This year in 2008, manager Dusty Baker and the Cincinnati Reds started the season on March 31st against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Before the start of the game, everyone wore number 41 in the honor of legend, Joe Nuxhall, as they took a moment of silence in the honors of Joe Nuxhall and Sgt. Matt Maupin, who was early captured in 2004 and was killed in 2008 where he was later found. Aaron Harang got the privilege to wear Nuxhall’s jersey through the whole game.
However, during the off-season, the Reds have picked up talented players. The Reds traded OF Josh Hamilton to the Rangers after the 2007 for starting pitcher Edinson Volquez. Free agent and former Milwaukee Brewer closing pitcher, Francisco Cordero, was signed to the Reds to a four year contract. He was one of the biggest pick ups the Reds have made.
Also, Reds picked up centerfielder Corey Patterson before spring training. He had a good spring and is looking forward for the regular season. Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper are the regular starters out in centerfield but Corey Patterson made the cut to start. He’s talented and athletic and he’s very fast in the outfield. When baseball season starts, people hope for the best for the Reds. They hope that they go for a winning record and that they make the playoffs.
Aaron Harang got the start for the Reds against an All Star pitcher from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Brandon Webb. It will be a good match up for these two All Stars. Joey Votto was supposed to start for the Reds opener at first base but Scott Hatteburg got the start because he had a very good spring as he batted a .386 average, six RBIs, and with one homer. Joey Votto however didn’t because he batted a .206 average with two home runs and seven RBIs while he struck out 11 times.
The first game of the season has started and the Reds were off on a bad start. That game was not what the people expected for there game opener as they lost 4-2. Opening day for them wasn’t really what they had planned when they lost.
In their second game of the season where it was tied 3 a piece when third basemen Edwin Encarnacion got up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. There was a ball an a strike on him. He showed bunt on the next pitch to move the runners but he pulled it back and was called strike 2. The next pitch he swung at was a game winner as he hit a homerun to win the game 6-3.
Their third game, rookie starter Johnny Cueto began the season in his debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was one of the top prospects from Class AA and AAA as he led the Reds in the minors in strikeouts and ERA. In his debut, he was dominating the Arizona Diamondbacks by striking out 10 batters but just giving up just one earned run as they end up winning the game 3-2 where closing pitcher Francisco Cordero got his first save of the season.
This year people might think that the Reds will be a dominating team this year... but who knows?