Ross is bad, Valentin is bad. I would rather go with Valentin though because he has SOME offense. However, people often forget that Valentin is our best Pinch Hitter. It is nice to have him ready in situations. With all of that said, Ross stays in my book.

Wow, us old-timers are excited to have BOTH a Rusty Staub reference AND a Bill Plummer reference. Can Darrel Chaney be far behind?

Wow, us old-timers are excited to have BOTH a Rusty Staub reference AND a Bill Plummer reference. Can Darrel Chaney be far behind?

 

Here you go.

 

Darrel Chaney was terrible. Woody Woodward was terrible. Chico Ruiz was terrible. I long for Frank Duffy.

Ross is terrible. Valentin is terrible. LaRue is terrible. I long for Bill Plummer.

Or Joe Nolan and Mike O'Berry ...

Or Joe Nolan and Mike O'Berry ...

 

 

....or my favorite Reds PH/C Hal King.

Hal King! Remember his pinch hit grand slam against Dodgers back in '73? I remember like it was yesterday being at a picnic listening to the game and everyone going crazy when he hit it.

 

Even more so, remember when the Reds playing the Dodgers were the biggest events of the year? Your entire schedule on those days revolved around listening to the game on the radio or watching it on TV. The good ol' days . . . .

Hal King! Remember his pinch hit grand slam against Dodgers back in '73? I remember like it was yesterday being at a picnic listening to the game and everyone going crazy when he hit it.

 

Even more so, remember when the Reds playing the Dodgers were the biggest events of the year? Your entire schedule on those days revolved around listening to the game on the radio or watching it on TV. The good ol' days . . . .

 

Was it a GS or a 3-runner? I know he had 3 PH Hrs that year but I thought it was not a GS that he hit.

 

Yes, the Reds-Dodgers was THE matchup in the NL.

You might be right. Over the course of the past 34 years, it is possible that I threw in an extra runner on base.

 

I'd be willing to do the same for Ross if he would ever hit a walk-off HR this year! :jump:

You might be right. Over the course of the past 34 years, it is possible that I threw in an extra runner on base.

 

I'd be willing to do the same for Ross if he would ever hit a walk-off HR this year! :jump:

 

It definitely is one of those MOMENTS you remember as a young baseball fan. I can tell you where I was when he hit it and I think it was on a Friday.

There is a reason the Reds record with Valentin starting is worse than Ross. But Moeller has the best record FYI.

I think we can all agree that there are much better options than Ross, but LaRue and Valentin aren't one of those options.

 

However, the pitchers do really, really like David Ross, and I think he deserves credit for the great starting pitching we have had (but I excuse him for the horrible relief pitching, because I can).

There is a reason the Reds record with Valentin starting is worse than Ross. But Moeller has the best record FYI.

 

Moeller has started all of one game this year. Yes, it was a win, but it was also the game where Harang had his best outing of the year and the Reds got some of the only effective relief pitching (3 INN by Weathers) they've had all season. Moeller is a career .227 hitter who averages an underwhelming 1 HR for every 46 AB's and he, too is regarded as a below-average defensive catcher. Valentin may not be the answer, but Moeller sure isn't either.

I think we can all agree that there are much better options than Ross, but LaRue and Valentin aren't one of those options.

 

However, the pitchers do really, really like David Ross, and I think he deserves credit for the great starting pitching we have had (but I excuse him for the horrible relief pitching, because I can).

 

It certainly helps when your starting rotation is the best that the Reds have had in recent memory. Yes, very odd, that Ross' masterful handling of the pitchers does not extend to the relief corps. Very odd, indeed. :eek:

Don't forget about Pat Corrales.

It definitely is one of those MOMENTS you remember as a young baseball fan. I can tell you where I was when he hit it and I think it was on a Friday.

 

You made me do some internet research.

 

It was a Sunday (thus the family picnic!); 3-run shot off Don Sutton that changed the course of the '73 season for the Reds and eventually propelled them into the playoffs against Mets (remember Rose-Harrelson incident?). Reds starting pitchers that year were Billingham, Gullett, Grimsley, Norman (Nolan was injured) and had Carroll and Borbon in bullpen. Not too bad. A young Foster and Griffey were on the bench. And, of course, CHANEY and PLUMMER were also on this team - clearly why they were so successful.