Redsfest: The Hangover

PHEW - We're whooped. What a great weekend. Just as the off-season is starting to show how long it is, we had this great oasis in Redsfest to get us through another couple of months. The Reds out-did themselves once again at this annual explosion of all things Reds. Even with three of us there, we didn't get to experience everything Redsfest had to offer. Check out a few of the photos we took - wish we would have grabbed more!

Here are a few highlights:

Mystery Jersey Bags
At the Reds Community Fund game-used area they were offering brown bags with a unidentified player's jersey inside for a reasonable $40. We just can't resist this stuff. Two were purchased and we pulled a Juan Castro BP jersey and a Kent Merker BP jersey. What a fun idea.

Reds Hall of Fame VIP Member area
Two of us here at OMGreds are Reds Hall of Fame members and we really enjoyed the nice little perk the HOF offered in their area of Redsfest - a Hall of Fame Members VIP room. They had a nice little set-up using the Reds leather clubhouse couch and chairs, a flat-screen TV and a couple of more chairs and tables. It was a nice place to sit down and get away from the hustle and bustle of the Redsfest floor. But, they best thing was never knowing who else might be in there. At various different times over the weekend we got to chat at length the Ron Oester, Hall Morris, Lee May and Eric Davis. It was nice to talk with these guys in a relaxed situation. They were all great.

Herm Winningham
If you missed Herm this weekend, you really missed out. This guy is off the chain. He single-handedly kept an entire autograph line (along with Glenn Braggs and Tracy Jones) entertained for an hour on Saturday. The dude is a ham, there's no doubt about it.

Chris Dickerson
Tell you what, Chris Dickerson is just fun to be around. That guy has a ton of energy and is pretty much always in a good mood. Even after a whirlwind media tour on Thursday, he still had plenty of energy for the fans at Redsfest all weekend. Plus, unlike a lot of guys in today's game, he's got a great signature. He's old school like that. Overall, you can't help but root for the guy.

Mario Soto's Fedora
As mentioned on Redleg Nation, here's Mario rockin' the fedora, Indy Jones style.

The 'Graphs
There's no way around it, the biggest draw at Redsfest is the autographs. We're all Reds fan-boys here and like collecting autographs. So, it's heaven for us. Not sure the total count was for the three of us that were there, but it's quite a pile. Here's a shot of just my pile.

Here's a pic of buff Glenn Braggs signing a fan's card. Brandon Phillips was great with the fans, while looking Super-Fly. By the way, Dusty DID shake my hand.

Other Reds Fans
Tell you what, when you stand in autograph lines for a while, you get to know the folks around you, for good... and bad. We chatted it up with a ton of other fans, and they were great.

Other Fan's Jerseys
Yeah we love the jerseys. Saw some great ones too... should have taken some photos, huh? Some highlights include a kid in a Dominican Rebulic WBC jersey, a guy in a '30s-era Reds away jersey (beautiful), a few Davey Concepcion jerseys, any Dick Pole jersey, Of course, seeing a couple Sam LeCure jerseys in the game-used area was awesome for us. Not a jersey, but these pants were pretty special. Then, there was this guy in a Scott Ruskin jersey.

Old Junk
Yep, we love perusing the old junk at these shindigs. I saw a pair of Mr. Redlegs cuff links from the '50s that I HAVE to have. Might be on the look out for those in the future.

Swag
There is always a lot of swag being thrown aound (literaly) at Redsfest. It's fun to bring home a few foam baseballs, coupons for 1.50 off Banquet Boneless Chicken Nuggets and free kids meals at Bob Evans. We're definitely going to use the coupon for 1 free fresh cut fry at City Barbeque. Awesome. The Topps Baseball cards were a nice touch too. They featured the 2010 card design, but were exclusive to Redsfest, as they did last year. One of our favorite blogs, The Writer's Journey, has great scans of all eight cards in the set.

The Reds Blogging Community
What a great group. Redsfest was a chance for all of us to be in one place and get a chance to meet one another face-to-face. The nice thing about our little community is the support we all have for one another. There's alot of respect and camaraderie in our little world, we're all pulling for each other's success, and of course for the success for the team we all love (and hate sometimes!), The Reds. It was great to meet folks from Red Reporter, Redleg Nation, Better off Red and to Tweet around with all the other Reds blogs and fans out there. Oh and that C Trent guy too.

So, to officially wrap up all this: We're nuts about Redsfest.

GO REDS!

Cyclones/Reds Jerseys - In Action

After Redsfest, we headed across downtown Cincinnati to watch the 'Cones take down the Florida Everblades 3-0. Gotta tell ya, the 'Clones were looking darn good in those Reds-inspired jerseys. We stayed after the game to take in the jersey auction, but. all of them were pretty much out of our price range with the majority going for $375-$450. It's great though, proceeds from the auction went directly to the Reds Community Fund. Great stuff.

The Cyclones posted video highlights from the game with a great look at the jerseys.

A few photos that we snapped:

2009 Redsfest: Night 1

Wow, another great job by the Reds. Again, this is a first class-event, and this year's is just as good or better than last year. 3/5 of the OMGreds crew was on hand tonight at various points to take in the action. We snagged some autos from Dusty Baker, Ron Oester, Mike Linclon, Nick Masset, Jay Bruce and others. We also heard that Barry Larkin was signing autographs for 2 HOURS! That's awesome. This town loves him, and he knows it. Mad respect from us!

One cool thing about Redsfest is picking up some game-used stuff from the Reds Community Fund. Jerseys, bats, signed baseballs, you name it, they have it. Well, we picked up a couple of "Mystery Bag" game-used jerseys... we just can't resist that stuff. We'll post some photos and reaction from our haul soon.

We also heard a rumor that Rob Oester got into it with Chris Sabo about something and Spuds bailed on his autograph session (9:15 at the Reds Hall of Fame area). We didn't witness it ourselves, but it's all over the radio tonight. Crazy stuff.

Regardless, it's time for us to get some rest and gear up for a long (and awesome) day tomorrow. As always, more on Twitter. See ya there!

Redsfestivus

Redsfest weekend is a like a national holiday for OMGreds. It's been a long week of buildup and anticipation, but we're ready to go. Our threads are ironed and our autograph plan of attack is ready to go.

We've rocked Redsfest the past few years, and it's a first-class fan event. It's so well respected around baseball that fans of other teams are a bit jealous. We don't blame them at all... we would be too.

We're also pretty siked about the Cyclones game on Saturday night. Right after Redsfest closes up shop at 7:00, we'll be heading down the 7:30 Cyclones game. What's killer is that the 'Clones will be sporting some fancy Reds-inspired sweaters. Check out Better Off Red and another local blog, Sports Design Blog for a couple of sneak peaks of the jerseys.

So, follow along with us this weekend. We'll be pounding Tweets out like nobody's business, posting photos and all that jazz. Here's a few photos from Redsfest '08 to whet your pallet.

Cyclones salute the Reds

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

This Saturday, December 5th! Awesome! Can't wait to see these jerseys!

More deats:

• $1 John Morrell Hotdogs


• The first 2,000 Fans will receive a free 2010 calendar


• The Cyclones will be paying respect to their neighbors, The Cincinnati Reds, by wearing special Reds themed jerseys. The jerseys will be auctioned off after the game.

The Cyclones will play host to Florida Everblades. Puck drops at 7:30 - just in time to leave Redsfest when doors close at 7:00 and get down to US Bank Arena. The replica Reds jerseys the Cyclones will be sporting Saturday night will be auctioned off after the game with proceeds benefiting the Reds Community Fund. More info at www.cycloneshockey.com

2010 Reds Bobbleheads: The OMGreds predictions

To be absolutly up-front, we do have a touch of inside knowledge about the 2010 Reds Bobblehead lineup. That one peice of knowledge is.... drumroll..... the Reds will feature FOUR bobblehead games in 2010, one being a "Fan's Choice" similar to last year's giveaway that resulted in an Edison Volquez bobblehead. Yeah, we know... it's pretty cool to have such great inside knowledge right? Don't be so jealous!

Alright, what we don't know is who will be featured on those four bobbleheads. That's the fun part though, right?. In the past ('08 '09), we've tried to fortell the future, to only mixed results.

As a primer, here's a rundown of Bobbleheads of Reds past.

Without further adieu, Here's our stab at the 2010 Reds bobblehead lineup:

Francisco Cordero
Coco is a lock. Cordero was the Reds' lone All-Star representative in 2009 and had a pretty good season anchoring the bullpen. Given he hasn't been featured in any Reds giveaways up until now, it's likely the Reds will honor him with his very own nodder in 2010.

Drew Stubbs
Like Joey Votto and Jay Bruce last year, the Reds will most certainly give props to their promising young center-fielder after his coming out party in 2009. You can't deny that this city is a little Stubbs-crazy right now. Expect Stubbs to get "The Nod."

Johnny Cueto
We're not solid on The Big Cue being in lineup, but it makes sense. He's becoming a fan-favorite and it's another opportunity for the Reds to honor another young arm. We're not sure where he finished in the Fan's Choice vote from last year, but we'll bet he was in contention. Did he get more votes than Sam LeCure? Well... it had to have been close.

Fans's Choice
Option #1: We've heard that the Fan's Choice vote will be done a little differently than it was last year. We're not exactly sure what that means, but we're thinking it may feature a vote of players from the 1990 World Series team. 2010 is, after all, the 20th anniversary of the last Reds team to win a world championship. Now, here's the trouble with that - several popular players from that team have been featured on bobbleheads in the past - Barry Larkin (twice), Chris Sabo and Eric Davis. Of course, who would get end up winning in a vote from the 1990 team? You got it - one of those three guys.

Option #2, AKA Thinking Too Hard: So, here's another option, and one that we would fully back: A Fan's Choice ballot that features players from the Reds Hall of Fame, possibly excluding players that have already been immortalized in ceramic. That would lead to an interesting vote considering that a lot of the Big Red Machine and Wire-to-Wire guys would be off the list. We would love to see it, but it seems a little complicated and everyone that got shafted on Johnny Bench Bobblehead Night in 2002 would want a second chance to get a Benchy Bobble and can't.

Option #3: They just open up the 40-man roster and let the vote fly. It would be a little boring, but it would be interesting to see who folks vote for. Would Votto or Bruce get another bobblehead? Would a guy like Chris Dickerson get a lot of support? Does Rolen get a shot after only spending a month+ in a Reds uniform in 2009? Janish?

Opción de Cuatro: The Reds come up with some insane category: Clutch players, long-ball specialists, players from the '60s, journeyman outfielders, mullets from the '90s, Reds whose last name starts with the letter "Y", players who remind Cincinnatian's of Peter Edward Rose, guys who didn't pet Schottzie before games, this list just goes on and on...

Further Consideration

Of course, we're probably completely wrong on all of this. We can hear the Reds promotional staff laughing at us right now. It hurts, too. No worries, we'll get over it.

Here's a few more thoughts on guys that might sneak there way to bobblehead glory:

Chris Sabo
Even though he achieved glory with his own bobblehead in 2002, it's not going to stop the Reds from making another one of him. With his recent surge in popularity with his impending induction to the Reds Hall of Fame, he's a hot ticket right now. Reds fans have always loved him too. It just all makes sense. We would include him as a "lock" for a bobblehead this year, but we're heard that he might show up in bobblehead form in a different type of giveaway, as in not a traditional stadium giveaway. It's not a certainty, and we really don't know much, but there may be a twist. If that doesn't happen, expect Spuds to get his due along with Coco, Stubbs and others.

Joey Votto
Yep, we're calling it right here, right now. The Reds might pull a goofy one, ala this beauty, and get Joey nodding again for a second straight year. Votto in street clothes? Votto in an alternate uniform? Votto with a first baseman mitt? "Strange Brew" Votto? Finished 22nd in the NL MVP vote Votto? The sky is the limit, and the Reds might actually reach it on this one. You can pretty much count Jay Bruce in a similar category of duplication. Shoot, they might even put both of them on a dual bobblehead: The Bruce & Votto "Bosom Buddies" Bobble.

Homer Bailey
After his stellar finish to the 2009 season, fans are lovin' him. Right there with Volquez, Votto and Bruce, he's a young face of the franchise and ripe from some promotional marketing. Too bad he doesn't have the long locks... that would be another Bronson-esque nodder.

Chris Dickerson
You can't help but like this guy. We'll venture to say that Dickerson is popular with the younger kids? Probably because the younger kids that kinda want to rebel against all their friends that proclaim Bruce or Votto as their favorite Red. Don't worry, they're sincere about it.

Scott Rolen
Stranger things have happened. We can't ignore Rolen's presence in the promotional landscape. He's one of the best players of the last decade or so. Just because he hasn't been a Red all that long doesn't mean he doesn't deserve a bobblehead. Now, will his promotional night draw a big crowd? That's, of course, the big question.

Jonny Gomes
The Reds haven't re-signed him yet, and it's pretty early to call, but if a Gomes nodder features him with a sombero... it's on. That's a sell-out, folks.

Giving up the Ghost
There are a few bobbleheads we would love to put on the self above our computer in the spare bedroom, but we're just not going to see 'em. Ted Kluszewski, Johnny Vander Meer, Ernie Lombardi, Vada Pinson, Bucky Walters, Jim O'Toole... the list goes on. They're all great Reds, but we're not sure we'll ever see 'em in bobblehead form.

So there you have it. We'd love to hear what you think. Let it fly!

Fly BRM Hat

Check out this awesome custom "Big Red Machine" hat over at Attica Jailhouse. It's on our Christmas wishlist, for sure! They also have a ton of other really super rad caps. Plus, for 30 bones, you can't beat having having a stylish and unique hat for less than you would spend on an MLB Authentic.

Serisously, we would love to have a Red Stockings version of the Fleetwood:



Check out their online store for even more.

Nerdin' it up! At the Moeller Card Show!

I love going, but nothing makes me feel nerdier than going to a baseball card show. I get over it pretty quickly, though.

So, this fall's Moeller Sports Card and Memorabilia Show featured two Baseball Hall of Famers and San Francisco Giants - Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda, as well as former Red, Eddie Milner. Of course, I snagged autographs from all three. Juan Marichal, "The Dominican Dandy" was especially pleasant. It was nice to meet the guy - he's one of games greatest pitchers.

Gettin' some sigs is always fun, but it's a card show, folks. So, after drooling over Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig cards, I got my vintage fix by picking up my first Big Klu card - the 1955 Topps featured above. Not looking to break the bank, I snagged this beat-up Klu on the cheap-cheap. Also picked up a few other Reds oldies - 1960 Topps Fred Hutchinson (right), 1955 Bowman Wally Post, 1955 Bowman Howie Judson, 1965 Topps John Tsitouris and a 1972 Topps Traded Joe Morgan. The Morgan card was actually the last '72 Topps I needed to complete my Reds set from that year - and a tough card to find. Niiiiiiiice.

I picked some other stuff here and there, mostly cards to get signed at Redsfest and a few new Joey Votto cards. Overall, I had a groovy time flippin' through bins of cards, laughing at over-priced autograph and memorabilia cards and avoiding buying any junk wax from the '80s... so hard to resist!

Oh, Eddie Millner? Oh yeah, he's doing well. He's livin' in the ATL and giving private baseball lessons. That sounds like the life to me!

Rose’s Girlfriend in Playboy?

Looks like Pete Rose’s girlfriend, Kiana Kim [SFW Photos], is getting an audition for Playboy, according to a radio interview on KGOW in Houston this week. Kim, a salon owner in Los Angeles as well as an Arizona State grad, is getting an audition at Playboy’s open casting call while in Houston. During the interview, she also dished about her relationship with baseballs All-Time Tit Hit King, how they met and of course, her measurements.

The interview with Kim was a by-product of a KGOW interview last week with Pete himself. Rose happened to be on air with former Playmate and current Playboy scout Mikki Chernoff along with former NBA player Mo Taylor. Rose talked about baseball, re-instatement, A-Rod as well as doing a little lobbying for Kim to be considered for Playboy. It now appears that she's getting her shot.

Ah, reminds us our Pete's own appearance on the cover of another famous nudie mag.

Hat tippy-tip: Big League Stew

Ready for Redsfest?

We're stoked for Redsfest here at the OMGreds office complex. We've got our vintage cards ready for the autograph lines. We're planning strategies. We're doing stretches. We're saving our pennies and planning on spending it all in one place. Our grandmothers would NOT approve.

Hillcats

Recent focus groups have told us that OMGreds is pretty much the last place you look for Reds news and updates. Especially those of the "BREAKING" variety. With that, we'll just assume that you already know that the Lynchburgh Hillcats are replacing the Sarasota Reds as the advanced Class A affiliate within the Reds' farm system. Check out Better Off Red for details that are informative, useful and that make sense.

Now, that's all fine and dandy. What we want to point out, is how COOL the Hillcat mascot, Southpaw is. Think about it.... Hillcat. Hill. Cat. Plus, he's a crafty left-hander. That's one potentially fierce animal. Well, at least it sounds fierce. We really have no clue what the hell a Hillcat is.

So, we asked our buddy, Wikipedia. He said: "You talkin' 'bout a HELLcat?"

Wiki's response was, of course, in a cranky, grumpy old man voice. Kinda funny. Anyways...

We then asked our other buddy, Facebook. He's got the answer:

The Hillcat is a fictitious cousin of the bobcat, which is indigenous to northeast Oklahoma. The Hillcat also draws its name from “College Hill,? a traditional nickname for RSU. It was selected by a committee of RSU students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community.

Damnit. Oklahoma? Ah... RSU... Rogers State University in Oklahoma. These might not be the Hillcats we're looking for.

Well, we can't really find out why the Lynchburg chose the name "Hillcats" but we can surmise that since the area is surrounded by mountains, there are probably a lot of cats in them there hills. Hillcats. Makes sense to us!

Now, if you're a Reds fan looking to jump on the Hillcat bandwagon early, pick yourself up one of the sweet game-used jerseys they have on sale right now. You'll be in good company - who knew that Darth Sidious was a Hillcat fan? Right on!

Reds Stirrup Watch

Four, count 'em FOUR Reds prospects rocked the 2009 AFL Rising Stars Game. It was great to see Yonder Alonso go 3 for 4 (Double, 2 RBI), Chris Heisey go 2-3 (1 HR, Double, Walk, 2 RBI) and Mike Leake pitch a scoreless inning. Zack Cozart didn't make an appearance.

What did we love the most? A young Redlegs rockin' real, honest-to-god stirrups. Sanitary sock and all, folks. Mike Leake's hosiery choice is featured in the photos above. The future is now.

Redsland Forever

Looking for a Redlegs fix? Head up to the Cincinnati Art Museum on Thursday, November 12 for the unavailing of a limited edition art print by Cincinnati artist C.F. Payne. Redsland Forever features fourteen illustrated caricatures of Cincinnati Reds legends spanning 140 years of Reds baseball, including Eric Davis, Chris Sabo, Joe Nuxhall and members of the Big Red Machine.

The event at the Art Museum is free and features an informal lecture from the artist. If that's not enough to get you over the baseball blues now that the season is officially over, Chris Sabo himself will be meeting and greeting with guests before the lecture. Nice!

Signed & framed ($250) as well as unsigned ($50) prints will be available at the event. Proceeds from sale of these prints will benefit the Reds Community Fund's baseball-themed outreach programs and the Cincinnati Art Museum. More at Reds.com

We're thinking of heading to the event. The Cincinnati Art Museum is always a great place to visit. Combine that with the Reds and some cocktails and we'll more than likely show up.

Check out more of C.F. Payne's work on his website: www.cfpayne.com. Payne's illustrations have graced the covers of many magazines, from Time Magazine to Sports Illustrated and even MAD Magazine. He has been commissioned to paint countless politicians, authors and entertainers. Works by Mr. Payne's hang in many prestigious museums and galleries around the world. If you're like us, check out the sports section in his portfolio. You'll likely enjoy his subject matter and style.

If you do make it to the event next week, make sure to stick around and view more of Payne's work, as he has an exhibit up at the Cincinnati Art Museum through January 10, 2010.

In summing up the inspiration for Redsland Forever, C. F. Payne said:

In making this picture, “Redsland Forever,” I have tried to capture a sliver of the spirit, pride and love Cincinnati has for our Redlegs. We are America’s first professional team. The 140-year history of the Cincinnati Reds has given so many in our community thrills, joy, heartbreak, pandemonium, sadness, happiness, glee, suffering, amazement and good times with the kids. The Cincinnati Reds also have given us players we have come to know and admire. The affection for this team is real.

I love baseball. I love the history of baseball. And, I love the Cincinnati Reds.

Reds included in the print: Harry Wright, Barry Larkin, Johnny Vander Meer, Eric Davis, Chris Sabo, Ernie Lombardi, Paul Derringer, Ewell Blackwell, Joe Morgan, Sparky Anderson, Joe Nuxhall, Tony Perez, Johnny Bench, Ted Kluzewski.

More details comin' at ya:

What: Unveiling of Redsland Forever, a commemorative print by C.F. Payne
Where: Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45202
When: Nov. 12, 2009 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Admission: Free
Information: (513) 639-2922 or www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org

Bruno pranks Charlie Hustle

Hi World Series, nice to meet you

It was by fluke chance that we were in Philly while the World Series was going on, so we had to take advantage and see what all the hub-bub was about. We posted mad updates on Twitter Saturday afternoon from Citizen's Bank Park, but here are some more visual highlights from game three of the 2009 World Series for ya.

Zombie Bobbleheads

Just watchin' the World Series, makin' Zombies with Zombieland's Zombify Yourself. Looks like Adam Dunn Bobblehead had a run-in with an undead while try to sneak down to the blue seats before a game at Riverfront. I told him not to go so early, the ushers are pretty hard to get past before the 3rd inning. You gotta be sly. Adam Dunn Bobblehead just didn't listen and got himself Zombied.

Post a comment with your own Reds themed Zombies if you like.



Poor Eric Davis Bobblehead was on his way to the speed pitch up in the yellow section of Riverfront. Unfortunately, he could never remember what section it was in and walked all the way around the stadium only to run into Zombie crawling out of a hot dog stand. He and his gold chains never had a chance. You would think he would use his bat, but he just couldn't get it off his shoulder.


Dunn just has problems, right? Well, this is actually from eating too many FuNachos. Those knock-off "nachos" will do that do ya. Oh, and looking like Spencer Pratt isn't helping things either.


Ol' Tommy B, much like the Dodgers on Sept. 16, 1988, ran into a buzzsaw. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


Our favorite mullet, Craig Wilson actually got himself zombied down in Sarasota while in spring training with the Reds. Why he was still wearing his Pirates uniform is beyond us. I guess he just couldn't give it up.... or he knew that he wouldn't be wearing a Reds uniform anytime soon.


Well, not exactly a bobblehead, but this Mr. Redlegs at GABP is creepy enough on his own.

Hat Tip on the Zombie maker: JT at The Writer's Journey

So Joe Morgan rolls a Honda, playin' workout tapes by Fonda

Everyone's favorite Emmy-winning baseball announcer, Joe Morgan, has an announcement of his own: The opening of Joe Morgan Honda in Monroe, Ohio.

Now, settle down folks, we know you've had your eye on that Fit for a while now, but you'll just have to wait. Joe Morgan Honda probably won't be opening its doors until next summer, at the earliest. So, we have plenty of time to sit around and dream about how fantastically awesome the commercials starring the Hall of Fame second baseman will be. Early word* is the commercials will likely give Bronson Arroyo and Chris Welsh a serious run for their money. Let the showdown begin.

*Totally made up

It's Rob... Mr. Dibble if you're nasty

Former Red and "Nasty Boy" Rob Dibble has his own clothing line out these days, dubbed "Nas Tee™". Based on a logo (named "Stitch") designed by Dibble's tattoo artist, Jesse Aristroy, this new clothing line is certainly ummm... nasty. Here's a bit more about "Stitch" from an entry on Dibs' MySpace Page.

Stitch is whatever you want him to be! When I asked my Kick Ass Tattoo guy and good friend, (Jesse Aristoy) to come up with a cool logo that represented Dibble Baseball, The Mighty Stitch was born. He was born from the ashes of my heart, from my blood and my sweat. That's when Jesse gave him life. My lovely wife Jonna, thought we should share him with you, so we will.... Stitch will help you get through the tough times, be ever so humble with you in times of success.Soon Stitch will be all over shirts, hats, buses and anything else we can think of...He's not just ours, He's here to help you! SO Work Hard, Fight the pain, Don't ever f...... give up! It isn't going to be easy, but anything worth having, never is... Success means NOTHING if you don't earn it... Do you think you can hack it? Do you think you're HARD enough? Cool, then you can be apart of Stitch's team.

We didn't think MySpace was around anymore. Anyways...

While the "Nas Tee™" line is small now, they cover the bases (hey!) with styles for men, women, kids and infants. If that's not enough to quench your thirst for baddest "Nasty Boy" of them all, check out his Zazzle merch! Sip on some nasty from this coffee mug, pimp your doggie out in this getup, rock an apron 'round da kitch or surf the information superhighway while using this state-of-the-art mouse pad. We're a tad disappointed that the men's neckwear hasn't been introduced yet. We could use a set of those for important OMGreds meetings and public speaking engagements.

While you're at it, check out Dibs' official website. If you're not up for that, just do your best to "Think Nasty."

Aaaaaaaaaaaand, we couldn't resist...

Crosley Field on 8mm

Check out this great footage shot by Reds fan Paul Hurst during one of the last games at Crosely Field in 1970. Filmed with a Kodak 8mm camera, this footage has a great nostalgic quality, almost dream-like. I always enjoy seeing the fan's perspective at long-gone ballparks of the past. This particular video is reminiscent of the 2008 Fox Sports series, Baseball's Golden Age. In fact, so much that I can hear Alec Baldwin narrating the video in my head... but as 30 Rock Alec Baldwin, not narrator Alec Baldwin. It's a bit funnier in my head that way. Regardless, enjoy it however you like, okay?

With all the hubbub about the recently found Babe Ruth footage, it's fun to dig stuff like this out - even if it's not quiet as old or as mysterious.

Pedro, where have you gone?

The Reds Hall of Fame is certainly excited to induct its latest class next year, the problem is, one of them has come up missing. Big Red Machine pitching great, and soon-to-be Cincinnati Reds Hall of Famer Pedro Borbón is missing in action and the Reds could use your help. If you any information on his where-abouts, contact the Reds Hall of Fame at 513.765.7923.

We saw Pedro ourselves last year at CEI Sport's Big Red Machine Reunion and even had a photo taken with him. Pedro was super nice and even signed a few autographs for folks around me for free.

Let's hope the Reds Country can help track Pedro down and give him, along with Chris Sabo and Tony Mullane, the huge reception that he deserves next summer's Induction Gala.

UPDATE: The Reds have found Pedro! He is doing well, living in Texas and excited to be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.

Sabo, Borbon and Mullane your 2010 Reds Hall of Fame Inductees

We're pretty sure you knew, but just in case you missed this HUGE announcement, the Reds Hall of Fame is revealing the 2010 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame inductees this afternoon. We'll let you know what happens, of course. In the meantime, here's a look at what we think will happen.

We'll be at the Reds HOF for this afternoon's press conference. You can Follow us on Twitter for the latest.

UPDATE: Chris Sabo, Pedro Borbon Sr. and Tony Mullane are the 2010 Reds Hall of Fame Inductees. More at Reds Internal.

Chris being interviewed after the announcement. Not that you could tell since his face is completely blown out by the light in the photo. Our apologies. Next time, we're grabbing the Nikon. Rock on...



Here are a few more shots from today's press conference courtesy of the Reds PR Department

So, that's how he does it!

Pine Tarded

Just a Good Night at the Ball Yard

We had the pleasure of meeting two kick-ass Reds fans tonight, Jordan and Jacob, who certainly are not fair weather gents. Check out the paint job these guys pulled off. Complete with numbers on their backs. This helmet sundae's for you guys! Their buddy who was in tow apparently didn't get the memo and wore a grey t-shirt. COME ON!!! Seriously, this is kick-ass. Glad there are some die-hards sill out there. These guys got mad action on the jumboTRON tonight... We're sure they were all over the FSN broadcast as well.





Other notables from the game tonight (that mostly have nothing to do with the game):

Got a kick-ass deal on a pair of authentic jerseys at the Reds team shop. Picked up a red alternate "Cool Base" Majestic of David Ross and a grey away jersey of Ryan Freel for $25 a piece! We'll take C Trent's suggestion and get "STUBBS" on that back of the Freel jersey. Sorry, Farney. Dare we get "CASTILLO" on our #26? HAHA.

GABP now has a fruit stand. How awesome is that? We first heard about it from C Trent today and wanted to check it out. It's so nice to have some fresh food options at the ballpark now. Love me some hotdogs, nachos and LaRosa's calzones, but a lot of times we just don't want to fill up on junk. Had a Gala apple for $1.50 and a smoothie drink thing for $5.00. Feelin' good too. A few other folks on Twitter are stoked about it as well. We'll get back to the beers and sundaes this weekend, don't worry. More on the fruit stand from The Packer

Ummm... is Engine Company 3 the best engine company in the city? Without a doubt!

It was a BEAUTIFUL night downtown Cincinnati. Just awesome. Prefect temperature, not a cloud in the sky. Those nights at the ballpark are wonderful.

Found a penny.

And the Reds win! Matt Maloney gets his frist MLB win... Cordero locks it down in the ninth. Fun game to watch.

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

I'mma Let You Finish

Arroyo err... watch

G-Rides

Found this t-shirt with a logo inspired by the Reds' brand mark.

G-Rides... and in Geronimo Rides? Nice.

Yo, why you gotta be like dat?

Apparently, a Cincinnati Reds supporter is a wanted man in Kansas City. We just can't catch a break, can we?

Finally! Stirrups!

Yes! Someone on the Reds finally donned THE STIRRUP. An honest-to-god stirrup. None other than Mr. Joey Votto is wearing stirrups tonight against the Giants, not a the full-length red sock. We're stoked. Maybe he took our suggestion (or C Trent's?) and ordered a pair? It's a great look and seems to be having a bit of a resurgence around the league. Maybe a couple of other Reds will follow suit? The question is... who will be next? Any guesses out there? I'll put my money on Adam Rosales.

Venti, Tall and Grande

This was so good, we had to get it out of Twitter and on the site.

In a coincidence of cosmic proportions, we have one of the biggest human beings in modern sports, Shaquille O'Neal (Venti), chatting up Reds' five-foot, six-inch reliever, Daniel Ray Herrera (Tall), while broadcaster George Grande (well, you get it) awkwardly standing to the side trying to interject something undoubtedly old-timey. The caption sums it all up nicely. Time for a coffee break...

Via our West Coaster.

Separated at Birth?

Reds shortstop Paul Janish and Felix Gaeta of Battlestar Galactica. Suggested by West Coast Correspondent Mike, via @jeffersonation

Separated at birth?

Chris Welsh and Abe Lincoln? We think so.



Big thanks to our loyal reader, C. Ritter for whipping up this one!

Chris Welsh: A New Look?

When the Reds are losing, things start to get zany in the broadcast booth. Tonight's FSN text poll features Reds Broadcaster Chris Welsh and some potential new looks. What would you vote for? I would love to see Chris take a trip to House of Adam and strut out with a zoot suit, but alas, that's not an option.

We're not sure Chris could compete with Brantley's beret.

Reds Hall of Fame candidates

Today, the Reds announced the 10 former players appearing on the Modern Player Ballot for induction into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2010. Voting will begin on August 1, 2009 and will run through September 2. Make sure you get your vote in for your favorite former Red. Here's a OMGreds rundown of the candidates and our thoughts on who's in and who's out. Make sure to let us know what you think!

Bret Boone [Stats]
Didn't get gold gloves he deserved. First season as a Red was nice (.320 in 381 at-bats) and his last as a Red was solid (.266, 24, 95) but he his .233 in '96 and .223 in '97. And '98 was the only year he was even close to driving in 100 runs (highest RBI total otherwise - as a Red - was 69). It's fun to remember the year he his .331 with 37 homers and 141 RBIs, but he did that with another team. Not in.

Jeff Brantley [Stats]
BARELY meets the minimum requirement of three years as a Red, and although they were three nice years (he led the league in saves with 44 in 1996), he doesn't get in this year.

Norm Charlton [Stats]
This one's tricky. His contribution in 1990 is undeniable, and he really had four very solid seasons as a Red. Would take the ball anytime, do whatever you asked him to do. I love the guy ... he's not in my top 3 but gets in when Graves gets in.

John Franco [Stats]
Yes, I know he was a Met more than twice as long as he was a Red. Doesn't matter. He was DOMINANT during his six seasons here. What other Reds' closer has been a three-time All-Star and finished 12th in NLMVP voting in six seasons! In 82 innings in 1988, he had a 1.57 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP. Gross. And even though you could argue that Kevin Mitchell's big years as a Red were about as impressive (sorry for apples to oranges), Franco was a Red quite a bit longer. He gets in.

Danny Graves [Stats]
Yikes. This is honestly a tough call. Definitely had best years as a Red. And aside from one of the worst experiments ever - turning him into a starter (he was 4-15 with a 5.33 ERA in 2003) - he was a very solid closer for parts of seven seasons. He did have 182 saves as a Red (34 more than John Franco) ... and did you know he never saved a game for any other big-league team? He's not one of my three but should get in later.

Kevin Mitchell [Stats]
Didn't play three whole seasons as a Red, which I thought was a minimum requirement. He raked during his brief time as a Red, without a doubt, but I don't know that anyone who only had 238 hits in a Reds uniform gets in right now with so many strong candidates. Not in.

Hal Morris [Stats]
No brainer. I wept in '91 when he was like a hit away from winning the batting title. The guy was just a damn good hitter. I looked at his stats and I couldn't believe he never had more than 165 hits in a season, but it's because he never got a ton of at-bats. But look at his batting average as a Red: .340 in 309 at-bats as a rookie, .318 in 478 at-bats in '91, .317 in 379 at-bats in '93, .335 in 436 at-bats in '94, .313 in 528 at-bats in '96. And his best years were definitely as a Red. Hal is in.

Paul O'Neill [Stats]
Another guy whose numbers as a Red are a little iffy with regard to Hall of Fame consideration. Got a few stolen bases but never a 20/20 season as a Red. Never hit better than .276 (1989) as a Red. And his career batting average was .288, which just goes to show how much better he was as a Yankee. Didn't even hit 100 home runs as a Red (he had 96). I know many fans here still love him but not with this class, maybe down the road.

Chris Sabo [Stats]
Numbers weren't unbelievable but he's got to be in the Reds' Hall based on three great seasons he had (out of six overall). .271, 11 HR, 40 doubles, 46 stolen bases and only 52 strikeouts as Rookie of the Year in 1988. What a season. .270, 25, 71 with 25 SBs and 95 runs in 1990 and .301, 26, 88 in 1991 (with a .505 slugging percentage). Oh, and he hit .563 (9-for-16) with two homers in the 1990 World Series, overshadowed only by Billy Hatcher's crazy 9-for-12 effort. In later?

Scott Sullivan [Stats]
Rubber arm. One of the best middle relievers in the game in 1997 and 1999-2001. 3.24 ERA in 97 1/3 innings in '97. 3.01 in 113 2/3 in 1999 (his best year). 3.47 in 106 1/3 innings in 2000. And 3.31 in 103 1/3 in 2001. I'm a big fan, but we've already got three locks for this year, so maybe later.

Grand Salami: View from the cheap seats

Reds fans: You know it hurt. We all felt the pain when Manny connected. But, what a moment in sports - you can't deny that.

Photos from Mannywood

I'll be posting photos coming off the wire from our stringer out west.... stay tuned...

Also... great photos coming in tonight from all kinds of folks on Twitter: @ilovelayncenix, @m_sheldon and @jimdaytv.

Nice view... Crappy game (so far)



Ball hit right in front of me
Welcome back Jason schmidt



Play Ball!



The mythical Dodger Dog!
It's all hype

Old Reds, new cards

Over at one of our favorite blogs, The Writer's Journey, is embarking on a series of posts combining your favorite Reds of the past with the 2009 Topps baseball card design. JT just started today with a card for Big Red Machinist Cesar Geronimo - a solid way to start. We'll be checking in everyday to see who the next Red to be immortalized will be, you should too. There will be 30 in total, so it will be a good ride.

OMG

The Reds just got hammered tonight. Glad I wasn't watching the game.

So, let's move on with the help of this awesome Joey Votto baseball card and forget it ever happened.

Corklehead

You thought we were kidding right? Of course you didn't. You know we're goofy enough not only to own a Corky Miller bobblehead, but still actually have it. In our defense, we did have to dig deep into OMGreds warehouse storage to find it. He was safely wrapped in a Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper... about the only thing an actually newspaper is good for these days.

Funny thing is, if you do a Google image search for "Corky Miller Bobblehead" you actually can't find any. Heck, you find images from our Sam LeCure LeVote before you find any of Corky. Well, here ya go... TWO photos of Corky's legacy to the Chattanooga Lookouts. It's like we're doing the internet a friggin' favor or something.

Draft Day!

Oh, wait. What?

Alright, folks

Okay Reds fans, you're being testing right now. Our team just dunn got swept by the Brew, our savior Joey Votto is on the DL for some mysterious reason and we're heading into St. Louis to face serial Reds Killer A. Pujols and he band of merry chubs.

This is where a hell of a lot of Reds fans will be jumping off ye ol' bandwagon.

We can't let it happen though. The Reds will be back in town this weekend with the Cubs and their damn fans and their damn Snuggies coming with them. We should never have to say this, but we have to rally. Get your butt down to the ballpark this weekend, get your Reds gear on and root your ass off. You and the greater 'Nati area will be better for it. Shut the Cubs fans out of our park. We don't want to see any blue there this weekend.

Plus, there's some nice swag being handed out this weekend. You know us, we're suckers for free crap. Saturday is baseball card night. Sweet! Sunday the Reds are giving fans a matted photo of Joey Votto... with 500 of them actually signed by the man, himself. Can you believe that? MATTED! Those things are expensive at Michael's (make sure you bring a coupon, that always helps). Too bad JV won't be in the house for all that jazz. And, if that wasn't enough, mister 50-homers-in-a-season George Foster will be signing autos and kissing babies in the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum before the game on Saturday. Make sure to wish him luck on Dancing with the Stars.

And who doesn't want to see the Reds beat the hell out of Dempster? Friday night - It's on!

A dream come true

Nothing like wrapping up Memorial Day weekend with a Reds win and hangin' with a couple BFFs.

Great weekend. Got to see some Reds winz, found a badass Reds hat, had my first helmet sundae of the year, got to watch unsuspecting fans on the Sony StadiumView-a-ma-jig-a-wha-wha, avoided getting shot in the face, rock star seat hook-up, and and it's nice to know that they have a cup for the Ohio Cup! No, not that cup, a souvi cup! Much better than a helmet cup, but not as nutty as this cup.

Ah, so this explains it

No wonder Marty is such a crazy old coot... look at what he eats before the game! Here's Marty on his pre-game meal, The World Famous Marty Brennaman Hot Dog Salad:

"I like ruffage and I like hot dogs," said Brennaman from the press box dining room. "Some people put ham, turkey or chicken in their salads. I enjoy hot dogs."

Via Reds Internal Affairs

LaRue: Damn Sexy

Damn, Larue! Looks like you just rolled up in your '87 Camaro Z28, hopped out through the t-top straight into the batters box. Makes me want to dig around and find my John Deer Jason LaRue giveaway hat. Now, that is one bitchin' hat.

Vote or Die. BY NOON!

Believe us, Ditty would want you to vote Sam LeCure as the Reds 2009 Fans Choice Bobblehead. Todays' you last day to throw your vote down for Sam. Let's rally and get this man a bobble!

Voting ends at noon, folks!!! NOON! So... GO VOTE

UPDATE: Voting has ended. Thanks so much for the support, folks. We can only wait and see now.

UPDATE #2: Your 2009 Fans Choice Bobblehead is Edinson Volquez. Hey, that's kick ass. Thanks for playing along and voting for Sam. He'll have a bobblehead soon enough. Here's hoping for 2010! But, for right now, we're looking forward to July 18th.

Never know who you'll meet at GABP

You never know who you will meet at the ballpark, and this past Saturday, I was lucky enough to meet a couple of Reds greats.

Lee May was doing a signing in the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday before the game against the Braves, so I made sure I brought a couple of baseball cards with me to have him sign. After talking to Mr. May for a few minutes, I stuck around and checked out the new Crosely Field exhibit (very cool - you should go) and who walks in? None other than Chuck Harmon, the first African-American player for the Reds. I've always heard he's a first class guy, so I was excited to meet him, and of course, get his autograph as well. So, while all this is happening, I learn that Leo 'Chico' Cardenas is sitting near Chuck Harmon in the back of the stands near first base. No way!

So, in a funny twist to the story, I actually have three Cardenas baseball cards in my bag with me at the game. I had just purchased them that morning, in anticipation of his upcoming appearance at the Reds HOF on May 9th. I had gone straight to the game, and didn't get a chance to drop them off at home. So, needless to say, I am stoked.

I didn't go track down Mr. Cardenas right away, but after a few innings, fellow OMGer, Paul, and I head down to find him. Sure enough, he was sitting right where I heard he was going to be. We chatted with him for a few, he signed our cards and he couldn't have been any nicer.

It was an honor to meet all those great Reds on Saturday. You never know who your going to run into, eh? It sure made up for the bad game the Reds turned in that day.

So, if you can, do yourself a solid and make sure you go meet Leo Cardenas at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum on Saturday, May 9th. He'll be signing from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM. FYI: You'll have to pay admission to get into the Hall. More info

Oh, and that's also Joey Votto Bobblehead night. Holla.

The 3-Way Helmet

Inspired by the Taco Helmet, we set out yesterday to find what other foods made sense being served in the helmet format. Of course, ice cream in a helmet is a natural and time-honored tradition and will always reign supreme. But, there have to be other concoctions, like the Taco Helmet, that hit a home run on the novelty food scale. The first thing that came up was Skyline Chili's famous 3-Way. Of course, what could be more natural sitting in the bowl of a Cincinnati Reds helmet cup than spaghetti, chili and cheese. Well, we had to try this out for ourselves, and the fine folks at Skyline were more than happy to help us out.

Verdict? Epic Win.

Visualize. Vote.

Vote for Sam. Vote often. Vote Now.

Brantley: Votto, a Piece of Man Candy

Holy moly, there are no words for ANY of this from the Ol' Cowboy

Let me tell you ‘nary have I ever seen a better looking first basemen. It was the Bottom of the 4th two outs and a high soft, low liner was hit sharpley to Joey Votto. And I am telling you, that kid grabbed that out of the air like a bull tosses his rider before he can even get 8 out of the gate. That’s what we call Pickin’ and Grinnin’

Remember Red’s fans Joey Votto is a man’s man. Distinct features, Italian stock, wide broad shoulders, firm buttocks.

Oh. My. Gawd.

An Endorsement: Sam LeCure

We here at OMGreds resoundly endorse Reds Pitcher Sam LeCure as the 2009 Reds' Fan's Choice Bobblehead. We will be voting for Sam daily at reds.com in hopes that he will get the bobblehead that he so rightfully deserves. As a young minor leaguer, there is no better representative for the Fan's Choice Bobblehead other than Sam LeCure. He has proved hard-working and diligent in his quest to make "The Show" and should aptly be rewarded by having his head proudly bobbling all around Great American Ball Park on the evening of Saturday, July 18, bringing joy to children of the Greater Cincinnati area, and mass hysteria to eBay resellers everywhere.

While Sam is "Our Man," we do realize that there are many pitchers from which fans will be choosing for this very special honor. We implore you to do your duty as a fan, and vote... for YOUR candidate, for the pitcher you feel is most deserving of living on in ceramic glory, to be perched above computer desks in basement home-offices all around the suburban Cincinnati area next to B-Lark, Wily Mo, The Doggie, Felipe, Spuds, Dunner, Vice Dunner, ED and the others. For the candidate that you feel is most worthy of being coveted by a three-year-old child for 15 to 25 seconds, then slammed to the ground, shattering into tens of pieces, with its only hope of being restored left to his grandmother and a tube of Crazy Glue. For the candidate that you want some middle-aged dude to randomly say "What the hell is this??" when they are handed their bobblehead at the gate, not realizing that it was a bobblehead night, and then giving it to the first person they see as they navigate the confusingly dense crowd on their way to find the client and his family he gave tickets to for that night to shake and howdy for 15 minutes about TPS reports and shit and then bolt GABP to get home in his white Taurcedes company car.

We just want you to make a choice. We have made ours, and we would love it if you proudly stood with us and cast your online entry daily for Sam LeCure for 2009 Reds Fan's Choice Bobblehead.

Do the right thing. Vote for change. Vote for the fighter. Vote with your heart. Vote. Vote for Sam.

AND VOTE FOR HIM BEFORE APRIL 30TH!!!1!!1!!!

Fan's Choice Bobblehead

From Reds Internal Affairs:

Now through April 30, fans can vote on reds.com to decide which Reds pitcher will be featured with a 2009 bobblehead. The Fans Choice Bobblehead will be given to the first 30,000 fans on Saturday, July 18 and is part of a collectible set of four bobbleheads that fit together to form a special ballpark background. The three other bobbleheads in the series are Joey Votto (May 9), Jay Bruce (July 4) and Brandon Phillips (Aug. 15).

Vote now at www.reds.com/fanschoice.

We were hoping for some old-timers in the Fan's Choice spot, but your choices are limited to pitchers on the 40-man roster... or roughly that. We will stick with our prediction that Volquez is a lock for a bobblehead. We're thinking fans will likely vote that way.

Overall, it's a nice twist to the bobbleheads, even without a Red from the past.

Your choices:

Bronson Arroyo (Bobblehead in 2007)
Homer Bailey
Bill Bray
Jared Burton
Francisco Cordero
Johnny Cueto
Carlos Fisher
Aaron Harang (Bobblehead in 2007)
Daniel Ray Herrera
Sam LeCure
Mike Lincoln
Matt Maloney
Robert Manuel
Nick Masset
Micah Owings
Ramon Ramirez
Arthur Rhodes
Josh Roenicke
Daryl Thompson
Edinson Volquez
David Weathers

Harang's Dorito

HAHA... wish we came up with this one:

via The Sports Hernia

Aaron Harang kicks off season with five strong innings, Dorito on chin
How does this guy do it!? He's like one of those insanely disciplined black labs that can balance a milk bone on their snout and let it sit there until their given the proper signal to begin devouring it.

Clicky clicky

It's opening day, nooch!

Headed down the the parade and game today. Follow along on Twitter and our Photoblog. Might throw something up on Twitpic as well. Gotta keep everyone happy, right?

Go Reds!!!

UPDATE #1 It's nasty out there! But, we've got a few photos from the parade for you, including Cows on Segways.

UPDATE #2 Well, this one didn't belong to the Reds. Lack of HAVOC, we suppose. All the photos from our day around downtown are right here.

New JumboTron: Dope

Bigger, stronger, faster. Technotronic.

(h/t: Beilstein)

Mayor Abuse

Our Sean Casey bobblehead here at work has been through some battles. Poor guy. But, he's a tough nut, so he can handle the abuse. Kinda like the Mayor abuse that happened yesterday at the Reds last game in Sarasota.

Heads up: OMGreds will be heading up to the Futures Game tomorrow in Dayton. Follow along over at the OMGreds Photo Blog for all the hot action. Do they still have the Walking Taco? We want some of that action.

Top Six is back!

Who doesn't remember the days of heading down to Riverfront stadium, walking up a ticket booth and getting a "Top Six" ticket? Well, the Reds front office has NOT forgotten and have brought back the $5 Reds ticket. Total awesome.

Also coming with the return of the $5 Reds ticket is a whole new "economy menu" at ballpark concession stands. From the article:

$1 Menu Items (sold at two concessions stands, one in the Fan Zone and one on the first base side View Level )

• $1 hot dog

• $1 12 oz. Coca-Cola sodas

• $1 bag of peanuts

• $1 ice cream cup

• $1 Redlegs French Chew taffy

The $7 adult value meals are available at 18 locations and the $5 kids meal will be available at 10 locations

Sweet... C Trent has this too... as well as Reds Internal Affairs.

'64 Style

We're really stoked about the news that Frank Robinson will be the grand marshal of The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. But the thing that really caught our attention was about the Reds game to be held on Saturday, June 20th - during the Civil Rights Weekend here in Cincinnati. According to the article on Cincinnati.Com, the Reds will be wearing uniforms from 1964, presumably commemorating a high point in the Civil Right movement during the 1960's. No word yet, but will the White Sox also be wearing 1964 road uniforms for the occasion?

The '64 uniform is a great uniform to feature from Reds history. During Frank Robinson's prime years with the Reds, he was rockin' the sleeveless vest with black piping as seen in the above photo. While we don't miss the recent sleeveless look of Reds from the mid-90s to 2006, this will be a welcome sight on a very important weekend for the Reds, Major League Baseball and Cincinnati. The question is... with the Reds players do it proper with stirrups, or will we still be stuck with the bell-bottoms? If any one from the Reds is listening... please make sure the stirrups make an appearance - and the players actually put them on the right way.

Conincidentally, 1964 was the first year the Reds included names on the back of their jerseys. Also, the player's name was placed below the numbers.

More photos from Spring Training

We're catching up on getting some more photos from Spring Training up over on the OMGreds Photo Blog. Another weekend, another OMGer down in Florida to catch the action. We've got photos from the Reds/Rays game this past Saturday, and photos are coming tonight for Reds/Phillies on Tuesday. We also snuck in a Yankees/Pirates game in Tampa too.

For all 2009 Spring Training photos, click here.

Finally! More WBC photos

We've posted some select photos of our trip to Toronto and the World Baseball Classic over in the OMGreds photoblog. Nothing too exciting - just some flavor from up north. A little Dunn, a little Votto... It's all good in the hood.

Seriously, more photos this weekend. We'll be at the Reds game on Saturday down in sunny Sarasota. Check the photoblog for the all the helmet sundae action.

Road Trip: Toronto

Alright, folks. OMGreds is back on the road this year. First stop: Toronto for some World Baseball Classic action. Yep, that's right. We're trekking up north to catch some baseball, and to hit a couple of Tim Horton's while we are there too. It will be a grand ol' time.

As usual, we'll be dropping pics over on the OMGreds photoblog. Check it out over the weekend so you can live vicariously through us and our nose-bleed seats at the Rogers Centre. We'll be hitting the 2pm USA vs. Canada game on Saturday and the afternoon game on Sunday. We're even throwing a Maple Leafs game in there too. You know we like hockey too, right?

Anywhos, you ain't going to get much in the way of WBC previews from me. Our homies over at Red Reporter have that on lock. I will make sure to keep you up-to-date on the helmet sundae situation at the Rogers Centre. You know, just in case you're planning on heading up with the Reds visit during inter-league play this summer. It's important work, we know.

UPDATE: I've found out that AT&T wants to punish me for leaving the county by charging my a stupid insane rate for data transfers from my phone. International roaming: pfffft. So... photos on the blog may be a bit limited. Oh well.

More Charlie Hustle fashion

Damn, this has been out a while, but we missed it. Our boys down at Unheard Of unleashed a helluva Pete Rose shirt last fall. I guess we'll be seeing all the kids rockin' this shirt at GABP this summer... or not. Do kids even like baseball anymore?

Unheard Of is known for dropping some rad Reds-themed tees. We found this sucka there last year. Not so sure we could rock that... but we sure do respect it.

Hat Tip: hypebeast

Lidz

Looks like The Rocket is getting hat buying tips from Charlie Hustle. We can't say we blame him though - Pete's always been so fashionable.

Charlie and his Chucks

Check out a young Pete Rose sporting the classic red Chuck Taylors during spring training in 1972.

hat tip: Uni Watch

Leatherpants down! Leatherpants down!

I appears that Jimmy has stepped aside. Here's the scoop, via MLB Rumors...

According to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post, Nationals GM Jim Bowden has resigned.

ESPN.com has more, including quotes from Bowden. Most notably, Bowden says, "I've become a distraction," and, "my ability to properly represent the Washington Nationals has been compromised."

Finally, Bill Ladson of MLB.com captures a classic quote from the GM: "I have become a distraction. Unless you are Manny Ramirez, there is no place for distraction in baseball."

The Stowe Family

Nice video on Cincinnati.com on the Stowe family and the Reds clubhouse. I would embed it, but the damn thing auto-plays, and that gets pretty annoying when the post starts moving down the page. Actually, that's always annoying.

The MaskCam video is fun too.

Need more leather?

Ah, you can read about ol' Leatherpants everywhere else! How about some stuff about the Reds and uniforms! Yeah! So, over at our new favorite blog, Uni Watch, they have a nice roundup of MLB photo day around spring training camps, including a few photos of our Reds.

BP, seriously, the goat is getting out of control. Tell me you are growing it until we get into the playoffs, or some other silly reason? Or, Griffey put Rogaine in your chinstrap as a joke and you can't keep it reigned in? Junior is like that.

Junior back with the M's

Looks like Ken Griffey Jr. is heading back to Seattle.

Sources have indicated that Griffey's tide turned shortly after he became upset with the fact that The Atlanta-Journal Constitution was reporting that he'd already decided to play for the Braves.

You know, it's always been out there that Jr has always been a little sensitive. But, to say that an article pissed Jr. off and forced his decision one way or another seems pretty stupid to me.

UPDATE: Baseball card blogger and Braves fan, Cardboard Junkie, had a few choice words about the change in direction for Junior.

Taveras: 100 Steals

You think Willy will be tacking his batting gloves up on the wall of his apartment? That's a lot of Franklins.

Agreed.

Hat tip: Urban Prankster > Via Home Run Derby.

2009 Reds Bobbleheads

I haven't checked the reds.com promotional schedule in a while, so I'm not sure when the posted them, but here are your 2009 Reds Bobbleheads:

Joey Votto Bobblehead
Sat., May 9
vs. Cardinals
First 30,000 fans

Jay Bruce Bobblehead
Sat., Jul. 4
vs. Cardinals
First 30,000 fans

Fan's Choice Bobblehead
Sat., Jul. 18
Vs. Brewers
First 25,000 fans

Brandon Phillips Bobblehead
Sat., Aug. 15
vs. Nationals
First 30,000 fans

Our predictions are here.

GABP in the snow

A photo I took last Wednesday during snOMG - Ol' Ernie and Frank playing ball in the snow.

Mr. Redlegs is the toast of NYC

Mr. Redlegs is in NYC this week on a goodwill mission on behalf of the Reds and the City of Cincinnati. He's also getting kisses blown to him from the Today Show's Meredith Viera.

UPDATE: Mr. Redlegs really gets around!!!1!

First player to bat on TV passes away at 100

Billy Werber (above, left), who as a Cincinnati Red in 1939, became the first baseball player to bat on television, passed away today at the age of 100. Cincinnati Reds played the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in the first televised game, May 1, 1939.

Werber was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1961 and at the time of his death, he was the oldest living major league ballplayer and the last living teammate of Babe Ruth.

Nice little stock-pile of triva, huh? It goes on too. More on his wikipedia page.

There is a great quote from him on why he stopped watching baseball at the age of 98. Apparently, he was not a fan of some of the fashionable grooming choices of some modern ballplayers...

"I don't like the appearance of a lot of the players. The hair's too long. Their beards are too evident. They're a grubby-looking bunch of caterwaulers."

More on Billy Werber:
• Oldest big-leaguer Werber turns 100 (USA TODAY)

• Ex-Big Leaguer Werber Has Many Stories to Choose From (Washington Post)

• Career Stats

1869 Card now up for auction

Bernice Gallego's old ass Red Stockings baseball card is finally up for auction. If you have the means, get your bid in now over at ye ol' Memory Lane Inc. Or... just snipe it on February 10. Sniping would be your best bet, we think. Good luck either way.

Item description from Memory Lane, Inc.

ONE OF THE EARLIEST KNOWN CARDS EVER PRODUCED

The card was issued in 1869 and is one of the first Baseball Cards issued and also the beginning of Baseball as we know it today. The card itself was issued in multiple sizes as well as different backs. This card is the large version and most desirable and is 1 of 4 graded authentic by PSA. The card has special historical importance as it features Baseballs First Major League Team, the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings led by Hall of Famers Harry and George Wright as well as having the advertising Peck & Snyder logo on the back, who were a leading sports retailer at that time. This card has all of the players listed on the front with a red Peck & Snyder logo on the back. Condition of this incredible find is as follows: The card is centered nicely with upper right and lower right creases. Pin hole in the top middle, with normal brown toning across the card. A small white paper loss mark on the front middle players arm. The red writing is clear as well as the players on the front, which is very Rare as the other examples known to exist are slightly fuzzy. The back of the card has the same normal brown toning with no other issues. This examples condition is one of the best known to exist. "This card is extremely important because many hobbyists consider it to be one of the very first baseball cards ever produced. In addition, the sepia image featured on the front of the card captures the game of baseball in its infancy," said Joe Orlando, President of PSA. Keep in mind this card is 140 years old, which is the same decade Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated and 4 years after the Civil War ended as well as 16 years prior to the first Gas powered vehicle and the birth of Babe Ruth. An Historical Piece of Baseball Memorabilia is up for Auction.

'Baseball Card Granny' on Leno tonight

Folks, this is what you've all be waiting for. Bernice "Baseball Card Granny" Gallego, who is in the possession of the world's oldest baseball card, will appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno - TONIGHT. Set you DVRs to: STUN. Oh, Wanda Sykes and Buckcherry will be on as well. I'm not which I am most excited about. WA-WHA.

Leno was unable to get George Clooney on the show, unfortunately.

George Brett Craps His Pants

George Brett Craps His Pants


And lives to tell about it.

*Don't crank your speakers if you gotz kidz up in 'er. Just sayin'.

Rewind Classics are back!

We really enjoyed this series last year from Fox Sports Net Ohio. This winter, the boys at FSN will be re-airing a nice roster of Reds games to keep us from going insane from lack of baseball. Plus, you-know-who will be watching...

Here's the lineup, via The Enquirer

Monday
Joey Votto hits three homers out of Great American Ball Park as the Reds beat the Cubs 9-0 on May 7 last year.

Jan. 26
Ken Griffey Jr. singles in the winning run in a 10-inning home victory over the Brewers on April 20 last year.

Feb. 2
Game 7 of the 1975 World Series in Fenway Park, when the Big Red Machine wins the first of its back-to-back World Championships on Oct. 21, 1975.

Feb. 9
Griffey hits his 600th home run against the Marlins in Florida on June 9 last year.

Feb. 16
Eight Reds hit a total of nine home runs in a wild 22-3 win over the Phillies on Sept. 4, 1999.

Feb. 23
ay Bruce goes 3-for-3 in his Major League Baseball debut - plus gets on base twice more with walks - in the Reds' 9-6 win over the Pirates at GABP on May 27 last year.

March 2
Game 3 of the 1976 National League Championship Series, when the Reds sweep the Phillies at Riverfront Stadium on back-to-back ninth inning homers by George Foster and Johnny Bench on Oct. 12, 1976.

March 9
Game 2 of the 1976 World Series, when the Reds' beat the Yankees 4-3 at Riverfront Stadium on Oct. 17, 1976.

March 16
Game 4 of the 1976 World Series, when Johnny Bench's two homers power the Reds sweep of the Yankees 7-2 in Yankee Stadium on Oct. 21.

Here's some of our coverage from last year's Reds Rewind Classics if you're interested.

• Last year's line-up.

Sad story

Former Reds pitcher, Frank Williams passed away last Friday, ending an extremely tragic life that left him on the streets in the end. In a story that reads like a Hollywood script, Williams grew up an orphan, bouncing round from home to home in Seattle. He obviously found his great talent and made it all the way to the bigs, pitching for the San Francisco Giants. He came to the Reds 1987 and pitched with them through '88. In 1989 he suited up for the Detroit Tigers, but a car crash that year ended his major league career. Life seemed to spiral after that. You can read more of the story right here.

Since Williams' was a Red, this story would have caught my eye no matter what, but a project I am working on made it hit just a touch harder. I'm attempting to collect a complete autographed set of 1987 Topps Reds cards. hiss rookie card is in the traded set from that season, so at one point I attempted to track him down to hopefully send him a card via the mail. I never did find much information and I certainly didn't see anything about how his life had taken a turn for the worse years ago. This was totally out of the blue, as I'm sure it was for most baseball fans. He joins Bo Diaz as another player from that 1987 Reds squad that has passed away. Very sad. Obviously, I'm really not worried about the autograph... but it did just make me pause for a little long today when I saw that headline in my RSS reader.

• Story on Williams' from 2007
• Frank Williams' career stats

We put it all on the Reds

OMG... this is hilarious.

HAT TIP: Redleg Nation.

btw... Redleg Nation is hilarious. You must read.

Arroyo: Fighting uphill battle with Reds

Linky link.

YOU could be the next Mr. Redlegs!

And who wouldn't want to be? If all of us on the staff of OMGreds weren't all washed up ex-athletes, journalizm majors and mediocre graphic designers, we would all have our resumes in to the Reds and well on our way to falling off the back of ATVs in no time. After all, we all do have great knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and don't mind holding massive snakes. But, don't let us scare you off... go apply yourself.

hehe. Massive snakes.

Ghost of Ross

OMGreds treked to the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum on this lazy winter Saturday and we found that David Ross is still kicking it on the lineup board at Great American. What's up with that?

We did find some great old-school Mr. Redlegs logos while putzing around today. You know how we do.

2009 Reds Bobbleheads: OMGreds predictions

The Reds are throwing a few small wrinkles in the bobblehead pormotions this year. A couple of things stand out:

A) They are doing four, yes... count 'em... FOUR bobbleheads this year.

B) All bobblehead games are on Saturdays some against some good teams, too!

C) There will be a "Fan's Choice" bobblehead this year. GREAT idea.

Here are the Bobblehead dates. These and other promotions can be found on any 2009 pocket schedule. I picked one up at Redsfest.

Bobblehead #1
Saturday, May 9 vs. Cardinals

Bobblehead #2
Saturday, July 4 vs. Cardinals

Bobblehead #3 (Fan's Choice)
Saturday, July 18 vs. Brewers

Bobblehead #4
Saturday, August 15 vs. Nationals

For reference, here is my one prediction from last year, and a list of all the bobbleheads the Reds have done since 2001.

Predictions

The fan's choice is throwing a pretty good (but fun) curveball on the thinking of what the Reds might do this season. There are a few givens, I believe, and those givens will pave the way for my thoughts on the fan's choice possibilities. So, here are my three picks for Reds promotional department choices:

Edison Volquez - LOCK
Volton was our lone All-Star game representative. That virtual guarantee a bobblehead. It's like a reward for making it to the All-Star game for the Reds. Felipe Lopez got one, remember? I have a feeling Edison will turn out a little better for us. So yeah, put Edison on lock for a bobblehead this season.

Joey Votto - GOOD CHANCE
Our home skillet Votto tore up National League pitching last year to secure a second place finish in the ROY voting. The ROY would have put him on lock for a bobble, but alas, the Cubs' Geovany Soto had a great season and beat him out. Joey is a part of that young core of talent that the Reds are going to by hyping this season. That means bobblehead, folks.

Jay Bruce - FAIR CHANCE
BRUUUUUUUUUUCE may get one this year, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if they waited on him. Reds probably don't want to do the entire young core of the team in just one season. Since Jay didn't garner much award action last season, it's likely that the Reds will wait on him He's more of a fan favorite that Votto, why not string the whole thing out, right?

Johnny Cueto - NOT LIKELY
See: Jay Bruce. Same deal and a even a little less popular than Jay. That's not to say the fans don't love Johnny Cueto, it's just not the right time for a bobble just yet.

Francisco Cordero - NOT LIKELY
But, I say that and Coco could be bobbling at some point this season. You never know! I have seen ideas thrown out there by fans to do a Latin Pitching Club bobblehead series. Cuteo, Coco, Volquez, Mario Soto. It would be a fun one, but not likely to happen. He is one of the few established veterans on the team and the only one without a Reds bobblehead (Arroyo, Harang).

Edwin Encarnacion - WILD CARD
I don't where EE stands. He might be likely to get one this year. Though he has been with the Reds for a few years now, he's still young, folks - 25. There are a lot of fans that either want him traded or moved to another position. But, the guy can be a dynamic player and the potential is obviously there and gets flashed a little more each year. Maybe he breaks out in '09 and he's a lock for a bobblehead in 2010.

So, that's two solid picks, and another couple of who knows? I say Bruce fits well in that thrid spot... the people want it. I just think the Reds should hold off on at least of their young players.

Now, that leaves the fans choice. I figure that if they are going to do a couple of the current players for sure, voting on more current players for this slot will either be insanely lopsided (say, Jay Bruce getting all the votes or something), or the bobblehead will feel more like an after thought. My thinking is that the Reds are going to basically do a Reds Hall of Fame Bobblehead for this one. Since a lot of great players have been done already from the Big Red Machine, the Wire-to-Wire teams and a few characters in-between, they will need to dig down a little deeper for the next great past Red to honor with a bobble. So, I think they will throw out 5-6 past Reds and leave it to the fans. It will invoke some passion on the part of Reds fans and maybe some fist-fights at the voting both. Well, maybe not. But, I think it's a GREAT idea and a good time to do it. Let's throw out a few names:

George Foster
I've called for his bobble in the past, and I will do it again. He has been making a lot of appearances at Reds stuff the past few years (Redsfest, Hall of Fame Events, Big Red Machine Reunion) and he's got that Dancing with the Stars petition out there. He's begging for some attention. Give it to him.

Ted Kluszewski
I've always wanted to see The Big Klu in bobble head form. sleeveless jersey, big arms, big bat. It would PWN all the other Reds bobbleheads. He's got a statue in the front lawn of Great American Ball Park. He should have a bobblehead on your desk at work.

Johnny Vander Meer
Of course, it should be a dual bobblehead... right. Two no-hitters in a row. That's a huge piece of not only Reds history, but baseball itself. Johnny should be immortalized with a nodder.

Ernie Lombardi
See the Big Klu... the guy has a statue out front! Let's hope the Reds start diggin' deep in the past for inspiration this year. Let's teach the kids about our Hall of Fame catcher, Mr. Lombardi.

Sparky Anderson
A fan favorite, for sure. The only member of the Big Red Machine that is in the Hall of Fame and doesn't have a bobblehead. Folks will turn out in droves for this one.

Now, even if the fan vote does go the Reds Hall of Fame route, I think there still might be a chance for a past Red to have a bobblehead already slated for the season. I would give those odds to George Foster. Perhaps a dancing George Foster?

Well, that's it. I'd say the only solid is Volquez, everything else is left open to debate... but the young guys like Bruce, Votto and Cueto look to have some promotional action thrown their way this season. Of course, OMGreds is looking forward to it all.

Reds Bobbleheads: A Quick History

2001
Barry Larkin
Danny Graves
Pete Harnish

2002
Eric Davis
Chris Sabo
Adam Dunn
Johnny Bench

2003
Austin Kearns
Mary Brennaman & Joe Nuxhall
Gapper

2004
Joe Nuxhall
Joe Morgan
Sean Casey

2005
Ken Griffey Jr.
Tony Perez
Wily Mo Peña

2006
Dave Concepcion
Barry Larkin
Filipe Lopez

2007
Aaron Harang
Bronson Arroyo
Frank Robinson
Thom & Marty Brennaman

2008
Brandon Phillips Dual
Adam Dunn '80s Theme
Tom Browning

2009
Joey Votto - May 9
Jay Bruce - July 4
Edinson Volquez (Fan's Choice) July 18
Brandon Phillips August 15

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Chris Sabo's Bobblehead and OMGreds. Have a great holiday, yo.

UPDATE! While heading out on Christmas Eve, my wife and I just happened to catch a great segment on NPR where a tape of Red Barber's recreated call of the final out of the second of Johnny Vander Meer's no-hitter was played. Here's the summary from NPR:

Baseball broadcaster Jon Miller talks about a recently discovered recording of a baseball play-by-play that was made 41 years after the actual game took place. At a broadcasters' conference in Orlando in 1979, Red Barber recorded a gripping play-by-play of a 1938 game at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field.

Click here for to listen to the call at NPR.org

Dancin' with Foster

Homeboy Hal McCoy has a fun little column about George Foster and who else from the Reds past he would NOT want to see on Dancing With the Stars. We at OMG couldn't agree more. You saw the petition, right? Well, you can sign the online one right here.

George... man, just do your thing. If dancing is going to make you happy... then go for it. We might actually watch the show then. Well... maybe not. But hey, it's worth a shot.

Timberlake: "GIVE IT ON UP FOR FOSTERVILLE!!!"

What are you doing?

OMGreds.com is now on Twitter. It's been a long time coming. Follow us at: twitter.com/OMGreds. We'll have the Twitter feed integrated into the site design sometime in the first of the year. Until then, make sure to follow us.

Redsfest: FIN

Once again, the Reds put on a fantastic convention. It gets better every year and it's obvious that it's a point of pride with the Reds' staff and management. How awesome is it that our little small-market team can put on one of the best off-season fan conventions? There are some folks out there that are a tab bit jealous...

A few points of interest from my standpoint:

- The autograph opportunities are just awesome. For someone that appreciates players past, present and future, there are tons of opportunities for everyone. Getting an auto from Clay "The Hawk" Carroll is pretty exciting... just as getting one from young star Johnny Cueto or up-and-comers like Todd Frazier or Matt Maloney. For me, it's all good. I did focus my time at Redsfest on autos and ended up scoring 21 on baseball cards and a handful more on my Redsfest pass. What can I say, I'm a nerd. My favorite? Reds Outfielder Jerry Lynch on a 1960 Topps. (Right: Click for larger view) Lines for guys like Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Edison Volquez and Johnny Cueto were insane and I didn't try for any of them, except Cueto.

- The Reds Hall of Fame area had a great set-up of exhibits with old uniforms, spikes, etc. Of course seeing the World Series trophies is always a highlight.

- I love it that the entire convention center is covered in RED. You walk out and your eyeballs need to adjust to seeing the rest of the color spectrum. Immersive - love it.

- All the kids stuff looked awesome. The Reds Heads club area is pretty cool. Batting cages, speed pitch, whiffle ball, etc... all great stuff. If I were 9 years old it might have just been too much... okay, not really... just awesome.

- Free stuff all over the place. The Reds were handing out Redsfest exclusive Topps trading cards that you could put in a little fold-out binder they provided at the Information Booth. Nice little cards to get signed, actually. The set included Bruce, Phillips, Harang, Dickerson, Arroyo, Keppinger, Freel and Votto. I ended up missing out on Bruce and Phillips just because I didn't pass by the desks handing those out. Anyone have any for trade?? Other free stuff included the gift bag to the first 10,000 folks through the gate with a Reds stocking cap AND a coupon for free chips and guac from Chipotle - hellz to the yeah. I think the Louisville Slugger Factory in Louisville was giving out free tickets for it's tour as well. I've been, and it's a good time. Apparently, the factory tour is new and improved? Cool.

- I love diggin' around the collectables area. I got a few cards for some of the Reds minor leagers I wanted to get signed. Overpaid, but that's what you get a things like this. I love all the old dusty Reds promotion stuff people have for sale. I ended up getting a couple of buttons the Reds gave out in 1989. I actually had the John Franco on when I was a kid - I went to the game. But, I lost the button ages ago. Got that one back, along with a Sabo, Larkin and and coupons for a FREE 32oz Pepsi when I order an large or medium pizza at regular price at Pizza Hut. Dine-in or carry out... oh... it expired on September 4, 1989. Oh well.

- So, at one point on Saturday, the Main Stage had the "Reds Idol Karaoke Contest". For the most part, it was a snoozer... but a good idea. THEN... this little chunky kid got up on stage and dropped some Journey and brought the house down. I don't care much for Journey, but Cincinnati loves themselves some Steve Perry power ballads and this kids got some serious love. It was something to see/hear. I give it up for that little guy.

That's all I have for now... might be more later... Check out the photo blog for a look into my experience at Redsfest.

Coming very soon: Bobblehead predictions! Dates have been announce by the Reds for FOUR bobblehead dates, including a bobblehead to be voted on at Reds.com. Good move, Reds!!

Redsfest: Back at ya!

My night at Redsfest was a little short last night, but today is on like Donkey Kong.

I poked around the festivities a little bit, but my main focus was getting some autographs last night. First up was Dusty Baker who was nice and chatty with all the fans. Fun to talk to for a few seconds. Thanks, Dusty. I got in line for Chris Dickerson and Norris Hopper after Dusty, but was too late and didn't end up getting signatures from those guys. No more signings happened until 6:30, so I got in line very early for Clay Carroll and Jim O'Toole so I would make sure I got to meet them before I had to jet. I got fantastic signatures from both.

Stuff to look for:

- My Home Skillet Tabari said he saw some great deals at the collectibles tables. That can be rare.

- There are tables located around Redsfest handing out Topps baseball cards of a few players. They are Redsfest branded cards, perfect for autographs. I picked up Joey Votto, Aaron Harrang and Chirs Dickerson. I know there are more... Bronson Arroyo and Brandon Phillips for sure... and probably a few others.

- The kids play areas are awesome. You little ones will have a blast.

More photos today... watch out.

Redsfest: Ahoy!

It's that time of year, boys and girls. REDSFEST TIME! We here at OMGreds celebrate it to it's fullest. It's where hope for the upcoming season springs eternal and the autographs flow like fine Two Buck Chuck. We love it. We revel in it. We even wallow in it a little bit. As is customary with anything that crosses Reds with Kickass we'll be there and photoblogin' that shizz. So, keep your eyes peeled over there and drop us a few comments on our lackluster mobile phone photography.

2008 Redsfest goals:

- Ron Oester autograph on our '87 Topps
- Photo with Brandon Phillips' pearly white grill
- A lock of The Cowboy's mullet
- Pitching tips from Chris Welsh
- Heckle the Bronson Arroyo Band
- High five Walt Jocketty
- Strike out Joey Votto in wiffle ball
- Do Da Dip with Rosie Red
- Give Jim Day a noogie.

Have you seen the list of Reds folks that will be appearing? Impressive to say the list.

See ya there.

Photoblog.
Photoblog.
Photoblog.

Dye a Red?

Dayton Daily's Hal McCoy is reporting that Jermaine Dye is now a Red. Homer Bailey is being shipped to Chicago in-exchange for the right-handed hitting veteran.

Sounds good to me. This past season was not exactly HOMER-TIME. Plus, we need a veteran right-handed batter in the order. Any thoughts out there?

GAH! UPDATE! (12.7) Deal NOT done... Sox want more than Bailey... Dye & his agent haven't heard a thing... DRAMA-RAMA!

UP-UPDATE! (12.7) The Reds are denying the deal at the moment...

UP-UP-UPDATE (12.9) The Sox are being patient with Dye... "We'll We'll just have to wait and see what the meetings... this goes in regards to everyone who's on our current roster. We'll just have to see what the week brings us." - Sox GM Kenny Williams