Vote Now!

www.reds.mlb.com and other MLB team sites, are having a vote for the all time line-up thing going right now, and it’s amazing. The general idea is, you take some of the great players of all-time from that teams history, by each position, by that players best season, and then you vote for the best lineup. Some positions, like 2nd base, only have a handful of players who’s great season made the cut. Others, like outfield, have about 20.
I can’t wait to see what the Diamondbacks have.
With the Reds, its great. You get to see a lot of names you kind of forgot about, and compare there great years with those of some of the all-time best for that franchise. I almost voted for Kal Daniels.
The fun part, is when you root for a team that has more or less blown for your entire lifetime, you get to see just how petty some of the guys you grew up watching’s best years were, compared to the all-time best.
A few seasons ago, Brandon Phillips had a “monster” year. By “monster”, I mean, it was better than the crap I’ve been exposed to most of my life. (also on there, was Brett Boone’s amazing season). You see the numbers they put up, and you think to yourself, “man what a season”.
Then however, you look down one line, and you see the best year Joe Morgan put up, and you kind of feel like crap. Worse yet, is when you get to the outfield. You scan quickly and say “Oh definitely Griffey Jr. in ‘2000”. Then you look around. All the sudden, the guys you grew up admiring, turn out to be turds, who can’t carry the jocks of the “Big Red machine” players. You obviously think of Rose, Morgan, and Bench, and then you see what George Foster did during his MVP season, and you realize, you have spent the better part of 30 years, watching absolutely horrible baseball.

I’ve decided I’m going to try and be a Yankees fan. The Red Sox made consideration, but I think I would just end up either killing myself, or serving a multi-year prison term for pummeling a douche-bag “Bo-Sox” fan. I’ve never been a team hopper, and i love my Reds, but after seeing that list, I feel used, dirty, and cheap. I kind of just want to curl up in the tub and cry.
When it comes right down to it, Kal Daniels may have had the best season of any Red in my day. How does one not go on a killing spree after realizing that?
I know I hate the Yankees, but I deserve to be happy. I’m gonna go for it. Sure, this postseason will be a huge let-down, after C.C. becomes cold weather C.C., and A-rod swallows a rod, and we get wiped out dramatically from the big dance. It’s worth the risk if you ask me. I know in my heart, I’ll still be a Reds fan, destined to dream of the day my team can be .500 or better, but I’ll settle for almost. If they win out, they’ll miss it by 2 games.
Sure, I can’t really be a Yankees fan. I was born a Reds fan, and maybe I will die a Reds fan, but damn-it, I want to feel the joy of winning!
Sure the feeling will only be half-true, as I will know in my heart I’m not really a Yankees fan, just a poser, but I have to try.
Imagine how awesome it would be to wear a ‘World Series Champion’ shirt, that covers all of your belly, and doesn’t have yellow arm pits, and doesn’t look like a Dickie when you wear it, since it was designed to fit a 6th grade version of yourself. (for the record, I would buy a new 1990 World Series shirt if I could find one)
So here I am World, a quasi-yankees fan, dreaming of a better life. Please be gentle on me, for I am a Reds fan at heart. When I think of greatness, I think Bip Roberts, and Chris Sabo, and Reggie Sanders. Please be gentle with me.

Still going to opening day in the nati next year, but go Yanks, you dirty fuckers!