reds starters with winning records. Veteran Bronson Arroyo was iffy at best, finishing the season at 9-12. Latos went 9-14 for the Padres in 2011 , but that was without the strength of a stellar offense he will have backing him up as he pitches for the Reds. Latos ERA was 3.47, and he held opponents to a batting average of .233; he is only 24 and the Reds clearly anticipate long term success from him.

In exchange for Latos, the Reds gave up pitcher Edinson Volquez who ended 2010 with a less than impressive record of 5-7 and 5.71 ERA. They also lost Yonder Alonso, who was ranked as the Reds number two prospect; yet Alonso was unable to reach his full potential at first base with Joey Votto firmly entrenched in the starting lineup. Other top prospects were included in the trade as well, but the Reds aren’t overly focused future potential, they are about winning in the here and now.

Walt Jocketty told reporters, “Our offseason objective was to try to upgrade our rotation and add a top-of-the-rotation starter.” Though only time will tell, Lato does indeed seem to fulfill this objective, and if nothing else it is clear the Reds are taking the steps they find necessary to succeed moving forward. It’s hard for any fan to take issue with that.

Lisa has been a fan of the Cincinnati Reds since her family moved to Cincinnati when she was in elementary school. Her favorite player is the great Barry Larkin and she looks forward to him receiving his just rewards and being inducted in the Hall of Fame. Lisa was away at college when the Reds won the World Series in 1990 and forever regrets not being in town to celebrate appropriately. She longs for the day when her Reds win it all again.

Cash Kruth, “Cincinnati Reds land Mat Latos in five-player deal with San Diego Padres,” reds.com

Player Stats, reds.com

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(Christian Petersen – GETTY IMAGES)
Jim Riggleman will manage again next season, just not in the major leagues. In his first on-field position since he suddenly resigned as Nationals manager last June, Riggleman will return to the dugout in 2012 to manage the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Class AA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, a person close to the situation said.

Riggleman will restart his career following one of the most unusual endings to a managerial tenure in recent memory. Riggleman abruptly resigned as Nationals manager over his contract situation in June, minutes after the Nationals sealed a walk-off victory that gave them 11 wins in 12 games, their best stretch since 2005.

Over the final half of the 2011 season, Riggleman scouted the National League East for the San Francisco, who kept an offer on the table for him to continue scouting. The Giants also allowed Riggleman to look for an on-field position, which led him to the Reds.

Riggleman previously worked for Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty, when Jocketty ran the St. Louis Cardinals and Riggleman served as the team’s minor league field coordinator. The Reds had been shuffling their minor league staff, and Riggleman was open to any position that would allow to get back into a uniform, even in the minors.

The Nationals went 140-172 under Riggleman from the all-star break in 2009 to this year, an unsightly record that nevertheless included steady progress. The Nationals improved by 10 wins from 2009 to 2010, and they were 38-37 when he resigned in June.

The Nationals may build on their momentum and challenge for a playoff spot this season. Their old manager, with 11 major league seasons of experience, will be watching from the Southern League.

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Three-time All-Star Sean Casey, Big Red Machine infielder Dan Driessen and 19th century first baseman John Reilly will be the next three players inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

Casey was selected by the fans through the Modern Player Ballot presented by Cincyfavorites.com. The Veterans Committee selected Driessen and Reilly to make up the Reds Hall of Fame Class of 2012.

The trio will be honored June 22-24 during Reds Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, which will include on-field ceremonies at Great American Ball Park, the star-studded Hall of Fame Induction Gala and a variety of festivities at the Hall, including meet and greets with Reds Hall of Famers and alumni.

One of the most popular players to ever wear a Reds uniform, Casey came to be known as “The Mayor” during his eight-year Reds career.

A versatile infielder of the Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s, Dreissen played 12 seasons for the Reds from 1973 to 1984.

A Cincinnati-native and dominant first baseman in the 1880’s, Reilly wore a Reds uniform for his nine-season Major League career and held Reds records for most singles, double, triples, home runs, runs scored, RBI and games played.

Casey was the top vote-getter of the thousands of ballots cast online at RedsMuseum.org, at Great American Ball Park and at participating Skyline Chili and Montgomery Inn locations.

Driessen and Reilly were selected by the Reds Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee, comprised of members of the media, Hall of Famers, historians and Hall of Fame executives.
“Since 1958, the fans have played an integral part in the Hall of Fame election process, and this year was no exception as record participation resulted,” said Reds Hall of Fame Executive Director Rick Walls. “I’d like to thank Cincyfavorites.com, the thousands of fans that voted, and the Veterans Committee for recognizing the contributions of these players.”

The addition of Casey, Driessen and Reilly will bring the Hall’s membership ranks to 75 players, three managers, and three executives.

Sean Casey (First Baseman, 1998-2005)
One of the most popular players to ever wear a Reds uniform, first baseman Sean Casey came to be known as “The Mayor” during his eight-year Reds career. Acquired by the Reds on the eve of Opening Day in 1998, Casey overcame a serious eye injury and established himself as the club’s starting first baseman and would remain in that position for the next seven seasons. A lifetime .305 hitter as a Red, Casey eclipsed the .300 mark five times during his Reds career, posting a career-best .332 average in 1999. Casey was one of the offensive forces of the 1999 Reds, a club that won 96 games and fell just one win short of securing a playoff berth. For the 1999 season, Casey led the Reds in batting average, hits, doubles, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. During his Reds career, Casey ranked in the league’s top ten in batting average three times and was the Reds batting average leader in six of his seven seasons as a starter. Only twelve players in Reds history posted higher career batting averages than Casey’s .305 mark. A three-time National League All-Star, Casey was also the 1999 winner of Major League Baseball’s Hutch Award, was twice the recipient of the Reds’ Joe Nuxhall Good Guy Award and was the 2004 winner of the Reds’ Most Valuable Player Award.

Dan Driessen (First Baseman/Third Baseman, 1973-1984)
A versatile member of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s, Dan Driessen was signed by the Reds as an 18-year-old, undrafted free agent in 1969. In his Major League debut season of 1973, Driessen’s .301 average helped propel the Reds to the Western Division title and earned him a third place finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Over the next three seasons, Driessen excelled at multiple positions for Reds teams that averaged over 100 victories a season and won back-to-back World Championships in 1975 and 1976. In the 1976 World Series, Driessen became the first designated hitter in National League history and hit .357 in the Reds sweep of the Yankees. In 1977, Driessen became the Reds everyday first baseman and enjoyed his finest offensive season, batting .300 with 17 home runs, 91 RBI and 31 stolen bases. One of the finest defensive first basemen of his era, Driessen led the National League in fielding percentage three times and shares the Reds all-time single season record for fielding percentage at the position. A member of the Reds from 1973 to 1984, only eight players in history have appeared in more games as a Red than Driessen.

John Reilly (First Baseman, 1883-1891)
The Reds starting first baseman from 1883 to 1891, John Reilly was the club’s leading hitter for most of the 1880’s and paced the club in home runs, RBI and batting average with a .301 mark. At 6’3”, Reilly was tall for his era, earning him the moniker “Long John” years before he played his first professional game. A Cincinnati native, Reilly wore a Reds uniform for his nine-season Major League career. Reilly held single-season Reds records in numerous offensive categories including most doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and slugging percentage at multiple points in his career. When he retired after the 1891 season, Reilly held Reds records for most singles, double, triples, home runs, runs scored, RBI and games played. While all of these records have since been broken, Reilly remains one of only four players in Reds history to lead the league in home runs twice. Reilly died in Cincinnati on May 31, 1937 at the age of 78.

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By Marc Katz,

Staff Writer

Updated 11:42 AM Wednesday, November 2, 2011

DAYTON — Frank Robinson works out more at age 76 than he did during his hall-of-fame baseball career, which was marked with many significant milestones.

Robinson was the first black manager in the big leagues, the only player to win the MVP award in both leagues, a Triple Crown winner and the centerpiece in arguably the worst trade in Cincinnati Reds history.

He’ll talk about all of that and more Saturday night during the Schear Family Heart In Sports Community Conversation with hall-of-fame baseball writer Hal McCoy at the Dayton Marriott.

Two recent bouts with a racing heart beat made Robinson a good subject for the Heart In Sports talk, but the guy who slugged 586 career home runs (ninth all-time) while hitting .294 over 21 seasons claimed he did it all with little offseason exercise.

“When I was younger, they had different measurements for you to get in shape,” Robinson said this week from his Los Angeles-area home.

“We didn’t have a lot of offseason training. As a matter of fact, we just kind of took it easy, or we worked (at other jobs) during the off-season. We went to spring training to get in shape.”

Robinson, now an adviser to baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, certainly was in shape in 1956 as a 20-year-old rookie when he hit .290 with 38 homers and 83 RBIs. He led the National League with 122 runs scored.

“I never gave it any thought about longevity in baseball until I was in it for about 10 years,” Robinson said. “My thinking was just try to get five years in. After that, I said, ‘Well, why not 10?’ After that, why not 20? You had to get 20 years in to be fully invested in the pension plan at that time.”

At one point, he thought he’d be with the Reds for life, but on Dec. 9, 1965, he was traded to Baltimore for pitchers Jack Baldschun and Milt Pappas plus outfielder Dick Simpson. Reds owner Bill DeWitt, trying to justify himself, uttered Robinson was “an old 30,” even though he was coming off a season of 33 homers, 113 RBIs and a .296 batting average.

The old guy hit .316 with the Orioles, adding 49 home runs and 122 RBIs to capture the American League’s Triple Crown. He won the league MVP award and helped Baltimore to a world championship.

Robinson wasn’t so old, and he still didn’t work out in the offseason the way today’s players do.

“I don’t know if that’s good or bad,” he said.

“Players today work in-season, they work offseason. I did a little more when I got to be about 30, but I didn’t do any real weight training at any time. I was pretty well developed as far as my muscles were concerned.

“What I should have done, and I know now, I should have done more stretching. I’m doing a lot more stretching now and I’m doing things with my body I couldn’t do even when I was younger.”

As for the trade, Robinson surmises he might have gained a reputation as a troublemaker. As an elder on the team, he became a spokesman and said he would cover for teammates by telling management any complaints were his.

Otherwise, he was quiet and was overshadowed in the National League by contemporaries Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente.

“Yeah, I’m with those guys,” he said. “But I’m always mentioned fourth. That’s OK. Team goals were more important to me.”

Obtained by the Indians in 1974, Robinson was surprised to be offered a job as player-manager the next season. He wanted to decline, but his agent let him know how important it was to break that color barrier.

The move cost him a chance at 3,000 hits and 600 home runs.

“I didn’t play much as a manager,” said Robinson, who last managed in 2006 (Nationals). “Even today, I don’t regret it. If I hadn’t managed, I would have made it to 3,000 and 600, but that’s OK.”

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Qualifier: players will be classified under one position even if they played at more than one.

Johnny Bench:

Legendary Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench led the “Big Red Machine” to their brilliant run of success in the 1970s. A career member of the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, Bench was a two-time National League MVP, 14-time All-Star, ten-time Gold Glove winner, two-time World Series Champion and a World Series MVP. Bench owns the Reds’ all-time home run record with 389 round-trippers. He ranks second in franchise history in wins above replacement with a 71.3 WAR and he is one of five Reds with 2,000 hits.

Ernie Lombardi:

Hall of Fame catcher Ernie Lombardi played ten seasons with the Reds from 1932 to 1941. Lombardi was an outstanding pure hitter who won two batting titles and went to seven All-Star Games. Over 1,203 games with the Reds, he maintained a 126 OPS+ (league average is 100) with a .311 average, .359 on-base percentage and .469 slugging percentage. Lombardi put together his career year in 1938 when he led the National League with a .342 average, posted a .915 OPS, hit 19 home runs and drove in 95 RBI to win the NL MVP award. He helped the Reds reach back-to-back World Series in 1939 and 1940, winning a championship in the latter year.

Bubbles Hargrave:

Former batting champion Bubbles Hargrave served as Cincinnati’s catcher of the 1920s. Hargrave was an excellent hitter independent of position; factoring in that he played at a defensive-first spot makes his performance all the more impressive. He sported a .310 average, .377 OBP and 122 OPS+ in 766 games in Cincinnati. Hargrave peaked in 1926 when he won a batting title with a .353 average and slugged a career-best .525. His bat was worth 17.8 WAR over eight years with the Reds.

Ed Bailey:

Five-time All-Star backstop Ed Bailey spent the 1950s behind the plate in Cincinnati. Bailey played 100 games for the first time in 1956 and he responded by batting .300 with a .385 OBP, 28 home runs and 142 OPS+ to warrant his first All-Star nod. He maintained a .359 OBP and 109 OPS+ over 714 games with Cincinnati. As a Red, he threw out 45 percent of base-stealers overall, leading the league in the category once in 1957.

Johnny Edwards:

Three-time All-Star Johnny Edwards played seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 1961 to 1967. In the first-half of the 1960s, Edwards was a league-average offensive player and a winner of multiple Gold Gloves for his work behind the plate. In his four seasons as the full-time starter from 1962 to 1965, Edwards posted a .265 average and .102 OPS+ while averaging 11 home runs and 56 RBI per year.

Honorable mentions: Heinie Peitz, Tommy Clarke, Ray Mueller, Ivey Wingo, Larry McLean, Farmer Vaughn and Pop Snyder.

Sources:

Cincinnati Reds Team History & Encyclopedia, Baseball-Reference.com

More from this contributor:

Chicago White Sox top five catchers

Chicago Cubs top five catchers

Boston Red Sox top five catchers

Baltimore Orioles top five catchers

Atlanta Braves top five catchers

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Published: Oct. 31, 2011 at 6:52 PM

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© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Updated 12:10 AM Wednesday, August 24, 2011

MIAMI — Yonder Alonso homered and drove in four runs, including a tiebreaking
double in the ninth inning that sent the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-6 victory
over the fading Florida Marlins on Tuesday night.

Dave Sappelt tied the game at 6 with a two-run double and the Reds scored four
times in the ninth off closer Leo Nunez (1-4), who blew his sixth save in 39
chances. They were the first career RBIs for Sappelt, who had three hits.

Jay Bruce hit his 27th home run for the Reds. Emilio Bonifacio homered and
drove in three for the Marlins, who have lost six in a row. They are 2-16 in
their last 18 games.

With the Reds trailing 6-4 going into the ninth, Joey Votto walked and Brandon
Phillips singled. Sappelt then laced a double to left field, scoring both
runners. Three batters later, Alonso lined a two-run double to center.

Alonso, who attended high school and college in Miami, had more than 200
friends and family members in attendance to see him go 3 for 4 while making
his first start of the season at first base. He hit a solo homer, his
second, in the second inning and had an RBI single in the third.

Aroldis Chapman (3-1) picked up the win, striking out the only batter he
faced. Francisco Cordero pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 27th save in
32 chances.

Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco struck out eight to move past Dontrelle Willis,
now pitching for the Reds, to become the club’s career strikeout leader with
765.

Nolasco allowed four runs and nine hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto yielded three runs in five innings and issued a
season-high six walks.

NOTES: Nolasco has 127 strikeouts this season. … Bonifacio’s only other
multi-RBI game came against the Reds on May 1 when he also drove in three.
… Cordero recorded his 200th save in the National League. … Willis, who
played five seasons with the Marlins (2003-07), received a generous ovation
from the crowd when he was chosen to change the Sun Life Stadium game
countdown after the fifth inning. The Marlins have 14 games remaining at Sun
Life before moving to the new Marlins Ballpark next season. … The teams
will play a doubleheader on Wednesday in attempt to avoid potential
inclement weather due to Hurricane Irene. Homer Bailey and Bronson Arroyo
will pitch for the Reds and the Marlins will counter with Javier Vazquez and
Chris Volstad. Bailey is 4-1 in his last five decisions and Arroyo will be
looking for his first career win against the Marlins. He’s 0-3 in 10 games,
seven starts. For the Marlins, Vazquez is 4-1 against the Reds since 2003
and Volstad is 0-2 with a 6.55 ERA in two starts since being recalled from
Triple-A New Orleans.

Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.

Published: Aug. 20, 2011 at 12:10 AM

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(Sports Network) – Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann makes his first career start
against the Cincinnati Reds tonight, when the Washington Nationals play the
rubber match of a three-game series.

Washington won Tuesday’s opener at Nationals Park but saw the visitors pull
even Wednesday after Johnny Cueto dazzled in eight-plus innings to guide the
Reds past the Nationals, 2-1.

Cueto (9-5) gave up one run — a ninth inning homer to Ryan Zimmerman — while
scattering six hits and fanning five.

The Dominican entered the game with a 1.94 earned run average, but was 1 2/3
innings shy of the minimum amount to qualify for the National League’s ERA
lead. After the win, his ERA was trimmed to a league-best 1.89.

Joey Votto homered and Ramon Hernandez drove in a run for Cincinnati, which
has won five of its last seven contests.

Zimmerman had two hits and Rick Ankiel added a pair of singles for the Nats,
who have lost four times in their last six games.

Ross Detwiler (1-3) was pegged with the loss after giving up a run on seven
hits in six innings.

A third-year big-leaguer, Zimmerman has made 46 starts before facing the Reds,
including a 4-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in his last outing,
where he gave up four runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.

His last win came six days earlier in Denver, where he surrendered two runs on
four hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 5-3 defeat of the Colorado Rockies.

The 25-year-old Wisconsin native is 3-5 in 10 home assignments this season and
tossed seven scoreless innings in his last Washington appearance on July 31
while getting a no-decision against the New York Mets.

The Nationals won that game, 3-2, and are 6-4 in his last 10 starts.

For Cincinnati, veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo tries yet again for his
first win since June 25.

The Key West native won a 10-5 interleague decision at Baltimore to improve to
7-6 on the season, but has since gone 0-3 in eight starts while his earned run
average has swelled from 5.01 to a more disturbing 5.31.

The Reds are 3-5 in those eight starts, including a 5-3 win over San Diego on
Aug. 12 in which Arroyo got a no-decision for allowing an earned run six hits
in six innings.

He is 3-2 lifetime against the Nationals in eight meetings with a 4.10 ERA
across 48 1/3 innings.

Arroyo debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in June 2000, when Zimmermann was
14 years old.

The Sports Network

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