Tag: cincinnati-reds

Pat Zachry, More Than a Footnote

Pat Zachry died on April 4, another passing of my childhood memories with last month’s departures of Ed Ott and U.L. Washington. Zachry was a member of the New York Mets when I first started watching baseball so I got the opportunity to watch him pitch though I must confess I don’t remember many of his starts. Unfortunately, injuries derailed a career in which he won the 1976 National League Rookie of the Year and a World Series title with the Cincinnati Reds. However, the headlines (at least in New York) announcing the passing of Zachry will have the same message.

Pat Zachry was an All Star in 1978. Photo from my collection

In 1977, Zachry was part of the most controversial trade in Mets’ history. He was one of the four players traded from Cincinnati to New York which saw franchise icon Tom Seaver going west to the Queen City. It’s a trade that stings Mets fans to this day as Seaver is still arguably the greatest player in the club’s history. It’s unfair to Zachry and the other players in the deal to be known for just being “those guys” who did not have Hall of Fame careers like Tom Seaver. Let’s face it, the teams trading the superstar almost never get an equal value on the exchange. That’s just how it is. From Babe Ruth being traded to the New York Yankees to Paul Goldschmidt being dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals, the returns are not equal.

Pat Zachry was an All-Star in 1978. He pitched reasonably well during one of the worst periods in Mets history. Injuries prevented him from reaching his full potential. Doug Flynn won a Gold Glove in 1980. Steve Henderson finished as the runner up for Rookie of the Year in 1977 and batted .287 during his time in New York. The return on Seaver was probably better than most of these superstar trades. Of course, Zachry being the pitcher coming back in the deal, had enormous shoes to fill in taking on the task of replacing “The Franchise”.

Pat Zachry left us too soon at age 71. May his family be strong during this time of great difficulty and to them, he is more than just a footnote in baseball history.

My Heart Is In Cincinnati On Opening Day

The first game of the Major League Baseball season took place today with the Los Angeles Dodgers defeating the San Diego Padres by a score of 5-2. This was no ordinary first game as this contest took place in Seoul, South Korea. This is not the first time MLB has ventured outside of the United States to begin the season. The first time it happened was in 1996 when the Padres played the New York Mets in Monterrey, Mexico. However, if you are of a certain age, the first game of the season should be reserved for one city.

That city is Cincinnati.

There is nothing like Opening Day in Cincinnati. Photo from WLWT.

For so many years, up until the early 1990’s, the first pitch of the season was thrown by a Reds’ pitcher. Like so many other traditions, be it in baseball or life in general, this was sacrificed in pursuit of greater riches. Contrary to what I believed to be true, Opening Day in Cincinnati was not because the Reds are the oldest professional baseball team. Early on, it was the southern most city in the National League, making it the most likely to have the warmest weather. According to this article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, when the league wanted the Reds to open on the road in 1935, general manager Larry McPhail pointed to the 60 year old tradition of starting the season in the Queen City and he also told the league the franchise could use the money from the sellout. The Reds still generally play their first series at home. Since 1876, the only years the Reds have played on the road have been 1877, 1885, 1888, 1966, 1990 and 2022. Even though the tradition of playing the first game is gone, Cincinnati still celebrates Opening Day, with thousands of people skipping work and school to attend the parade that celebrates the start of another season.

I am glad baseball is back. It feels like a year since the last out of the World Series was recorded. However, I would take the start of the baseball season beginning a week or two later if the tradition of Opening Day returns to Cincinnati.

Joey Votto Goes (Almost)Home

Big news out of Spring Training today. Longtime Cincinnati Reds’ star Joey Votto has agreed to a non-roster invitation deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. What makes this a big story is that one of the greatest players born in Canada has a chance to (potentially) finish his career in his hometown of Toronto. Given his decline in production and injuries over the last two years, it seems like the odds are against him. However, with the Oscars looming over us, how great of a script would it be for Votto, at age 40 to break camp with the Blue Jays?

Hopefully, we see Joey Votto in Toronto in 2024. Photo from Cincinnati Enquirer

With Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. entrenched, we wouldn’t see Votto playing his customary position of first base. He may get a start or two per month there but his at-bats would primarily have to come as a designated hitter. There is some competition in that spot with Daniel Vogelbach and Spencer Horwitz also in Jays’ camp. Toronto is a team with playoff aspirations so I do not believe this signing of Votto is a way to generate goodwill with the fanbase. If he doesn’t make it out of Spring Training, so be it. They want to see if the six-time All Star has more ball in him and how he could help the team. Him making the roster would be an added bonus that maybe would generate additional fan interest.

When I’m at lunch with friends, one of the topics brought up this question: is Joey Votto a Hall of Famer? That .409 career on-base percentage is certainly his biggest asset, with his biggest seasonal number a staggering .474 in 2012. He led the league in that category six times. Votto was the National League MVP in 2010 and finished in the Top 10 four other times. He had good power, hitting over 30 home runs three times and finishing with 29 on three other occasions. The only negative about his career would be a .244 batting average in limited playoff action. If that is the argument for keeping him out of Cooperstown, we will see him enshrined five years after his retirement.

Here’s hoping Canada’s great baseball hero has one last run in Toronto. May his next milestone come in a blue uniform, similar to his last one in a red one. Raise a Labatt Blue to Joey Votto coming home to Toronto!