Ready for Redsfest 2018

It's the most wonderful time of the offseason for members of Reds Country! Redsfest 2018 will happen this weekend at the Duke Energy Center. Cincinnati Reds fans from all over the country will gather for the one of a kind fan fest that celebrates the very first franchise in Major League Baseball history. 

The fun gets started on Friday, November 30, and will continue through Saturday, December 1. Fans can buy passes for either one day or both. In order to get the full Redsfest experience, I recommend purchasing the two day pass. If you are a Reds Hall of Fame and Museum member or a season ticket holder, your two day ticket pass is free. 

Once you check in at Redsfest, you will receive a Reds lanyard to hold your ticket as well as a free Reds swag bag with a free gift inside. Past gifts have included a winter hat, socks, and an ornament. After you check in, you can finally enter the convention center and behold the glory of the Redsfest event. 

Inside are tons of Reds memorabilia such as jerseys, autographs, bobbleheads, and even the World Series Championship trophies. There is a stage area where you can watch Reds Family Feud, ask the players questions, and get your picture taken with the mascots. There is a game area, wiffle ball fields, and booths where you can get your picture taken with players. You can play Redsfest Bingo and participate in the Reds Community Fund Poker Tournament that features current and former Reds players. 

It wouldn't be a fan fest without autographs, and the signing sessions are my favorite part of Redsfest. You can get autographs from current players and Reds legends. There are multiple signings happening at the same time throughout the event so you are pretty much guaranteed to get at least one autograph during your time at Redsfest. 

I cannot wait for Redsfest 2018. I have a free two day ticket because of my Reds Hall of Fame membership, and I plan on being there from open to close on both days. I'm hoping to get a lot of autographs and maybe a few bobbleheads if I can find some good deals. If you see me, come say hi!

Reds Threads Vlog

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone vlogs about the Reds Threads exhibit at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. 

2019 Cincinnati Reds Bobblehead Predictions

With the 2018 Cincinnati Reds bobblehead season officially over, it’s time to look ahead and try to predict what the Redlegs will give to fans next season. 2019 will be a monumental season for the Reds as the franchise will celebrate its 150^thanniversary. There are a multitude of players that the Reds could feature as bobbleheads as there are still plenty of greats who have not been featured as a bobblehead. For the sake of this post, we will assume the Reds are going to feature bobbleheads of players from the current roster. Here are my predictions of Cincinnati Reds bobbleheads that will be given out during the 2019 season.

My first prediction is Jose Peraza. The Reds starting shortstop really stepped up his game this year both defensively and at the plate. He became one of the team’s best hitters and his speed on the base path is only second to Billy Hamilton’s. Based on his breakthrough 2018, I think the Reds will feature Peraza as a bobblehead in 2019.

My second bobblehead prediction for 2019 is Michael Lorenzen. Aside from being a reliable reliever out of the bullpen, he proved to be the most versatile player on the team. Not only did he pitch well, but he also filled in as outfielder, pinch runner, and was a home run slugger by hitting a few homers in 2018 including a grand slam. If the Reds do make Lorenzen a bobblehead, hopefully it incorporates his pitching with his ability to hit dingers.

Third on my prediction list is Jesse Winker. The Reds outfielder was making great progress during his first full season in the big leagues before an injury shortened his season. He was sporting a batting average of .299 with 43 runs batted in and 7 homers. 

The fourth bobblehead prediction I have for 2019 is Curt Casali. The Reds catcher may have backed up Tucker Barnhart behind the dish, but he was a force to be reckoned with when he stepped up to bat. At the time that this post was written, Casali had a batting average of .333. He was routinely used by Jim Riggleman to hit in key situations and really made a name for himself with the Redlegs in 2018. 

My fifth and final 2019 Reds bobblehead prediction is Amir Garrett. Even though the Reds relief pitcher struggled a bit during the 2018 season, Garrett was still one of the more popular players on the team. Known for his intensity when pitching as well as carving his initials onto the mound with his foot, Garrett would make for a pretty cool bobblehead for Reds fans in 2019.

Those are my five Cincinnati Reds bobblehead predictions for 2019. All are of players who have previously not been featured as bobbles. As I noted earlier in this post, it is the Reds 150^thanniversary next season so I would not be shocked if the team gave out bobbleheads of players from the past to celebrate the century and a half milestone. Personally, I do not care if the bobbleheads are of current or past players. All I hope for is that the bobbleheads the Reds actually give out in 2019 are of players who have not yet been immortalized as bobbles.

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2019 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Bobblehead Predictions

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum's bobblehead season has officially come to a close. 2018 was a good year for Reds Hall of Fame bobbles as new players such as Ernie Lombardi, Johnny Vanderbilt Meer, and Chuck Harmon were featured as bobbleheads. With 2019 being the 150th anniversary of the Cincinnati Reds and the 100th anniversary of the franchise's first ever World Series Championship, the Reds Hall of Fame has a plethora of legends to feature as bobbleheads. So who will the Reds Hall of Fame feature as bobbleheads in 2019? Here are my predictions.

My first prediction is Ted Kluszewski. "Big Klu is one of the most popular Reds players in history, and I am shocked that that he has not been featured as a bobblehead yet. Known for cutting the sleeves of his uniform because they were too tight around his massive arms, Kluszewski belted 279 homers and drove in 1,028 runs. He also helped lead the Big Red Machine to back to back World Series Championships as the team's hitting coach. I could go on and on about Klu's career and why he deserves to be immortalized as a bobblehead.

My second Reds Hall of Fame bobblehead prediction is Lou Piniella. Known as "Sweet Lou" to members of Reds Country, Piniella is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most popular managers in Redlegs history, arguably only second to Sparky Anderson. He took over as Reds skipper in 1990 and led the team to a wire to wire season that was capped off with an improbable sweep of the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Combine that World Series Championship with his fiery attitude and it is easy to see why the former first base throwing Reds manager would make for an excellent bobblehead.

Third on my list of predictions is Edd Roush. Not only was he a key member of the 1919 World Series Championship Reds team, but he is also in both the Reds Hall of Fame and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. During his first stint with the Redlegs, Roush never batted below .321 and won the National League batting title twice. He played with the team from 1916-1926 before coming back and retiring as a Red in 1931. In my opinion, Roush is a perfect choice that celebrates the franchise's 150th anniversary as well as the 100th of the team's first ever World Series title.

I predict that Fred Hutchinson will be featured as a bobblehead. "Hutch" became one of the most respected managers in Reds history and led the 1961 team to a National League Championship. Under his guidance, players such as Vada Pinson, Pete Rose, Leo Cardenas, Jim O'Toole, and Frank Robinson among others flourished and etched their names into Redlegs history. He is a member of the Reds Hall of Fame and his number, 1, has been retired by the team.

My fifth and final Reds Hall of Fame bobblehead prediction is Don Gullett. He was a key member of the Big Red Machine's pitching staff and helped the team reach the World Series in 1970 and in 1972 and helped them win back to back World Series Championships in 1975 and in 1976. During his nine year career, Gullett had a 3.11 ERA and totaled 921 strikeouts and 109 wins. He is a fan favorite and is an obvious choice to be featured as a Reds Hall of Fame bobblehead.

Those are my 2019 bobblehead predictions for the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. I believe that these legends represent various generations of the Reds and will help the Reds Hall of Fame celebrate the 150th anniversary of the team. I cannot wait to see who the Reds Hall of Fame will feature as bobbles for 2019 and am excited to add some new bobbleheads of Reds legends to my collection.

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Soccer Stadium Sneak Peak

One of the requirements that FC Cincinnati needed to meet before the team was welcomed into Major League Soccer was a soccer specific stadium. Everybody in the Queen City knows about the months long drama that unfolded as the team, the city, and Cincinnati Public Schools battled for months on a deal that benefitted all parties involved. Needless to say, a deal was reached and FCC became the newest MLS expansion team earlier this summer. The stadium appears to have been worth all the debate as the franchise unveiled initial design concepts that have left many soccer fans and reporters speechless.

The early designs for the stadium are gorgeous in my opinion and should the designs come to fruition, the fan experience for an FCC match should be one of the best in MLS. The seating capacity is estimated to be between 25,500 to 26,500 which is an increase from the original concept that the team unveiled earlier this year. The amount of seats would also make the stadium one of the largest soccer venues in the country. Part of the expanded seating options is the larger Bailey section which is expected to be double the size of the current Bailey section in Nippert Stadium.

Perhaps the most prominent feature of the stadium’s early design is the canopy roof. The canopy will go around the entire bowl and cover all seats. It will also serve as a way to help keep noise levels down in the surrounding West End neighborhoods while also increasing the volume inside the stadium to keep the pitch rocking. The canopy is also is also made of ethylene tetrafluoro-ethylene (ETFE) foil technology. This is cool feature as it allows for a variety of colors and patterns to be displayed on the canopy’s surface. It has been reported that the design stage will continue into 2019 with a target stadium opening date of March 2021. 

I am a fan of the stadium design and cannot wait to see the finished product when it opens in 2021. The fan experience at Nippert Stadium is phenomenal, and I think it will be even better in the new stadium. For now at least, it appears that the stadium will be worth the drama. The early designs are gorgeous, and the stadium should make an excellent home for Cincinnati’s newest major league team. 

Who Dey Bobblehead Unboxing

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