Dear Bob: A Journey to Cincinnati, Part VII - Two Barries and a Victory

Dear Bob,

As the sun sets on my series of posts to you - which I'm sure you haven't read in real life - I present you with my final few hours of Cincinnati baseball during my trip this month. It makes me a bit sad to think back upon the end of the journey, for I wish I were there now to do it all over again. I am very excited that the Reds are in my town this week. I'll be there all three games.

With the Reds' season grilled well-done, thanks in part to the hesitation to fire Jerry until it was too late, one of the few bright spots of the season is Junior. It's been a bittersweet Reds career for one of the best players in the long history of the game and weighs heavy on the hearts of many fans. Junior wants a World Series ring. Bob, fire Wayne and get him a ring! Junior is part of the core of this team, and it would be a shame for him to leave Cincinnati with nothing but losing to show for it.

Players these days are able to play longer than in the past. Junior's 37 - he has at least three good years left. Don't throw him away just to save some money. DON'T TRADE GRIFFEY!

And while I'm on the subject of trade deadline anxiety, let me say something about Adam Dunn - the man is 27, perhaps not even into the prime of his career, and he already has 224 career home runs. Just think of the possibilities over a career until 40, Bob, just think of having this guy hit 700 career home runs! This is not a guy to throw away, either. How the heck are you going to replace a 40 HR, 100 RBI, 100 R guy like this? He's a homegrown guy whom many of us have watched since day one. Dunner is part of the core of this team, the part that works well. DON'T TRADE DUNN!

Watching Reds batting practice is great fun. You guys who work in baseball probably think those of us who get there two hours before gametime and stand on the side of the field to watch have no lives. Some of us are pretty normal, though. For many of us, it's the only chance to get close to the field before we retreat to our own seats. If you want an example of weird, just look at this picture - why are Javy and Edwin eating their hands?

Speaking of weird, Farney is the king of it, at least on this team. This game was his first back from the concussion and probably his last first day back from a concussion. That guy's brain has to be mush!

I find it a little odd that Wayne traded for Jorge Cantu, if only because we already have several utility guys on the team. A whole team of utility guys does not win championships! Although Jeff Keppinger has been hitting well, you can't expect him to continue that forever. And what's up with the hatred for Edwin? Just let the guy play!

I like Freel a lot, but he's not an everyday player. The guy abuses his body and wears himself down, and I'm afraid one of these days, he'll suffer a career-ending injury. Or worse.

Two men I do not want to see wearing a Reds uniform on Tuesday are Kyle Lohse and Todd Coffey - Lohse more because he can bring something in a trade and Coffey because, well, he stinks. I'd also appreciate if you made Wayne get rid of Toothache and Castro and all the other waste of roster spots. Bring up the kids! The season's lost - give them some experience. Where's Dumatrait? Where's Votto?

I was surprised to see both Griffey and Bonds taking batting practice with the team. Seems to me like I never see Griffey in the cage, and I don't think I've seen the Giants take BP in a few years. I've mentioned several times on this blog that I spent two seasons watching the Giants while living in California, and I love that franchise. I always see them at least once a year and have seen them in both GABp and RFK each of the last two seasons. I love Bonds. I had a sign that said "This Reds fan loves Barry." When he hit number 751, I cheered as if the Reds had hit one out. I wasn't the only one cheering, either. We were sitting in the rightfield seats, but the ball landed a couple of sections over from us.

Dude, get rid of these guys. They're awful. I'm not even sure why they are necessary.

You know, last year I poked fun at George a lot, but aside from all of his annoying catch phrases, I don't think he's that bad. That's probably because I'm not sick of him yet since MLB.TV - where I watch all of my Reds games - shows the feeds for bigger market teams, and well, most markets are bigger than Cincinnati. But that's a whole other fish...

I really like Thom Brennaman. The usual suspects like to complain about every word he says, but I like him. And Brantley has grown on me, too. That first Spring Training game, man was he bad! You could hear Marty thinking "what have they done to me" through the radio!

Nothing beats Marty and Joe, though.

Here's Barry hitting 751. 751. Man, back when I was a kid, I never dreamed I'd see someone hit that. Twenty years from now, all of the scandal dust will settle and people will look back and think how great a player Bonds really was. Besides, there will probably be four or five others sitting above him on that hallowed list of sluggers.

This guy should have been on that list. Ken "What If?" Griffey, Jr. will probably never reach the 700 Club (the good 700 Club, not the crazy one), but back in February 2000 when the first flowers poked through the thawing Earth and the pop of new baseballs hitting leather sounded from the green fields of Florida, I dreamed of seeing The Kid hitting the coveted home run. Alas, life has different plans than our dreams, doesn't it? I sure would like to be in Cooperstown when Griffey's inducted. Vacation 2017?

There aren't many manmade creations more beautiful than a ballpark. I always wanted one of those shirts that said, "Baseball is life," because it is. Or at least it mirrors it. The game has so many imperfections - $$$, free agency, Scott Boras, the Designated Hitter, unequal wealth, Bud Selig, drunks in the stands, Jose Canseco... - but it is the most perfect game, a celebration, a toast to goodness! Just look at the beauty of the field!

It was a great game, just like I wanted - a Bonds homer and a Reds victory.

The sweetest words an ear could ever have the pleasure of meeting! The win completed a great four days of baseball!

After the game was the Fourth of July fireworks show (the game was a day game on the Fourth). Have you ever sat in a darkened baseball stadium filled with fans? Pretty cool.

The firework show was awesome. As a kid I remember seeing one Fourth fireworks show in Cincy, but it was a long time ago. I remember being awestruck by the spectrum of colors splashed across the warm night sky. The feeling this time was no different.

And so, Bob, I finish my lengthy letter to you and leave you with a few more photos, including a trio of Zito pics, one that I doctored a bit for effect. I like to do that on occasion. Anyway, it's just one fan's tale of Reds baseball. I can't wait to start the next one right here in DC!


























Thanks, Mom!
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