Thanks to my beloved Cincinnati Reds and their perpetually inept management, I have free time during the summer evenings for the first time in years. As a lifelong Reds’ fan, I’ve only been alive for one truly good year (the 1990 World Series sweep of the A’s) and a few mediocre, but at least competitive, years (the last being 1999). During those years, I’ve spent countless hours watching, listening, and even updating the Yahoo! Sports scores page with Reds box scores and highlights. Despite the consistent, annual crappiness of the Reds, I remained a staunch supporter…until last week.
Now, I haven’t bailed on my team entirely. I didn’t throw out my 18 or so different Reds hats in favor of the Red Sox, Yankees, or even the Rays. I didn’t trash my baseball card collection nor did I redo my Sporting News and Blogger screen name. I did, however, give up on the 2008 season.
First, the Reds traded away Ken Griffey Jr. As a realist, I didn’t have a problem with that move at all. Sure, it meant the Reds wouldn’t have a (sure) future Hall of Famer on their team anymore, but it did mean they’d have a right fielder that could run to the ball. I’ve also always liked Griffey, and I hope he gets one last shot at the playoffs with the White Sox. With the trade, the Reds got a little younger in the outfield (but no better hitting, Patterson is a joke). The Reds also lost most of their “star power”…which meant there were few reasons to watch the basement team…mostly just Edinson Volquez (who’s been struggling a bit since the All-Star break) and Adam Dunn…
All of which leads me to the reason I gave up on the 2008 Reds, Mr. Adam Dunn. The Reds traded away their only legitimate remaining power hitter for a damaged minor league pitcher and a couple of players to be named later. That’s right; the Reds traded their BEST player for what are essentially 3 low-ceiling minor leaguers. If that’s all the best player on the Reds’ team can net them, then the Reds can’t possibly be worth watching…
Now, some say that Dunn didn’t care about baseball. Some claimed he was lazy. Some said all sorts of nasty things about Dunn…but the truth is that Dunn played almost every single game for 7 solid seasons. He was the model of consistency, 40 homers, 100 walks, 100 strikeouts year in and year out. He consistently improved his defense (though to be fair he probably could only go up in that category). In short, Dunn did everything a person should have expected a ballplayer to do…but the Cincinnati media (especially) never mentioned that.
So I say to the Cincinnati Reds, and especially to front office, you’ve lost one of your most rabid fans for the season. With the money freed up this off season, I expect some major improvements or you run the risk of losing me for good, and I’m sure I’m not alone.
PS: I hear the Pittsburgh Pirates are on the rise (they are ahead of the Reds in the standings after all) and they are a lot closer to me geographically…maybe I can become fanofpirates instead.
The Bucs got much much better at the trading deadline...sorry to learn of the departure of Adam Dunn, but losing Griffey? Long term, it will be better....
ReplyDeleteHopefully they can turn things around. It's a shame the Reds, Royals, and Pirates are mired in mediocrity.
ReplyDeleteRed Sox Nation is always open to new members...then you will only have to add an "ox" to the end of your name.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, the Dunn giveaway would be enough to throw me over the edge as well, and if it were me I would have probably given up on them entirely after that move.
I've been rooting for the Pirates to be competitive for a while- I'm still a Braves fan, but you always want the perennial losers to taste the good life once in a while!
ReplyDeleteReds' management has really screwed up this year, I must agree.