2015 Cincinnati Reds Bobbleheads Part 1

In my opinion, bobbleheads are the best giveaway items that a team can distribute to its fans. I love them and whenever one of the teams that I like decides to host a bobblehead game, I will usually try to go. The Cincinnati Reds, my favorite baseball team, are giving out nine different nodders this season. The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is giving out five different bobbleheads this year. Over the next two posts, I will discuss the bobbleheads and whether I think they are worth going to the game or museum for or not.

Let’s start with the nodders the Reds are giving out this year. The first bobblehead the team is giving out this year is of third baseman Todd Frazier. The picture of the nodder looks cool, but I am not going to the game to get it. I have the one the Reds gave out in 2013, so I will not be going to the game.

The next one is a triple bobblehead of Randy Myers, Rob Dibble, and Norm Charlton. These three guys are known collectively as the “Nasty Boys” and were a key element to the 1990 World Series champion Reds. This bobblehead looks great, and I will be attending the game to add the “Nasty Boys” to my nodder collection.

Third is a bobblehead of Johnny bench. This bobblehead is the first of a three bobblehead set called the “Stars of the Queen City” series. The bobblehead looks really nice, but the Reds have already given out a Johnny Bench bobblehead, the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum gave out five different Bench bobbleheads in 2011, and I already have a Johnny Bench bobblehead in my collection. Needless to say, I will be passing on this game.

The fourth nodder is of Billy Hamilton, the resident speedster of the Redlegs. He had a fantastic rookie season, so it makes sense that the Reds are capitalizing on it by giving out a bobblehead of him. However, the Reds gave out a Hamilton bobblehead last season as well as one during spring training this year. I have the one the team gave away last year, so I will not be adding the 2015 version to my collection.

Barry Larkin is the fifth nodder the team will be giving out to fans this season and the second nodder in the “Stars of the Queen City” series. Larkin is one of my all-time favorite Redlegs, but I already have the 2006 Larkin bobblehead that the Reds gave out to the fans. There was also a Larkin bobblehead giveaway in 2001, and the Hall of Fame and Museum gave out one last year. Since I already have a Larkin bobblehead, I will not be heading to the ballpark for this nodder.

The sixth bobblehead of the year is of Brandon Phillips, my favorite current Reds player. The Reds gave out Phillips bobbleheads in 2007, 2009, and in 2013. I have the 2013 version in my collection so I will not be getting the 2015 version.

Following Phillips is a bobblehead giveaway of Devin Mesoraco. He is the starting catcher for the team and had a phenomenal season last year. He made the all-star team and was the biggest bat for the team as he was the main force of the offense for the Redlegs. I plan on adding this bobblehead to my collection.

Next up is the third “Stars of the Queen City” bobblehead. At the time that this post was written, the team has not announced who the bobblehead will be. Since 2015 is the anniversaries of the 1940, 1975, and 1990 World Series championship seasons, hopefully the team will make a bobblehad of one of the 1940 Redlegs. I think Ernie Lombardi, Johnny Vander Meer, Bucky Walters, or the manager Bill McKechnie would be great choices.

Last is a bobblehead of one of the Reds who will make the All-Star team this year in what I assume to be the All-Star uniform. This sounds like a great idea, and the bobblehead should look cool since it will be in the All-Star uniform. I will try to go to this game to get the nodder and hopefully it is of a player who has not had a bobblehead yet.

While I like the idea of the team giving out nine nodders this year, I just wish they were all of players who have not had bobbleheads yet. As of now, I plan on going to three games. If the third “Stars of the Queen City” bobblehead is of player I do not yet have, I will also go to that game. Stay tuned for the next bobblehead post when I talk about the bobbleheads the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum will be giving out to the fans.

Go Redlegs!