Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Reds

 

It feels so hypocritical for me to say this, because on one hand, the expanded playoffs has led to so many things I'm dissatisfied with, but on the other hand, it seems unfair that there wasn't room in the playoffs for the Cincinnati Reds this year. What a fun team these guys were, and they got insanely close.

Ultimately, what did them in was a rotation that could not stay healthy, with Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Vladimir Gutierrez and Connor Overton all being out of commission at some point, and the replacement guys like Luke Weaver and Ben Lively only doing so much for them. What ruled this season for Cincinnati was the rookies, the guys who came up and helped carry the team, especially in the second half.  The fans will remember this season for bringing them Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Elly de la Cruz and Andrew Abbott at once, just to name the ones I already did customs of.

And the thing about this team having so many cool players without making the postseason is that I barely made customs of this team. So I have a ton left over for Uncustomed Heroes.

Case in point: I didn't even do a Tyler Stephenson this season, and it's honestly because after missing a lot of 2022 with an injury, he was still just...kinda off this year. Both defensively and offensively he was a few steps back from his strong 2021. Despite playing 142 games thanks to the Reds using him at DH on his off days behind the plate, he only hit .243, a career low, with 56 RBIs and 13 homers, ironically both career highs. It just feels like Stephenson was stuck in second gear for a lot of the year, and hopefully 2024 is an improvement. 

2024 Prediction: An improvement, but I think the Reds are gonna consider moving Stephenson out of the backstop position. 

Nick Senzel is one of the last remaining pieces of the burgeoning late-2010s teams, and I feel like Senzel just kept narrowly avoiding his potential. Literally every season of his Reds career, Senzel has either been blocked at a primary position or underwhelming at the plate. Or, alternatively, he's injured for most of it. Senzel played 104 games this season, and he hit .236 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs, which are both career highs, but with injuries, regime changes and general inefficiency, it was impossible for Senzel to really factor into the Reds' plans this season. Senzel finished the year with a respectable WAR total...of 0.0. Which is 0.1 lower than his season mark. 

2024 Prediction: The Nationals have signed a third base prospect from the late 2010s who kept hanging around an organization without being healthy or imperative to the team? Him and Carter Kieboom are gonna fight to the death!

Graham Ashcraft made the most starting appearances for the Reds this season, and he did it while still fighting injuries sustained during the 2022 season that would lead to a different injury that would end his 2023 season and make his 2024 debut questionable. That...sums up a lot about the Reds' season. That said, Ashcraft still did a lot for the Reds, with 26 games, a 7-9 record, a 4.76 ERA and 111 Ks. This still gave him a 2.4 WAR, making him the team's most valuable pitcher. 

2024 Prediction: Finally produces some peak mastery in the middle months of the season, and helps legitimize the Reds.

The Reds' bullpen had a lot of really cool pieces this year. One of them was former Rangers farmhand Ian Gibaut, who, fun fact, was part of the World Baseball Classic's Great Britain squad, a team whose uniforms and hats must have been made on a 20 dollar budget. Gibaut appeared in 74 games for the Reds, and went 8-4 with a 3.33 ERA and 69 Ks. Gibaut was the Reds' most valuable reliever this season, and it's hopefully a precursor to a solid MLB career.

2024 Prediction: Lower ERA, less innings, but more eyes will be upon him.

Before the Reds went to Andrew Abbott on their minor league depth chart, they chose Brandon Williamson, a 25-year old rookie who got 23 starts in for the Reds, and in a year where they kept trying so many minor league pitchers, it's nice that one of 'em stuck around. Williamson had a season that got better as it went on, as his ERA evened out to a 4.46 with 98 Ks. I think he would have had a smoother ramp up to the majors had everybody not gotten hurt, but he did well enough for himself overall.

2024 Prediction: The rotation going into 2024 seems to be Greene-Lodolo-Abbott-Ashcraft, and Williamson is up for that last spot against Connor Overton. Will he have the spring to get that last spot? Uh...honestly, I think he'll be called upon for it rather than get it out of camp.

The Reds' sharpest trade deadline move was actually getting Sam Moll from Oakland, as he was one of their best bullpen performers in the second half. Moll had 25 games in Cincinnati and only gave up 2 earned runs, with 22 Ks and a 0.973 WHIP. In a year where a lot of smart trade deadline moves didn't entirely pan out, Moll did everything he was acquired to do.

2024 Prediction: Becomes the Reds' top bullpen piece and continues his excellent work.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand was a big prospect that was brought up as an offensive addition, even if there wasn't an open position for him yet. Spencer Steer and Joey Votto both were covering first, so it was really only the DH position that CES could land at, and given that limited option, he did alright for himself as a power bat. In 63 games he hit .270 with 13 home runs and 37 RBIs, a nice boost in the stretch run for the Reds.

2024 Prediction: Either in an infield position or just the DH, the Reds will try to make sure CES can play every day, and it will work out for them.

 

Meanwhile, Noelvi Marte, another huge organizational piece for the Reds, got a late August call-up and filled in at 3rd for a lot of September. He impressed in that time, hitting .316 with 36 hits, 15 RBIs and 6 steals in 35 games. Perhaps this may be why the Reds felt they didn't need Senzel going forward- between McLain, Steer, India, Marte and de la Cruz, they kind of have their infield figured out for the next few years.

2024 Prediction: The Reds will go with Marte as the starting 3rd baseman [I also think they're gonna try to move Jonathan India], and he'll be in the top 3 of Rookie of the Year voting.

The Reds took advantage of a few waiver deals late in the year, and even if neither went especially well, I figured they'd both be cool to talk about. The Yankees parted ways with Harrison Bader after some spotty numbers for them, and the Reds gave him a shot in the outfield. In 14 games, Bader hit .161 with 5 hits, 3 RBIs and 3 steals. And then he was cut again.

2024 Prediction: Someone will give Bader a shot, but will he ever produce a full season of strong work rather than just a month or so of it?

And then they grabbed Hunter Renfroe from LA, after a decent enough year there. Renfroe also got 14 games in Cincinnati, mostly as a DH, and he hit .128 with 5 hits, 4 RBIs and a home run. Renfroe was also cut after this, meaning this gambit did not work at all for the Reds.

2024 Prediction: He'll be a lot better off with the Royals. Considering that he's played for 6 teams since 2019, something tells me he won't need the second year of the contract.

I think it's a safe bet to say that Joey Votto has played his last game as a Red. After 16 years, over 2000 hits, an MVP and some Hall of Fame votes waiting to happen, the Reds aren't likely to pick up Votto for another season. It's for the best reason, honestly- the Reds have so many great young pieces to lead the team that they don't have room, or much use, for Votto right now. Votto only played 65 games this year, and he only hit .202 with 42 hits, 38 RBIs and 14 homers, which is still no slouch. The Reds owe so much to Joey Votto for making them fun over the last decade and a half, and he'll certainly be welcome there after he's done playing.

2024 Prediction: Yeah, I don't think he's done. As weird as it would look, I think he suits up for someone else in a DH role, knocks some of his last-ever career homers, and finishes his career his way. 

Coming Tomorrow- I don't usually do a post on Christmas, so Tuesday the next one will go up. That post is on a team that didn't have much of a chance but still had some intriguing storylines pop up.

Call to the Hall: 2022 Edition

 I've ended up doing a post like this every three years, so I thought it was high time for another one.

This weekend is Hall of Fame induction weekend, and you'll see people like David Ortiz, Tony Oliva and, begrudgingly, Jim Kaat get inducted into Cooperstown, and it'll be a wonderful celebration of baseball's best [and also Jim Kaat]. I'm always thinking about which players are the next to be selected to be enshrined at the Hall, and which players have the best cases as the crow flies. It's a very subjective process, but one that doesn't exactly have wrong answers.

So, since it's been three years since I last did this, I'm gonna go down all 30 teams and pick out the player with the strongest HOF case out of everyone. Some of these teams have easy candidates. Some...do not. 

ANGELS: Mike Trout. There, folks, is an easy one. I think it's a little easier because Trout is having such a great season, and seeming to outdo the Ken Griffey comparisons by performing into his second decade, but with everything he accomplished in his 20s, this was a foregone conclusion.

ASTROS: Still Justin Verlander. Doing what he's doing at 40 is just icing on the cake, but the guy's had a hell of a career and he's still in peak form.

ATHLETICS: Elvis Andrus. There's not a ton of competition, but Andrus has been in the league since he was 20 years old, and has been a consistent defensive shortstop for some great teams. I don't think he's going to have much of an actual HOF case, but he's the best of a very young A's team.

BLUE JAYS: In a very young team, I'm going with George Springer, who was a standout for those excellent Astros teams, and is now a sharp point of leadership in Toronto. It remains to be seen if the rest of his career will match up, though.

BRAVES: This one very quickly became a race between Robinson Cano, Kenley Jansen and Charlie Morton. I ruled out Morton due to his first decade or so in the league being a bit uneventful [til he gets to Houston things are quiet], and then it was Cano and Jansen. The obvious edge should go to Cano for his excellent hitting 2B numbers, rivaling Jeff Kent...but there's also the HGH charges, the career drop-off, and the limping he's been doing lately. Meanwhile, Kenley Jansen has been a consistent closer for his entire career, has a World Series ring and will likely break 400 saves before his career is out. Therefore, I am giving it to Jansen.

BREWERS: Andrew McCutchen narrowly beats out Christian Yelich for having slightly less of a career drop-off post-MVP. Yelich's was a bit steeper, while Cutch has mellowed into a solid back-lineup bat that can get the job done if need be. Also, Cutch was an asset for so many different competitive teams. I want Yelich to outdo Cutch so badly, but I'm not sure if he will.

CARDINALS: ...I don't even know if I should fill this one. It's kind of a dick move to assume that only one member of this team is going to the Hall of Fame, isn't it? So okay, you limit yourself to three, you have Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. But then you leave out Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, both of whom have excellent HOF cases even now. There are FIVE viable answers for this category. And I don't think any of them are wrong. Ultimately, I think Waino has the weakest case of these five, but he's probably still gonna get in. Maybe not first ballot, but I think he's got a good shot. The other four, I think, are definites. Unless Arenado really screws the pooch. 

CUBS: Am I really gonna say that Willson Contreras has lapped Jason Heyward in his full-career trajectory for this spot? I think I am. Mostly because I'm not sure if I'll be able to put Contreras here in a week and a half. 

DIAMONDBACKS: Madison Bumgarner, ultimately. I don't think the last 5 or so years have done him any favors, but he still has more of a case than a lot of these guys. I hope that Marte and Gallen can have strong full career stats, but until then, it's gotta be MadBum.

DODGERS: Clayton Kershaw, obviously. Like the Cardinals, maybe it's a disservice to say there's only one, cause Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel have great cases, but...I mean, Kershaw's an absolute legend, and he's still serving some pretty peak-Kershaw stuff.

GIANTS: Evan Longoria. I honestly wonder what the hell the sportswriters are going to make of his Hall of Fame case when he retires. Incredible player, helped the Rays get to a World Series, a perennial star for them and the Giants, but the man could never stay healthy, and that is gonna probably cost him the nod. Still, I think he has the most accolades of anybody on this team, even Brandon Crawford.

GUARDIANS: Another very young team, but this spot goes to Jose Ramirez. The fact that I'm pretty sure about this at 29 says a lot. Again, it's all down to the rest of his career, but he's been wonderful for the Tribe ever since the 2016 season, and he's become a reliable leader for a lot of young players. I hope he becomes the next one-team hero like Gwynn or Puckett. 

MARINERS: Well, I guess since Justin Upton just elected free agency, I have to go with Carlos Santana. Longest tenured MLB-er left on the team with the most career accolades. Robbie Ray would have gone here had I seen a bit more long-term stability.

MARLINS: Jorge Soler. The man led the league in home runs in a season and has two World Series rings, and that's more than a lot of Marlins have right now. Who else was I gonna put here? Billy Hamilton? The hope is that in three more years I can put Sandy Alcantara here...that is, if he's still in Miami then.

METS: Max Scherzer. Not a particularly hard one. If it wasn't for him, I'd put deGrom again, but...with all these injuries, the Hall is becoming less of a certainty. 

NATIONALS: Nelson Cruz, also not particularly difficult. It will be interesting to see what happens when Cruz goes up for induction. I think he's a hell of a hitter, but is that enough for some voters? Will the HGH allegations hurt him? 

ORIOLES: Out of everybody here, it's Trey Mancini. Longer-tenured, yeah, but also a lot of recent success as he begins his thirties, which is an indication of longevity. Not a surefire case, as he's still kind of lacking in some categories, but has more than a lot of this very young O's team.

PADRES: Manny Machado. Not hard, especially. A few close ones, like Hosmer and Darvish, but Machado already has a 49 career WAR, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. I kinda have to put him here.

PHILLIES: ...I did have to check here and see if there were any options that were more valid than Bryce Harper, because that's your easy answer right there. And there really weren't. So I don't feel as bad about this one. Bryce Harper has 2 MVPs and is an exceptional hitter, and I can't wait for the Phillies to get him back. 

PIRATES: Oof. I guess Jose Quintana, who has the most career stats, and the most great seasons to fall back on, but man is this a tough one.

RANGERS: Corey Seager. Like Soler, I have to go with career accomplishments, and a Rookie of the Year, an NLCS MVP and a World Series MVP by 28 is pretty damned good. Also, he's still in a pretty good spot career-wise, and is one of the main contributors for this Rangers team. 

RAYS: Corey Kluber. Nobody else on this team has 2 Cy Youngs. Honestly should have been 3 if it weren't for Rick Porcello and, honestly, Verlander. But yeah, what a career he's had, even if it might be a bit too short for a lot of HOF voters.

RED SOX: Injuries aside, right now it is Chris Sale. If he continues to be this snakebitten for the next few years, he is in danger of being lapped by Xander Bogaerts, Trevor Story or Rafael Devers. But as of right now, he's got some pretty nice stats, and he needs to get back on track to conserve what he was accumulating last decade.

REDS: Well, seeing as he's at the top of the post, I have to say Joey Votto. Joey Votto is baseball, a lot like Willie Mays is baseball and Ozzie Smith is baseball. One of those players you can't help but love. Also, mostly because I want to see the people of Cooperstown try to put a TikTok on display.

ROCKIES: It's Kris Bryant at the moment, but he is in danger of losing this spot if he doesn't have a career stretch worthy of his Cubs years. I loved him in Chicago, and now he's seeming a lot more human and a lot more tangible, and he could make the Rockies regret picking him up for all that money. 

ROYALS: Zack Greinke. Not a particularly hard one. If he wasn't there, it'd be Salvador Perez easily, but Greinke is a first-balloter and an all-timer cerebral fireballer. 

TIGERS: Miguel Cabrera. I've put him here in all three of these, because it was a given even in 2016. 

TWINS: I am going to surprise some people by saying Sonny Gray. Taking the Yankees years out of the equation, Sonny Gray has been a wonderfully consistent starter for some excellent, competitive teams, and while I could have put Carlos Correa or Byron Buxton, I felt like Gray had a bit more career accomplishments at the moment. Maybe if I was in my right mind, I would have put Correa. 

WHITE SOX: I think I have to put Jose Abreu here, and even if Johnny Cueto is fierce in opposition, Jose Abreu has been a wonderfully consistent hitter, and has been a constant for the White Sox from 2014 until now. The man has an MVP, a Rookie of the Year, and will hit 250 home runs this year probably. That level of production doesn't come around too often.

YANKEES: ...lots of candidates here. I could honestly go with anyone of Anthony Rizzo, Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, Josh Donaldson, Aroldis Chapman and D.J. LeMahieu...but I will instead go with Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton's going to hit his 400th home run in his age-33 season most likely, and has a large probability of going for 500. Those injury-prone years slowed him down a bit, but his offensive production in his first decade of service was incredible, and he's already led the league in homers twice [would have been thrice if not for that injury stopping him cold in 2015]. I think he's got the best case of any of this group, and that's saying something.

So yeah, a lot of bold words. Not all of these guys may get in, but they've got a lot of potential right now. See you in 2025. 

Coming Tomorrow- Ironically, someone else I mentioned in this post

Topps Cards That Should Have Been: 2007 Reds

 

2007 was a transitional year for the Reds. We began to wind down the era of Ken Griffey, Adam Dunn and Aaron Harang, and we began to see some new heroes emerge. For instance, despite his rookie being a 2008 Topps card, Joey Votto played his first games in 2007. In 24 games, he gave Reds fans a sharp preview of how awesome he'd be for them over the next decade and a half, hitting .321 with 27 hits, 17 RBIs and his first four home runs. By the time the 2008 season would start, the 1st base position would basically be his, and he'd be in position for a long, prosperous HOF-quality career.

Still pitching in 2007 was former Braves and Yankees relief specialist Mike Stanton. Stanton had played for a bunch of teams since leaving the Yanks, with his best post-Bronx season clearly being 2004 with the Mets. For his final MLB numbers, he'd be the most relied upon non-closing reliever for the Reds, and he'd hand over a 5.93 with 40 Ks in 69 innings. I think I have one or two spring training stint customs for him after this season in waiting. 

Speaking of spring training stints, Mark Bellhorn was coming off an insanely weird 2006 season. The former Sox infielder and mid-lineup bat had a -11 batting WAR, but also a 11 FIELDING WAR, so he still managed to turn in decent numbers despite hitting below the Mendoza line. So there wasn't a TON of suitors lining up for Bellhorn for 2007. Bellhorn signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati, made it to the majors, and hit .090 in 13 games, with only 2 hits and one RBI. The Reds had better options at 2nd and 3rd, so he was cut fairly soon after and never played in the majors again. Meanwhile, in 2007, a lot of his old teammates would win their second rings with Boston. 

Tomorrow, we feature a similar schematic of youth and winning down heroes, this time with the Rockies in 2006. This one features a missed opportunity that I'm sad that Topps never delivered on.

Vottomatic for the People

 It's 2021, and Joey Votto's leading the Reds in home runs. With competition. Such a beautiful thing.

The rise of Joey Votto in the second half has been one of the cooler developments for the Reds. I mean, in the past few seasons I've worried that Votto's once-mighty numbers would be forever diminished, kinda like Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols. But nevertheless, Joey Votto is having a pretty stellar age-37 season. Not only did he pass the 300 homer mark, but he's had 25 on the season, leading the Reds, and he had a large amount of those in succession. For a good week he was ripping them left and right, going hog-wild. His numbers this season are clearly his best since 2018, and are making him an even more of a sure bet for the Hall of Fame at the end of the decade.

Votto has also been one of the main pieces of this now-red-hot Reds team, climbing the standings and chasing the wild card hopefuls. You're now seeing people like Tyler Stephenson, Vladimir Gutierrez, Kyle Farmer, Mychal Givens and Luis Cessa jumping right into the cause and having great performances. Meanwhile, Castellanos and Moustakas are back, and the former is back to his old tricks. Jonathan India is still a major candidate for the Rookie of the Year. Gray, Castillo and Miley are all in good form in the rotation. And the wind keep coming, even after last night, with a big wallop in Atlanta [to keep the Phillies in first].

But...realistically, the Reds are 8 games behind the Brewers for the division, and 4.5 games behind the Padres for a wild card spot. Honestly, the WC spot might be the better bet. On one hand, they'd likely have to play the Dodgers, but on the other hand, I don't know if they're gonna catch Milwaukee. The Brewers are so stacked on pitching that I don't think the Reds have a chance to lap them. But I kinda wanna see them keep going, maybe sneak in. They're a fun team, I hope they can make it work this year.

Coming Tonight: The first of the trade deadline players on here in a new uniform. This one came at the exact right time for his new team.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2020: Reds (Part One)

Of all the fringe teams that squeezed into the playoffs this year, the one that made me happiest might have been the Cincinnati Reds. This team has been so close to good recently, and even if this team still had some issues, the fact that they made the playoffs even for a few games against Atlanta is still pretty cool. 

The big issue for this Reds team is the fact that while the pitching staff definitely showed up, the lineup was a few steps behind last year's. And you had guys like Eugenio Suarez, who were AWESOME in 2019, having more human moments, and hitting .202 despite leading the team in homers with 15 and RBIs with 38. Geno is still a great player, but he's gonna get caught up if he doesn't figure out how to strike out less.

2021 Prediction: Another 30 homer year with an ASG gig. Not sure if all of it will be with Cincinnati, though.

It's become clear that Joey Votto is officially past his prime, with a negative WAR year and some very perfunctory stats, and it's looking like he's just gonna have the Cabrera/Pujols status of continuing to play and do what he can without being very statistically impressive. Which is fine. I mean, Votto is a future Hall of Famer, he's had a ton of great seasons and everything, but...hitting .226 is new for him. Yes, he still hit 11 homers, but his contact abilities have lessened, and I can only imagine if the DH stays in the NL he'll be moved over there.

2021 Prediction: A slight upswing in average, but similar, end-of-career stats.

In his first season in Cincinnati after two strong years in a row, Mike Moustakas was...slightly disappointing. Look, he still had 8 homers and 27 RBIs, but he hit .230 with barely enough WAR totals to really register as a member of this team, similar to Nick Castellanos. Is it the oddity of the season, or is Moose beginning to trail off himself?

2021 Prediction: 30 home runs, barely any average to go with it.

Tucker Barnhart had a strong year this year, with his best defensive numbers since 2017, earning him his second gold-glove behind the plate. His plate numbers aren't the priority, but he did...alright. .204 with 13 RBIs. That's fine, especially if he's still an awesome catcher. I'll take that.

2021 Prediction: A full potential, all-star, better-offensively season for Barnhart. And then the eyes of the rest of the league start watching

Alright, so the big 3 of the Reds rotation truly made waves in 2020, and set the rest of the league ablaze. Yet the one starter that sort of fell through the cracks was 2018's standout, Tyler Mahle, the homegrown fireballer who fanned 60 in 10 games with a 3.59 ERA. Which means, yes, lower ERA than Sonny Gray.

2021 Prediction: Most likely to succeed early next year, and most likely to be traded if the team doesn't succeed. 

The fifth member of the rotation, Anthony Desclafani, took a huge step backwards after a return to form year last year. Disco was saddled with a 7.22 ERA in 9 games, and was eventually moved to the bullpen. Not a great way to end his tenure in Cincinnati.

2021 Prediction: A low-cost signing that pays off for SF. 

I have a ton more bullpen/post-Opening-Day members of this team that I'll post later tonight.

Our Heroes Are Getting More Human

This observation may seem very on-the-nose to a lot of people, but...here I go anyway.

2019 has marked a turning point in many landmark careers. I think of people like Joey Votto, Buster Posey, Robinson Cano, Matt Kemp...hell, even Corey Kluber with this. All people who've had legendary seasons, who've gotten accolades and have been seen as team heroes.

All of them in 2019, for the first time in many of their careers, seemed tangibly human. In a way they hadn't really been seen before.

I think the outlier in this is Matt Kemp, because he's probably done, and I don't know if any teams are gonna take a chance on him in 2020 (so much for his inclusion in the Topps 2020 insert set from 10 years ago). And also, you can say Kluber is an outlier because he's injured, but even before the injury he was giving some of his most human numbers, with a 5.80 ERA in 7 starts, which is a far cry from his previous career low of 5.12 in 12 games in 2012.

Kluber's the only one of these guys where you can feasibly think 'yeah, well maybe he'll be back next year and get back to high-caliber stuff.

Cano and Posey might, in fact, be resting on mythology. Cano definitely. Posey could be back with a killer season in 2020, but...I'm losing hope. He's been very, very okay in the last two years, and I don't know how many MVP-caliber seasons he has left.

Votto...is a little different. Votto may be done with his overwhelmingly powerful years, as he's 36 years old. His .269 average is his lowest in a season of 130 or more games, as are his 47 RBIs. His 1.9 WAR is also his lowest since his injury-shortened year in 2014. This is a very human year for Votto, and it's a very age-35 year for him as well.

But...even if this is human for him, it's not a bad year. He still had 15 home runs, 137 hits, solid, if minimized, batting and fielding figures. He's not weighing down the team, and he's not exactly at Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols or Felix Hernandez of non-presence, but this is definitely a step back from his usual dominance.

I don't know if this is the new normal for Votto. I certainly hope not, as hopefully the offseason will rejuvenate him, and he'll come back in full force for a powerful 2020 season. He's already a Reds Hall of Famer, and possibly a Baseball Hall of Famer as well, but...I don't think he's done being a league talent. Not yet.

Coming Tomorrow- Sometimes, you just need a jolt of power. Even if it's way late in the season, you've blown it, and you've got nothing left. This rookie was that jolt for the Mariners.

Reds Will Roll

Seven years ago, I went on a road trip for the sole purpose of knocking three ballparks off my list. I went to Washington, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Had good food, spun good stories, got Ian Desmond's autograph, watched Travis Hafner walk off against the Jays. It was a nice trip.

This summer's the sequel. My dad and I are going to be doing a road trip across the western leg of the east coast, in search of, well, baseball. Some details are still kind of tentative, but the only team I can absolutely confirm that we're gonna see this year is the Cincinnati Reds.

Oh, joy.

Yes, the Reds have one of the best ballparks out there, Cincinnati is a fun city, and Joey Votto is a few more amazing seasons away from definite enshrinement, but...this Reds team might not be a terribly great team to go see live.

And I'm not saying anything against the lineup. The lineup is wonderful. I think this lineup could actually combine for a ton of power numbers, especially with Jesse Winker in the mix. The only problem is that the Reds, once again, don't seem to have a great deal of pitching. What they had pre-2017 has depleted even more. Who's their ace? Homer Bailey? People like Brandon Finnegan and Luis Castillo could do great things, but this is an untested, injury-prone rotation, something not even closer Raisel Iglesias can save. So they're legitimately gonna need to PRAY this pitching staff can step up, because if not, they're gonna land below the Pirates in the standings, and they don't want that.

Joey Votto, meanwhile, is still one of the best average hitters in the game, and is coming off of a season where, if it hadn't been for someone currently wearing pinstripes, he COULD have won the MVP. It was a very strong possibility. And now he has to go back to this same team and try to lift spirits again. I know it must be tough for him, but this is also someone with legitimate talent who might be a Reds legend in 20 years time. He's capable of great things, and he's already accomplished a ton in his first 10 seasons in the game. A little more strong work from the big guy couldn't hurt.

So yeah...the Reds could be a disaster this year, but at the same time...maybe something big could happen. They might be the sleeper hit of the year.

Coming Tomorrow- An outfielder for another lower-tier team that is banking on another 35+ home run season.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2017: Reds

The least you can say about the 2017 Cincinnati Reds is that they were trying. The wheels were turning. The farm system was beginning to unleash some impressive people. The trouble, of course, was the pitching- the good pitchers got injured, leading to some less-than-perfect performances on the mound.

At the plate, the Reds were fine- Jose Peraza was the starter at 2nd on the year, eventually switching off with Scooter Gennett. He did...a good enough job.

Luis Castillo was one of the few pitching rookies that went well for the Reds, as he had some nice starts and a good number of strikeouts before some DL time shortened his season.

Jesse Winker also made the most of his call-up, hitting really well, and making a case for a starting position in 2017 after a gestating Billy Hamilton trade, before himself getting injured.

Raisel Iglesias continues to be a fixture in the ninth, still holding his own as the team closer after being deemed too wild for the rotation (sound like a former Reds closer we know?). He'll probably be  back at it in 2018, albeit hopefully with a stronger bullpen around him.

I already made one of this guy for 2017, but from the season he had, and from the leadership he's given this team, he deserved another one. Joey Votto came so close to getting his 2nd MVP, and could definitely snag another one soon. I'm not sure how long he's got left in Cincinnati, but hopefully they'll keep him around til the end.

Speaking of the end...

This guy, a Reds' hero for near half a decade, finally hung up his spikes after around two decades of service, and a few seasons of injuries. He had some nice starts in Cincinnati, after it looked like he was one of the few healthy options for him, but his age caught up to him, giving his finishing year a bloated ERA and another injury-laden stretch. He'll still be remembered fondly by Reds fans.

Coming Tomorrow- Nothing, as it's Christmas, but Uncustomed Heroes will be back on Tuesday with a team that got so dangerous that they nearly snuck into the playoffs.

Living in Cin

This is Joey Votto's tenth full season as the Reds' first baseman. In that time, he's won an MVP award, hit 231 home runs, led the league in On Base Percentage 5 times, and averaged .312.

But you don't need stats to determine whether or not a player is amazing. You just need to see them in action. This season, Joey Votto, even on a Reds team helped by youth, is one of the stronger, more important members of the squad, no less important than he was 10 seasons ago when he came up. If you have a consistent anchor on your squad, like Joey Votto, or Ryan Zimmerman...and if said anchor can inspire the rest of the team to do well, then the rest might as well watch out.

The beauty of this Reds team is that they're getting a lot done with a little. The infield of Joey Votto-Eugenio Suarez-Scooter Gennett-Zack Cozart is working A TON BETTER than you'd think. Scott Schebler, a guy no one's heard of, has hit 10 home runs. The lineup is doing well, but the rotation, held up by some guys who landed on the DL rather quickly, might be the one thing that stops them from being truly great this year.

The Reds have some promise, and with Joey Votto they have potential. If they fix their pitching staff I'll feel a bit better about them.

Coming Tonight: Now that David Ortiz has retired, is he now the best DH in the major leagues?

Uncustomed Heroes of 2016: Reds

With the exception of someone coming next post, Joey Votto is probably my most-embarassing omission from the 2016 season of customs.

He was one of those guys where an idea came into my head that I'd made one already, and instead of just picking him to customize when I needed a Red, I'd have to dig deep and get someone like Dan Straily or Eugenio Suarez. But now, finally, I have a Joey Votto custom from 2016...and it's a pretty nice one.

The Reds weren't great this year. Sure, there was this weird feeling of 'we could actually be great soon' coming from the tail end of the season, and the team seems to be shifting into 'youth movement plus one really good veteran' mode, but...it wasn't especially the most pleasant affair, Votto aside.

Brandon Finnegan came to Cincinnati in the trade that gave the Royals their WS-winning ace Johnny Cueto (for a few months). This year, while pitching was a low-point for the team, Finnegan did a pretty nice job, and was efficient enough that he's one of the few 2016 options being set for the 2017 rotation.

Coming Tomorrow- Unless I get cards, nothing because it's Christmas. I'll post the next one of these on Monday, and that'll be players from another surprisingly optimistic middling squad.

Custom Card of the Day: Votto Edition

Well, this guy's having a hell of a week, isn't he?

In just a few days, Joey Votto has captured the Home Run title (again, this is just for the first week), and is cruising right along with his Reds. This is a great sign, because last season was not a great one for Votto or the Reds. Votto and his compatriot Jay Bruce were injured on-and-off throughout 2014, and the Reds suffered. Now that both are back, the bats are coming back alive, especially considering that Marlon Byrd is with them now.

The downside is that this is a tough year to be the Cincinnati Reds. You see, in this division are four other teams that could be pretty big this year. Aside from the Cardinals, there are the underdog Pirates, the slowly rebuilding Cubs, and the usually unpredictable Brewers. The Reds might be fighting a losing battle, and they might not have as many wins as Bryan Price had f-bombs tonight.

Still, it's nice to know that people like Joey Votto can hit really well, especially now.

Coming Tonight: We love him. We love him not. We love him. We love him not. He comes back and hits up a storm in his first games since 2013. We love him.

Custom Card of the Day: Votto Edition

I wanna take this opportunity to address one of the odd things about collecting for as long as I have. This is also pretty thought-provoking, and confusing, so anybody who wants to look at shiny objects for a while can just look at dayf's blog or something.

When I started collecting, the big rookies were Ryan Braun, Tim Lincecum and Daisuke Matsuzaka. The next year, people like Joey Votto, Evan Longoria, Jay Bruce and Josh Hamilton were breakout stars.

Within a few years, people weren't calling these players prospects anymore. I kept it in the back of my mind that people like Braun and Votto used to be rookies. And then they were being taken seriously as actual stars. Maybe it was the way I thought as a young player, but I just kinda thought that rookies became stars in a much slower, and less obvious fashion. Nobody knew what Ryan Braun and Josh Hamilton would become in a span of three years.

This was also during the years when I still thought that people like Jim Thome, Frank Thomas and Greg Maddux would continue to be good because they were good in the 2000's and 1990's, not really realizing that baseball players lose their quick abilities over time.

It took me a while to really stop underestimating how quickly baseball players can gain stardom, and how quickly baseball stars can stop being amazing at everything.

Joey Votto, for instance, was the big young star for a couple years, until he won the MVP. Then people just started calling him a star, or a veteran even. And when people were calling a guy who'd played five or six seasons a veteran, it was a little weird. He wasn't a veteran, in my eyes. He was too young.

I think this concept sorta clicked when I saw the old baseball cards of people I called stars. Like, I was calling it into question when these new players progressed through youth in baseball so quickly, yet I'd overlook players like Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra, who did the same exact thing, only in the past. Evidently I viewed them differently because they started in my binders, and they didn't progress to their 'star' status while I was watching them (like Votto and Braun did).

It just never clicked to me, I guess. The past just fits differently in people's minds than the present.

Food for thought.

Coming Tonight (?): Helton's gone. Gonzo's young. Morneau's new. Rockies need a new veteran star figure.

Customs for Christmas: Reds

 I went through 2013 without making a Joey Votto custom. I am slightly ashamed. Either way, he gets an awesome one now to commemorate his awesome season.

 Bronson Arroyo will likely be playing for another team next year, but he's become one of the game's better fringe players, alongside Chien-Ming Wang, Juan Pierre, and Nick Swisher.

This is a nice shot of Mat Latos' tattoos. He also had a nice season, but the tats are all people seem to care about.

I'll follow up with the Red Sox a little later on.

Custom Card of the Day: Votto Edition

The Reds have never been a hateful team to me. If anything they've been quite fun to watch. Even in the years where all they had was Ken Griffey Jr. and Bronson Arroyo, they were never a team to root against. And they aren't such a team right now. Votto is one of those players that usually hits well, and gets the crowd on his side. And there's a whole team full of fun players like that, with the exception of maybe Aroldis Chapman. People like Bruce, Phillips, Cueto, Rolen and so on are all good to watch, and you can't really root against them.

One of these days I also need to make it out to a Reds game. Just because.

Coming Tomorrow- Wait, what's that coming out of Kansas City? Could it be...A DECENT LOOKING TEAM? And the young sophomore star acting as its fearless leader is up tomorrow.

Custom Card of the Day

Being that I had already done Josh Hamilton, I figured that Joey Votto needed a custom. I think he's going to have a decent season this year, backed up with a good pitching staff and some good players like Scott Rolen, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips. I think the Reds will do fine, but once they get to the playoffs, Philly will have them beat again.

Tomorrow- Another national league star, only this one in the Land of the Cheese.

It's on!

The Playoffs are officially on! Watch these two hitters clash for a spot in the NLCS.

(You all know who I'm betting on!)

Custom Card of the Week- Votto Edition

Admit it, you knew this was coming. Mr. Votto over here was having a monstrous season in Cincinatti, and here comes his custom. Seriously, Votto and friends are powering the reds to a Red Hot season. Votto, Bruce, Aroldis Chapman, Rolen, Cueto... the Reds are definitely heading to a great next few months. And Votto is basically the meat of the hoagie, having a big time season for them, Sports Illustrated cover and everything.

Those Padres better watch out.

Tomorrow- What's that? Some lefty rookie for the Reds's got a 105 mph fastball? I just gotta make a custom of that guy!