Fading Red (Part 2)

[Romeofud]

The Reds stunned the Pirates in 6 games that year & eventually dismantled the As for it all. It was their bullpen aces of Norm Charlton, Rob Dibble, and Randy Myers who were all closers. They made the difference. That's freaking amazing!

[jflesh]

I was only 8 when the Reds swept the A's. I can barely remember watching their playoff run, but it is my favorite baseball moment to this day.

[Skull10]

@jflesh Unfortunately, we may never see such days again. This franchise is in an awful mess.

[MikeTorrez83]

@Skull10 That's a bit melodramatic isn't it? The Reds won the NL Central just last season. It's a pretty easy division to compete in as well.

[Skull10]

@MikeTorrez83 Reds caught lightning in a bottle in 2010. They were fluke, as resoundingly evidenced by their footnote sweep by the Phillies in the playoffs. They came back to reality in 2011 and, unless they makes some serious upgrades in the offseason, will be even worse in 2012. Since the departure of Marge Schott, they have been as poorly run an organization as the Bengals. (Probably worse.)

[pelagic6]

I was at the 99' game against the Mets. That was right after Carl Lindner had bought the team I think. Pretty cool videos considering I am a long time fan of the Reds.

[mavallarino]

I remember attending the last game of the 1990 WS (I'm a former baseball/ex-A's fan). It seemed like there was nothing the A's could do to win. Even the A's lead at 1 - 0 most fans knew the A's couldn't hold on. The game was fairly stale, 1- 0 for many manny innings. At the end the Reds had a great pitching depth and many batters came through when needed. I can still remember the last out, I closed my eyes and then reopening them to only Sabo's celebration flips.

[storrs19]

I was 18 when the Reds won the WS in 1990 and remember it very well. This franchise has become such a shambles over the last decade it is a disgrace. I hope that someday we can get back to winning baseball.

[SpeedDemons1983]

also they did wear the throwback on friday i think and they lost

[SpeedDemons1983]

1993-present .. i hate those uniforms

[ashleyluvspugs]

I was only 16 at the time, but I was never more excited in a regular season game than when Tom Browning pitched the perfect game on Sept 16, '88.

Of course the WS of '90 and the kicking of the A's butts is one of the most underrated achievements in baseball. Sooooo little credit given to the team that was supposed to BE swept, and they did it to the whining A's & Dave Stewart (& Canseco, McGwire, Eckersley, Henderson & 27 game winner Bob Welch)

[Skull10]

Great times. I doubt any Reds fan will experience them again in his/her lifetime.

[mrceebees14]

@ashleyluvspugs Same age, 16 is old enough to remember and appreciate.

[Skull10]

@mrceebees14 I was not quite 10 at the time the Reds won the WS, but it remains one of my most cherished memories.

[ashleyluvspugs]

Eric Davis was one of the greatest players to ever put on the uniform. He may not have the HOF numbers, but very very few players could control the game all by themselves the way he could. The Reds could be down 3 runs and he could tag the greatest reliever's 100mph fastball deep into the stands, steal a base with ease, jump the fences to rob homeruns, and he was the nicest player I ever met (several times, so it's real). No matter who you were, you were a friend in Eric's eyes... 44 Forever

[USAGiant]

Eric Davis if he stayed healthy would be an all time great in MLB. Davis is a class act unlike the jerks and disgrace of the steriods era frauds imo of McGuire Bonds Sosa and others.

[rcd1979]

I remember my first Reds game in 1989, whe Sabo went to bat, he got beaned in the head by a Mike Scott pitch, and went down for the count but the Reds pulled through with a Eric Davis Homer that probably still hasnt come down. Too bad Bo Diaz and Chalie Hustle didnt get rings in 90', because they were a huge part of that team. R.I.P Bo Diaz

[SpeedDemons1983]

i just read about Bo Diaz, it was sad..

[raidernation7878]

MARTY & JOE!!!!

[connorryan]

what happened to the reds after 99? and why was that team so good, but never before then (96-98) and why did they not have any success after? were they a real media hit that year? that seemed to be a good year for baseball what with the mets and the braves rivalry as well, but then the WS was horrible

[hazelwood55]

Every time I see Trevor Hoffman save a game, I cringe thinking that he was in the Reds minor league system and they left him unprotected in the expansion draft.

[famousbill]

i love the Reds!

[kingjosesmith]

Not into the MLB these days, as most of the people I know are not, but back then, the Reds were my team and Ill never forget how they completely dominated the A's, especially Eric in the outfield throwing the A's out.

[elbob17]

Eric Davis will always be my alltime favorite athlete. When I was 12 years old, he was superman.

[Skull10]

Excellent all-around player, perhaps even a hall-of-famer had he not been injured so often.

[rdubb71]

Eric Davis is the reason the Reds are my 2nd favorite team...Definately should be a Hall of Famer and I certainly enjoyed his brief stinit with my hometown Orioles!

[hazelwood55]

If Eric Davis had a quarter of Cal Ripkin's durability he would have been one of the greatest players ever.

[moronchicken]

THE greatest, perhaps.

[EricAnno]

Love Sweet Lou. Loved Dibble. Loved Mario. Loved Browning. I have never really been a Reds fan, but I have nothing against them. But man, I really did love the Nasty Boys for some time. Fantastic bullpen. Dibble was just so frightning and intimidating and that is how I try to play as a pitcher.

[ukcats99]

This is my team,man it is great being a REDS FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Skull10]

Actually, since 2001, it has been horrible being a Reds fan.

[craigzwicker]

at least marge schott isnt around to make them look bad.

[Skull10]

The Reds do a good enough job of that themselves.

Actully, the Reds have been in a consistent downward spiral ever since the league forced Schott to sell out her majority share in the team. Of all the criticism she recieved, one thing you must genuinely respect her for, is that she genuinely wanted to win.

[Ariamaluum]

The Greg Vaughn trade destroyed the Reds.

[Skull10]

Actually, the Ken Griffey Jr. trade destroyed the Reds. Vaughn was an indespinsable presence in the clubhouse, and a consistent weapon at the plate in 1999, which is more than you can say about Griffey at any time during his tenure with the Reds.

[Ariamaluum]

That is why I said Greg Vaughn. Reds thought Greg as a power guy that could be replaced with Ken but Greg brought leadership that helped Barry Larkin. This was true with Tony Gwynn. Look what happened those two after he left.

[SFFOOL76]

Agreed, letting Vaughn sign with the Devil Rays at the time was the worst thing they could have done. Im an A's fan, however that 1999 REDS team was one of my favorite overachieving teams of all time.

[Skull10]

I still don't think they overachieved. I think they simply had a good team that was broken up by Bowden/Lindner's overzealous Griffey trade.

[elbob17]

How so? He was a clubhouse leader. He had a damn good year for us. The year he was on the team was the last time we came close to sniffing the playoffs.

[sngldad]

we're gonna miss you ol' left-hander, you've finally rounded third and made it home. thanks for the memories.

[Skull10]

He was like family to me.

[cheeriopisser2]

Frank Pastore was a god.

[Ariamaluum]

I remember the Braves use to kill him in 1982 and 1983. I thought in paper, Reds had better players than the Braves.

[mslaura714]

I wish they had Eric's bomb off stewart in the 1st.

[elbob17]

Will always love my Reds.

[edisonjames123]

I still can't believe they swept that A's team.

[Skull10]

I was only 9 at the time, but it remains one of my best ever memories.

[ThatCincyBoy]

The Reds are the best ever