If you listened to the most recent episode of the Redleg Nation Radio podcast, you were introduced to RNR Madness. As you might expect, it’s a 68-team tournament to name the most valuable player in Reds history. Your votes are going to determine the winner. Let’s get this thing started!
Every week until we crown a champion, you will have the opportunity to vote for who wins each matchup. The polls will open each Sunday at 8:00 pm, and will remain open for precisely three days. Remember that you are voting for “Most Valuable Red.” The definition of “valuable” is open to interpretation and completely up to you. Feel free to leave comments about any particular aspect of the voting, or any individual matchup, and we may discuss it on the podcast.
Here’s the bracket:
Today, we are opening up the polls for the First Four and the Round of 64. The First Four contains eight #16 seeds, all vying for the opportunity to face off against a #1 seed in the Round of 64. Here are the contestants:
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Now we will address the Round of 64 matchups, first in the Crosley Region. For research purposes: Johnny Bench | Scott Williamson | Corey Patterson | Cy Seymour | Pete Donohue | Jim Maloney | Chris Sabo | Bid McPhee | Bronson Arroyo | Brandon Phillips | Jake Beckley | Edd Roush | Eugenio Suarez | Joe Nuxhall | John Reilly | Vada Pinson | Rob Dibble
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Now, the Riverfront Region:
Frank Robinson | Dave Parker | Wayne Krenchicki | Johnny Vander Meer | Frank McCormick | Dave Concepcion | Aroldis Chapman | Eric Davis | Bob Purkey | Dolf Luque | Tony Mullane | Heinie Groh | Lee May | Ewell Blackwell | Adam Dunn | Tony Perez | Kal Daniels
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Next up, the Great American Region:
Joe Morgan | Pedro Borbon | Lisalverto Bonilla | Jim O’Toole | Reggie Sanders | Ernie Lombardi | Kevin Mitchell | Jose Rijo | John Franco | Lonny Frey | Aaron Harang | Eppa Rixey | Don Gullett | Gary Nolan | Ken Griffey | Joey Votto | Sean Casey
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Finally, the Palace of the Fans Region:
Pete Rose | Tom Browning | Skip Schumaker | Bucky Walters | Ted Kluszewski | Johnny Cueto | Frank Dwyer | Paul Derringer | Tom Seaver | Noodles Hahn | Red Lucas | George Foster | Ken Griffey Jr. | Mario Soto | Ival Goodman | Barry Larkin | Jay Bruce
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Winners will be discussed on the next episode of the podcast, and we’ll have Round of 32 voting next week.
#Vote4Skip #Vote4Grit
Johnny and Pete.
You know the franchise has had some terrific players when the 2 seeds include two Hall of Famers (Larkin and Perez) and one future Hall of Framer (Votto). This is great fun but I fear some recent-ness bias will creep in. Bid McPhee and Ed Roush were fantastic players. Too bad nobody remembers them…
Finally, I’m disappointed that there’s no Billy Hamilton / Billy Hamilton play-in. I realize you have an unrequited Lisalverto crush Chad, but you dropped the ball on that one. Borbon will crush Bonilla and you’ll wish you had included the Hamilton’s.
*oops. Votto will be in Cooperstown, not wherever they enshrine painting restorers…
Oooh, you’re right. I missed the boat on that one!
The recency bias shows up the most in the Seaver, Derringer vote. Derringer with 4 2o win seasons and a 19 game season. He and Walters the studs of the 2 World Series teams. So happy to see Big Klu do so well.
The other questionable vote would be Vander Meer over the great Frank Mccormick. A 500 pitcher with 2 famous games over a consistent 300 hitter and league MVP. But this is sorta fun, glad to play along.
It’s a shame how little love Bucky Walters is getting too. There’s an argument for him as the best pitcher in Reds history.
your first pairing should void this whole bracket… you say a rookie of the year is the same seed as a man who hit .205 for one year with the Reds?
No, each of the 16 matchups has an actual 16 seed, and a joke player.
I have a hard time with the really old players and the silly stats that they put up. There are some ridiculous amounts of complete games for the pitchers.
I’ll just say this about Gary Nolan. He literally gave his right arm to the Cincinnati Reds. They didn’t believe him when he complained of the pain. They didn’t take care of him properly. Yet, he went out there and pitched in the kind of agony few could comprehend.
Should have moved on to the next round.