Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2020 Cincinnati Reds season.
Showing posts with label Joey Votto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joey Votto. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Tuesday, July 10, 2018
D.C. Bound
With my beloved Cincinnati Reds playing some better baseball as the first half of the season comes to a close, three members of the team have been selected as National League All-Stars. Scooter Gennett, Eugenio Suarez, and Joey Votto will represent the Redlegs in Washington D.C. during the 2018 Major League Ball All-Star Game. They have been by far the best players on the team this year and are very much deserving of this honor.
Scooter has become a fan favorite in Cincinnati ever since he signed with the team in 2017. He is a solid second baseman and has been crushing it at the plate. He is currently batting .329 and is one of the best offensive players in the National League. Suarez has become an excellent third baseman and is arguably the best overall player on the team. As of now, he has 66 RBIs and is batting .312. Votto is continuing to craft his hall of fame worthy resume and is further cementing himself as the best hitter in franchise history. Known for having a keen eye at the plate, he currently has an OBP of .428 is batting .296.
As I said earlier, Scooter, Suarez, and Votto are all deserving of being named to the NL All-Star team. They are big threats at the plate and are quality defensive players as well. Having one player represent your team in the All-Star game is great but having three is fantastic. This is the first time since 2014 that the Reds will be sending three players to the midsummer classic. I’m sure they will make Cincinnati proud.
Go Redlegs!
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Bobblehead Collection Update 2017
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the 2017 additions to his bobblehead collection.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
2017 Cincinnati Reds Bobblehead Review
2017 marked a bountiful year in terms of Cincinnati Reds bobbleheads. The team gave out a good number of both special ticket package bobbleheads and regular stadium giveaway bobbleheads. Being an avid bobblehead collector, I attended quite a few games to add some new bobbleheads to my collection. In this post, I will showcase the bobbleheads that I picked up at Cincinnati Reds games during the 2017 season.
First up is Rocket Raccoon. Known as the wisecracking member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, this bobblehead was given to fans who bought a special ticket package as part of a cross promotion between Marvel and the Cincinnati Reds.
Second was Adam Duvall. This was the first regular stadium giveaway bobblehead that the team gave out during the 2017 season. Duvall had a breakout season in 2016 and he was an obvious choice to be featured as a bobblehead in 2017.
The third bobblehead I received from the Reds was of Marvel’s metallic mega hero, Iron Man. This was the second cross promotional bobblehead between Marvel and the Reds. Like Rocket, this was given out to fans who bought a special ticket package.
The same day I received Iron Man, I also received an Anthony DeSclafani bobblehead. This was a stadium giveaway bobblehead and it featured one of the better Reds starting pitches. It was also the only time Reds fans saw DeSclafani as he did not take to the mound once due to an injury.
The next bobblehead I received from a Reds game was of Raisel Iglesias. He is by far the best relief pitcher the Reds have and cemented himself as the team’s closer. His dominance on the mound was incredible, and he was definitely worthy of being immortalized as a bobblehead.
Next was the past and present triple bobblehead that featured three generations of Cincinnati Reds first basemen. Tony Perez, Sean Casey, and Joey Votto were featured on this bobblehead and it is one of the coolest bobbles the Reds have ever made.
The final bobblehead of the year was of Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart. 2017 proved to be a breakout year for Barnhart as he not only won a Gold Glove, but he also had his first bobblehead giveaway game. Barnhart won a fan vote during the beginning of the season to be featured as the final bobblehead of 2017.
Those are the bobbleheads I obtained during the 2017 season from Reds games. I think it is a pretty solid lineup of bobbles that feature some super heros, modern Reds stars, and Reds legends of the past. Hopefully the 2018 bobblehead lineup is just as good if not better.
Go Redlegs!
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Cincinnati Reds Past and Present Triple Bobblehead Unboxing
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Past and Present triple bobblehead.
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Ron Oester Bobblehead Unboxing
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Ron Oester bobblehead.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Cincinnati Reds 2017 Season Outlook
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone previews the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Reds.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Reds Bobbles vs. Reds Hall of Fame Bobbles 2016
For the past few weeks, I have been going over the
bobbleheads that the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum and the Cincinnati
Reds gave to fans in 2016. Since I got every bobblehead that both the team and
the hall of fame gave away to fans, I thought I would compare the lines of
nodders and determine who had the better series of bobbles. I will look at the
players featured, the appearance of the bobbles, and the overall quality of the
nodders in determining which bobblehead series reigns supreme for 2016.
For players featured, the Cincinnati Reds introduced the
bobblehead versions of two players who had not been immortalized as nodders in
Zack Cozart and Eugenio Suarez. There were also three repeat player bobbles
that had a unique twist to differentiate them from years past. They were nodders
of Vottomatic who is the superhero version of Joey Votto, a Cincinnati Reds /
Seattle Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. double bobblehead, and a Star Wars X-Wing
pilot Mr. Redlegs bobblehead. The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum gave
out bobbleheads of Gary Nolan, Jack Billingham, Jim Maloney, Lee May, and Pete
Rose. For everybody but Rose, this was their bobblehead debut. The Rose bobble
was of him being inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame while the other bobbles
featured the Reds legends in their playing days. Since the Reds Hall of Fame
featured more new players as bobbles than the Reds, I’m giving this round to
the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.
Next we will take a look at the overall appearance of the
nodders. The bobbleheads that the Reds gave away looked great. Suarez and
Cozart are in traditional Reds uniforms, Vottomatic is in a superhero outfit,
Ken Griffey Jr. is featured in both his Reds and Mariners uniform, and the Star
Wars Mr. Redlegs bobblehead features the mustached mascot of the Reds in an
X-Wing spaceship. The Reds Hall of Fame bobbles feature the players in
traditional Reds uniforms based on the era that the players were from with the
Rose bobblehead featuring Rose in his red hall of fame induction jacket. Based
on the uniqueness of the appearances of the Reds bobbleheads, I’m giving this
round to the Reds.
With both the Reds and the Reds Hall of Fame claiming a
point apiece, this round will determine which bobbleheads were of better
quality as well as who is the bobblehead champion of 2016. The overall quality
of the Reds bobbleheads was pretty good. The paintjobs on the players were
decent for the most part and the heads bobbled pretty well. However, the paintjobs
on the bases could have been better as the lettering for the names of the
players looked a little splotchy on some bobbles. Also, the bats that are held
in the hands of the Griffey Jr. bobble were pretty loose and would fall out
easily. The Reds Hall of Fame bobbles feature quality paintjobs on both the
players and the bases. The bat in Lee May’s hands fit snuggly, and Rose’s foot
screw into the base to keep the bobble in place. Therefore, the quality round
goes to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.
Based on a final score of 2-1, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of
Fame and Museum gave out the better line of bobbleheads in 2016. The players
were featured were mostly new, and the quality of the bobbles were topnotch.
The Reds bobbles had the better look, but the repeat players and shabby
paintjobs on the bases and the loose bats on the Girffey Jr. bobblehead were
the factors that gave the title of bobblehead champ to the Reds Hall of Fame.
That is not to say that the Reds bobbles are bad as they are in fact really
nice, but the Reds Hall of Fame bobbles were just better overall. If you are a
Reds fan, I suggest picking up both lines of bobbleheads for your collection.
Go Redlegs!
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Cincinnati Reds 2016 Bobbleheads Review
In last week’s post, I wrote about the line of 2016
Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum bobbleheads. In this week’s post, I
will look at the entire line of 2016 Cincinnati Reds SGA bobbleheads. This was
the first time since 2013 that I got every bobblehead that that team gave away
to fans. This was a really good line of bobbles that the team gave away to
fans, and you will see why I think that in this post.
The first bobblehead the Cincinnati Reds gave out this year
was of Vottomatic, the superhero version of Reds first baseman Joey Votto. Had
this been another bobblehead of Votto in a regular Reds uniform, I would not
have added it to my collection but since he is in a pretty cool superhero
outfit, I thought it would make a great addition to my bobblehead collection.
The second bobblehead given out was a Star Wars X-Wing
Fighter Mr. Redlegs bobblehead. In my opinion, this is one of the coolest
nodders the team has ever produced. It features the mascot of the team in an
X-Wing, which is an awesome concept. I’m a big fan of both the Reds and Star
Wars, and this bobblehead is the best of both worlds.
The third nodder of the year was a Cincinnati Reds / Seattle
Mariners Ken Griffey Jr. double bobblehead. This was a special bobblehead that
was given out during the Seattle Mariners vs. Cincinnati Reds game because of
Griffey’s hall of fame induction. “The Kid” is one of my all-time favorite
baseball players so adding this bobble to my collection was a no-brainer. It
looks awesome and is easily one of the best bobbleheads of Ken Griffey Jr. that
I have ever seen.
The fourth bobblehead that the Reds gave away to fans was of
shortstop Zack Cozart. Cozart is one of the best defensive shortstops in Major
League Baseball today and has been a staple on the defensive side of the ball
for the Reds for the past few years. He routinely dazzles with amazing snags,
and his bobblehead has been long overdue. Being a defensive star, the Reds
obviously chose to have Cozart in a fielding stance. I think the bobblehead is
very cool and is a great bobble debut for the Reds starting shortstop.
The fifth and final bobblehead of the year was of Eugenio
Suarez. The Reds acquired Suarez from the Detroit Tigers last year and his
batting power made him an immediate fan favorite. This past season he was the
new starting third baseman and while he struggled in the beginning, he got
better as the season progressed and has become a pretty reliable player on the
defensive side of the diamond. This bobblehead features him swinging a bat though,
and it makes sense considering how his power is what made him known among Reds
fans.
In conclusion, the 2016 Cincinnati Reds SGA line of
bobbleheads is awesome. It features new players and unique twists on players
who have already had bobbles. I hope the Reds continue this trend of either
adding a unique feature to a player who has already had a bobblehead or by
issuing nodders of players who have never had a bobblehead. Based on this
year’s series of bobbles, the Reds are heading in the right direction.
Go Redlegs!
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Graphing at Reds Games
Being a diehard sports fan, I usually try to collect
everything that deals with sports. I collect sports cards, bobbleheads, and
other types of memorabilia. One of my favorite things to collect are
autographs. I try to get tons of things signed by Bengals players at the
various Bengals shows I go to during the season, and I am currently working on
getting the autographs of some of the FC Cincinnati players. Some of the most
challenging autographs to get are from Reds players. There are only a handful
of Reds shows before spring training, and Redsfest only comes once a year. That
means I have to try and get Reds autographs at games, and that is easier said
than done. In this post, I will discuss how I attain signatures from Reds players
at games.
Before I head to the stadium, I make sure I pack my bag with
things to get signed, usually baseballs, and a small bag of sharpies and pens.
I always bring extra in case one of the writing instruments I bring with me
runs out of ink.
The gates to the game usually open an hour and a half before
the game starts so arriving early is key. Once I get to the stadium, I head
over to the first base line and usually try to stand at the end of the aisle
that is next to the camera well that is by the Reds’ dugout. I have found that
you can usually get quite a few autographs in this spot as players walking on
and off the field pass this spot and other times players will walk over from
the dugout and into the camera well and sign for fans that way.
When players comer over, you have to your item ready with a
pen, hold it out, and hope they sign. Sometimes a lot of players sign, and
other times nobody signs. Some guys like Joey Votto and Jay Bruce rarely sign,
and others like Zack Cozart and Brandon Phillips sign pretty frequently. It is
all a matter of luck.
I have managed to get quite a few autographs from players at
Reds games. Brandon Phillips, Todd Frazier, Shin-Soo Choo, Zack Cozart, Joey
Votto, Billy Hamilton, and Raisel Iglesias among others have all signed things
for me at games. It is fun trying to call players over and when you manage to
get something signed, it’s a great feeling. I hope you found this post helpful
and hopefully you can get some autographs the next time you go to a Reds game.
Happy graphing and go Redlegs!
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
MikelineTV Care Pacakge Unboxing
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a care package from MikelineTV.
Give MikelineTV a sub: https://www.youtube.com/user/mikeline...
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Vottomatic Bobblehead Unboxing
Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds SGA bobblehead of Vottomatic.
Is It Worth It?
I love the Cincinnati Reds. They are my team when it comes
to Major League Baseball. My parents instilled a love for the Redlegs in me
when I was a kid, and my passion for this team has only grown since. I was with
this team during the dark days when it looked like October baseball would never
grace the Queen City again, and I was with this team when they walked off with
the National League Central Division Championship in 2010 and when they ran
away with it in 2012. I have seen guys like Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Larkin
forge their Hall of Fame legacies on the shores of the Ohio River, and I
witnessed the rise of the “Cuban Missile” Aroldis Chapman, and the crowning of
the Homer Run Derby King Todd Frazier.
I have seen a lot during my time as a Reds fan. Rebuilding,
however, is a hard thing to watch. It is especially difficult when you consider
how good the Reds were a few years ago. They made the playoffs, and it seemed
like they were on the verge of breaking through and capturing their first World
Series Championship since the 1990 season. That was not the case as those
dreams were dashed when the front office realized that the team they had
assembled was not quite good enough to win it all. Fan favorites left town,
wins were outnumbered by losses, and the reconstruction of the Reds has
officially begun. So after witnessing the rise and fall of the Reds of the
2010s, I have to ask if it is worth watching this team struggle as it looks to
regain its former glory?
To sum it up: yes. It is worth watching this team struggle.
Do not get me wrong. I want to see the Reds win every game they play and win
the World Series. I will always have that sate of mind and will be angry when
they play poorly and be excited when they play well and win. It is the fan in
me that evokes that emotion. I also realize that this team is designed to win
in the next few years and not now. I do not like it, but I know that this team
will lose a lot of games and will look very bad at certain times during the
season. The baseball analyst in me realizes that.
So why will I watch this team? I want to see them grow. I
want to see this young crop of payers evolve into the next batch of Reds stars.
This team is loaded with untapped potential. I have seen flashes of their talent,
and if they can turn those flashes into sustained play game in and game out,
then the future looks very bright for the Redlegs. This team will put it all
together and become a winning franchise once again. It is only a matter of
time.
So is it worth it? Absolutely.
Go Redlegs!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)