The Cincinnati Reds released a list of former players nominated to be elected in the Reds Hall of Fame last week. Voting by fans will be held during the month of September and can be done at their website.
Players nominated were:
- Bronson Arroyo
- Aaron Boone
- Francisco Cordero
- Aaron Harang
- Scott Rolen
At first glance, I knew who I was voting for. But I wanted to some research. The Reds Hall of Fame website has a summation of each player and a minimum of playing three years for Cincinnati is one of the standards.
So I checked that out and the players own statistics with the Reds. I then further thought about the impact each player had on the Reds as a team and their statistics compared to other Reds in history. I reviewed what other players were in the Reds Hall of Fame as well.
My pick, upon seeing the nominations and after doing the research didn’t change. My choice was Bronson Arroyo.
Arroyo was durable as a starting pitcher and an innings-eater. He pitched for both good and bad Reds teams. He had a few awful starts as I recall but more often than not, he kept the Reds in the game. His Game 2 start in the 2012 playoffs was not only a “quality start”, but dominant. His win gave the Reds a commanding 2-0 lead but the Reds managed to give that up and ultimately lose to San Francisco.
Bronson Arroyo also connected with Reds fans. His personality fit in with the city and with the fans. While not an ironclad rule for election, I considered this as well. The only time I met Arroyo was at a Cincinnati pub across from Great American Ballpark.
And, of course, we all remember how the Reds got him in a trade with Boston for five-tool superstar Wily Mo Pena. What a steal that was.
He won 108 games for the Reds and has the seventh most starts in their long history. I only wish he could have pitched in a World Series for the Reds but it didn’t happen.
Here’s how I ranked the five nominations in order of preference:
- Bronson Arroyo
- Francisco Cordero
- Aaron Harang
- Aaron Boone
- Scott Rolen
And, in closing, I would only say this about two other things:
Dave Concepcion, Vada Pinson and Dave Parker should be in Cooperstown.
The Reds should retire Vada Pinson’s number.
Pinson is one of a very few 60’s outfielders completely and unjustifiably overlooked. Amazing how well he compared with Mays, Aaron, Frank, and Clemente for a long time. They outlasted him, and were clearly better, but not by nearly as much as most think.
John, I would flip Harang with Cordero, but yes, Bronson is #1.
Aaron Harang is one of my all time favorite Reds. He was a real bright spot on several disappointing teams.
Agreed, or move Cordero down even further. Got tired of watching him empty the bases of inherited runners, and then get the save–leaving his low ERA intact. Wish Rolen could have had a few more effective years with the Reds
Pinson had 3rd most hits of any MLB player in the 1960s. 3rd. Most. Hits.
Clemente 1877. Aaron 1819. Pinson 1776.
Not just NL. All of MLB.
Of the top 20 on that list, 14 are in HOF.
John, your last two statements were absolutely spot on. Concepcion, Pinson, and Parker belong, and Cincinnati should retire Pinson’s number without a doubt.
Pinson was an outstanding CFer and baserunner and a hit and extra base hit machine. I read a few years ago that only Willie Mays had more career doubles, triples, home runs and stolen bases than him. From 1959 thru 1967, he barely missed a game. He played through a torn leg muscle in early 1964. Ultimately leg injuries slowed him down when he turned 30. His career WAR of 58 exceeds many HOFers.
I agree on Pinson and Arroyo. I would have Scott Rolen higher. I realize he wasn’t here long, but he was well thought of in his time here. Also, Scott Rolen has more career doubles than Babe Ruth and that should count for something.
Team Hall of Fames are largely popularity contests, so I would be OK if they all got in.
Dave Parker will never go in because of his connections to all the alleged drug use in the Pittsburgh Pirate clubhouse in the late 70’s- early 80’s.
In my opinion, Parker should have been NL MVP for the 1985 season. Batted 0.312, hit 34 HR, and had a league leading 42 doubles and 125 rbi’s. He was the main reason the Reds finished 2nd in the NL West that season. He carried the team. That was maybe his best overall year of his career, although other years he had a higher BA.
Dave is a good guy. Spends a lot of time promoting youth baseball in Cincinnati; or at least he did. His health may have deteriorated lately. He has Parkinson-like symptoms that MAY be related to his alleged cocaine use in that period.
Vada Pinson was not only a very good player, but was also a really nice guy. He did a lot to keep the sometimes hot-tempered Frank Robinson from getting in more trouble than he sometimes got into.
African – American, aka, Black ballplayers sometimes had a lot of trouble in 1950-60’s era Cincinnati. Trouble sometimes seemed to find Frank Robinson. Which takes nothing away from him being a great player and having a great career. I think that one of the reasons Frank got traded to Baltimore in one of the worst trades ever made by Cincinnati (for Milt Pappas, among others) was that there was a lot of bad feeling (among some fans) toward Frank in that era.
Davey Concepcion was a pretty good shortstop that played on some very good Red’s teams. Having watched him play A LOT, he had great range and sometimes made incredible plays. He had a good career, but I don’t know if he belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame. A sentimental favorite for Reds’ fans, he did have a pretty good career.
At the very least, Vada’s number should be retired by the Reds.
In a career that spanned 18 years, Vada had 2757 hits, scored 1365 runs, 256 home runs, 1169 Rbi’s, and batted a career 0.286.
Pretty good player.
I heard drom someone who knew him in the 1960s that Frank Robinson and his wife were not permitted to buy a house in a white neighborhood until the mid 1960s. Cincinnati had some problems with racial issues in the 1950s and 1960s.
From, not drom. I wish there were an edit function.
I don’t know any details but it has been in the public domain for decades that the “He is an old 30” explanation for Robby’s trade to the Orioles were concerns by Reds owner Bill DeWitt that Robinson was reaching the his boiling point over issues involving the treatment minority folks in the Cincy community at large. Basically he was mad as heck and wasn’t going to put up with it much if any longer.
Concepcion was a “pretty good” SS? 9 time all star, 5 gold gloves, 2 silver sluggers, 4 ws appearances, won 2 of them, and revolutionized his position with the 1 bounce throw from deep in the hole.
He was a superstar who was in the shadow of Bench, Rose, Morgan, and Perez.
+5,000
Of that list, I’d say Arroyo as well, hands down.
And those you noted have been long overlooked by Cooperstown, especially Concepcion.
Concepcion belongs in the Hall of Fame. Compare him to PeeWee Reese, Luis Aparicio, Phil Rizutto or even Slan Trammell. Just as good if not better.
I agree that Davey should be in before Rizutto and Reese. I have never compared him to Aparico and Trammell, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Concepcion had the better career.
Seems it is going to become the Hall of Good, or the Hall of Fan Favorites.
Team Hall of Fames generally are just fan favorites. I remember when Chris Sabo was inducted, at the ceremony, he said he didn’t have a good enough career to be inducted. I don’t think it was false modesty, I think he really believed it. But, I mean what is the harm? Fans should be allowed to pick their favorite players.
One thing I remember about Pinson was as a rookie in spring training with a runner on first he hit one over the fence but, in his excitement he passed the runner that was on first and was declared out.
I agree with Arroyo. I voted for him.
i agree that Pinson, Parker and Concepcion should all be in the HOF. In my humble opinion Parker was the best hitter the reds have ever had and i go way back to the Frank Robinson days. He was one of the toughest outs in baseball for a long time. Concepcion also was a tough out and became a very good clutch hitter
WAR/Seasons w/Reds:
Arroyo 19.1/9 = 2.12
Cordero 5.2/4 = 1.30
Harang 18.2/8 = 2.27
Boone 11.7/7 = 1.67
Rolen 7.6/4 = 1.90
I’d go with Harang, the single good starter team had for a long time, but Arroyo was much more popular among the fans.
I’d go with Harang, too.
When I saw that list, I realized the Reds Hall of Fame had essentially run out of good candidates.
Arroyo was a quality mid-rotation guy, as was Harang, who had to serve as the ace on some bad Reds’ teams. But neither was special on the mound.
Both had ERA’s north of 4.00 and a WHIP around 1.3 or more.
In 17 years with the Reds, the two of them combined for only 1 All Star appearance.
If the Reds Hall of Fame was supposed to represent something special, limited to the best of the best, then “none of the above” would be the appropriate voting option.
But with guys like Sabo and Oester in the HOF, it’s clearly just a collection of decent players who were on the team for a while. In that case, Harang and Arroyo should both be included.
I agree with Arroyo going into the CHOF. And Conception, Pinson and Parker should be in Cooperstown. The Reds should retire Pinson’s number.
I was an assistant golf professional at Avon Field for a few years and worked there before that while in College. Had the pleasure of playing a lot of golf with Dave Parker and he was a nice dude and I have some great stories I can not tell on a message board.
I think he is suffering from Parkinson’s now. I hope he is better.
Dave Parker , apparently, grew up around Crosley Field. it’s too bad he couldn’t have originally signed with his hometown team.
It is Arroyo by a nose over Harang for me.
In the 97 win 2012 season, Arroyo was one of the five rotation starting pitchers who combined to start 161 of the 162 games. As I recall, the odd game out was part of a doubleheader; and, the added player was a starter, Todd Redmond, called up to make that start.
Of that illustrious group of 5, in 2012 Arroyo had the lowest BB/9 rate, the best K/BB rate, and the second lowest HR/9 rate.
From 2006 through 2013, Arroyo started at least 30 games every season.
Unfortunately for Harang, the clock struck midnight for him on a brilliant career as the team was opening the 2010-13 window. And sometimes, timing does make a difference
Agreed, agreed, agree on Vada Pinson. What a partner he was in the outfield, for many years, with Frank Robinson.