I can’t describe how proud I am of the Cincinnati Reds this year. I’ve been a fan for quite a few years, but something is different this year.
At the start, I was questioning whether I wanted to follow them throughout this year or not. I was not liking the fact that most of the players were newcomers, so why would I want to give them the time of day getting used to more players I have never even heard of? I had my doubts that I would be able to adjust to the new faces. I am not an expert in sports of any kind, but I know who and what I like when it comes to baseball.
But when I get to watch them in recent weeks, I am learning a lot more about them. And, I like that.
My favorite player, I have to say, is Jonathan India. He came aboard two years ago and had won Rookie of the Year, and I could understand why. He is aggressive, cares for his teammates, and contributes to the team with his hitting, his running, and his personality.
I don’t know if it is the position he plays as second baseman, but another former Reds player, Brandon Phillips, was my favorite. He, too, was a second baseman. I liked his sense of humor and he always seemed to have a smile on his face as well as being talented in what he did on the field.
India and Phillips appeared to have the same types of personalities.
My second favorite this year is newcomer Elly De La Cruz, an infielder. He is usually successful in hitting, running, and stealing bases. I guess the latter would be an acceptable thing to say in this case. De la Cruz has hit numerous home runs, batted in a lot of players, and broke a record set in 1989 set by Reds Eric Davis just recently. It was when he recorded a cycle. What a feat!
According to one news report, he became the youngest major league player to hit for the cycle in 51 years as Cincinnati extended its win streak to 12 games with an 11-10 victory over the Atlanta Braves this past Friday night.
“De La Cruz, 21, doubled to open the second inning, had a two-run homer in the third, hit a run-scoring single to center in the fifth and tripled in the sixth for his fourth RBI of the night,” it was quoted. “The last hit increased the Reds’ lead to 11-7.”
My son, Jamie, is a Reds fan as well. However, he has a tendency to turn the channel to something else if they’re not doing well. He doesn’t want to see them lose, but I have to explain to him that that’s not the way to be in these types of situations. I don’t think he was going to watch the opening game with the Atlanta Braves this week. But, I encouraged him to do it. He was happy that I did.
“I’m impressed this year with the Reds,” Jamie told me. “Too bad you have two winning teams like the Atlanta Braves and the Reds. Someone has to lose and someone has to win (advice I give Jamie every time he is not pleased with the outcome). I hope the Reds will learn from their two losses against the Braves and get back to their winning ways and have fun again.”
Yes, he said that.
It seems like the Reds team this year has a camaraderie that is needed to succeed in the sport. Of course, I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes but that just has to be what is letting them be successful, in my opinion. It’s not that the former Reds teams didn’t have that but I didn’t notice it as much as I have this year.
I just hope we can keep this team for at least a year or, better yet, even longer. It’s tough getting acclimated to the sport when the players are always getting traded or are moving on to something else.
Thanks to the Ansonia American Legion I was able to go a Cincinnati Reds games three times, not to mention two trips to the Dayton Dragons’ games. At least those were the ones in which my son Jamie participated. He just returned on Saturday from a Dragons game.
And he has loved all of these trips because of his love for the sport. I thank everyone who has made these trips available and enjoyable for my son.
Go Reds! Go Dragons!
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Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friends of Paul Sherry, Lowell Gibbons, Gary L. Brown, and Christina Ann (Dinkins) Lacy.
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Please pray for these people: Jamie Knick, Dan Lockhart, Vanna Hannam, Jenny Pitman, Nikole Baldridge, Melinda (Batten) Stacy, Michelle Young, Tommy Farmer, Margaret Hoening, Manual Macias, Kathy McNutt Dapore, Lester Beisner, Delores Beisner, Kermit Foureman, Chuck “C.W.” Cruze, Mark Lovejoy, Connie Buemi Hodson, Michelle Grottle Wright, Cheryl Slonaker Gilmore, Judy York, Donald Booker, Dennis Leeper, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Marie Schlechty, Jeremy “Jerm” Burke, Bev Brumbaugh, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Linda Lore, Ralph Byrd, Doug Winger, Rusty Maloy, Debbie Mayse, Sonja and Dan Coppess, Jeanie Francis, Harvey Hinshaw, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Gary Francis, Anthony and Theresa Grillot, Lee Everhart, Paul Gigandet, Doug Whittington, Tracy Pratt, Kinley Bernard, D’Arleen Waymire, Tish Hodson Shepherd, Zach Urbancic.
Also, Sharon Gamster, John Rimmer, Joan Keen, Carol Hemmerich, Sharon Hummel, Dave Hinshaw, Larry P. Fitzwater, Jim Thomas, Neal Gray, Michael Mowery, Kenny Edwards, Judie Hathaway, Della Burch, Ned and Brenda Wallace, Rick Marker, Randy Garrison, Steve Waymire, Warren Menchhofer, Jannie Barrow, Kathy Gragorace, Danny Foster, Noella Combs, Becky Everhart, Becky Oliver, Jayden Martin, Stefani Priest, Steve Neff, James Enicks, Joann Freeman, Cathy Collins Peters, Donna Bixler, Linda Subler, Roger McEowen, Sally Burnett Ganger, Gloria Hodge, Jeff Baltes, Judy Hoffman and daughter Shelly, Cathy Melling, Scott Clark, and all of those who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
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Happy birthday:
June 29 to Laurie Doyle Erwin, Larry Peters, Samantha Shook, and Amber Bertke.
June 30 to Polly Walls Eley, Shelly Siders, Robin Bousman, Iris Prasuhn, Joni Burelison, Dan Brown, Barry Rodeheffer, Joshua Deeter, and Cathy Peters.
July 1 to Steve Waymire, Don Walters, Sarah Printz, Wesley Francks, and Scott Wendel.
July 2 to Delores Beisner, Ruth Ann Lorton Riffle, Jeff Schlechty, Mark Mayo, Tim Weaver, Jenny Edwards, Dawn Edwards Duff, Deb Prescott, and Melanie Rimmer.
July 3 to Sharon Deeter, Suzanne Barga, Kayla Widener, Spring Fox, Chloe Heck, Norman Dickey, Sue Detling, Sharon Deschambeau, Debbie Nisonger, Kent Shinn, Laura Rieman Waymire, Jerry Gower, and Sarah Edwards.
July 4 to Mike Strawser, Lynne Gump, Angie Sowers, Rita Mundy, and Vicki Woodbury.
July 5 Janet Riffell Bowers, Breanna Burnfield, Dylan Stump, Angie Brown, Sheri Widener, Tamara Sackett, Mitch McCabe, and Dale Musser.
Happy anniversary to Penny (Cox) and Dale Shimomura and Bob and Lisa Mayo, all on June 29; Terry and Barb Hess on June 30; Bob and Michelle (Brumbaugh) Jones, Ivan and Sheila Christian, Brian, and Kelly Dapore and Doug and Sherry Hesson, all on July 1; and Dan and Teri Small, July 4.
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