With Redsfest just around the corner, I thought it would be
an appopriate time to share my predictions for the 2017 series of Cincinnati
Reds bobbleheads. One post will cover the line of nodders that the team will
give away to fans during the season, and another post I will write will discuss
the bobbleheads I think the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum will give
out during 2017. Please note that these are just my predictions and not an
actual list of bobbleheads the Reds are producing. Let’s start with the bobbles
that I think the team will hand out to fans this upcoming season.
One of the few bright spots on last year's team was Adam
Duvall. The left fielder made his way to the Reds by way of a trade with the San
Francisco Giants in 2015, and he had his first full season as a member of the
Redlegs last year. He quickly burst on the scene with great defense in the
outfield and an impressive bat at the plate. He also represented the Reds in
the 2016 Home Run Derby and in the MLB All-Star Game. Based on his fantastic
Reds debut last year, I think it's a no brainer that he will be featured as a
bobblehead in 2017.
Another possible candidate to be featured as a bobblehead is
Reds pitcher Raisel Iglesias. Although he spent some time on the disabled list
because of injuries last year, he managed to bounce back and pick up right
where he left off in 2015 albeit from the bullpen instead of the starting
rotation. He seemingly became the heir apparent to Aroldis Chapman as Iglesias
was largely used as a closer. Due to his solid 2015 and 2016 campaigns, I could
definitely see the Reds featuring the young pitcher as a nodder for the
upcoming season.
Speaking of young pitches, Brandon Finnegan is another
potential player to be featured as a bobblehead. With this team undergoing a
reconstruction period, Finnegan was without a shadow of a doubt the most
consistent young pitcher in the starting rotation. He flirted with a no hitter
and was always reliable whenever he took to the mound. Finnegan is a guy the
Reds can build a starting rotation around, and I believe he deserves to be
immortalized as a bobblehead.
The most exciting player on the Reds roster last year was
Billy Hamilton. While he is known for struggling at the plate, his speed and
defensive prowess have made him a favorite player among Reds fans. His reckless
abandon in center field added many impressive catches to his defensive
highlight reel and cemented him as one of MLB's premier outfielders. Even
though he has already had two bobbleheads given out by the Reds in the past, I do
not doubt that the team will go back to the Billy Hamilton well once again when
you consider the lack of established stars the team has.
The fifth and final bobblehead I predict the Reds will give
out is a Star Wars themed nodder. Last season, the team gave a bobblehead of
Mr. Redlegs flying an X-Wing, and it was really cool and easily one of the best
nodders the Reds have ever given out to fans. With Star Wars themed bobbleheads
being a growing trend among MLB teams, I expect the Reds to give out another
Star Wars themed bobble. My guess is a bobblehead of Gapper that looks like Chewbacca.
Those are my predictions for the five bobbleheads the
Cincinnati Reds will give out to fans. Should my predictions prove to be true,
I would attend every bobblehead game except the Billy Hamilton one as I already
have a nodder of Hamilton in my collection. These are only predictions though,
and no official bobblehead giveaway has been announced by the team at the time
that I wrote this. Until then, us Reds fans can only speculate and guess what
kinds of bobbleheads the team has planned for 2017.
Go Redlegs!
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