Face of the Franchise

by ben nevis on Aug 20, 2007 3:48 PM EDT Comment 47 comments

ESPN.com just put up a page in which they're polling analysts and fans to find out who people think is the "face" of each MLB franchise. Like most of the polls ESPN seems to put on, it's little more than a easy way to waste a couple of minutes. My interest was peaked, however, when I noticed that our own JD is scheduled to weigh in with his opinion as Reds expert later this week. So go check it out if for no other reason than to support the efforts of our fearless leader.

I think mostly this is little more than ESPN.com's writers to come up with something to do ('cause I don't think they're usually offering up much useful material), but I am excited simply to see more and more "mainstream" media turning to the blogging community for their take on the sports and teams they care about.

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Dunn

Do you think if enough of us vote for Dunn, the Reds will pick up his option?

by pw on Aug 20, 2007 3:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Juan freaking Castro?

What moron picked the choices? Brandon Phillips and Bronson Arroyo should be on that list. Bronson because he is nationally known and BP because he should be nationally known, plus he has that great smile. And why not Aaron Harang? I guess he's not a spotlight guy, but shouldn't your best player at least be an option when you're picking a "face of the franchise?"

I pick BP. Griffey is not a Cincinnati Red, he is Ken Griffey, Jr. Dunn, is, well, Dunn. I don't know what it is, but he just doesn't seem like a "face" guy. Hamilton hasn't been around long enough. If you put him on the list, you might as well but Votto and Bruce on it, too.

But who the heck but Juan freaking Castro on the list?

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 3:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Zach!!

come downstairs this minute!!!

"Two Dunn's enter, but only one Dunn will leave...unless neither do because they decide to play cards, drink beer, golf, and fish."--SlydeFrog

by Man Mountain on Aug 20, 2007 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh, Juan Castro

I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I know why he's on the list.

I'm a numbers freak, numbers freak. I'm numbers freaky, ow.

by Slyde on Aug 20, 2007 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rob Neyer's comment

The bad news is that Ken Griffey's Cincinnati Reds have not reached the playoffs -- they haven't even come close to reaching the playoffs -- since he's been associated with them.

I guess two games before the season ends is not close.

National sports media is retarded.

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 3:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe he was just looking at records

Their record last year was pretty pathetic. Just so happens that a pathetic record is good enought to win the division (and the World Series... Argh!). Perhaps that's why Juan Castro is on there... a face that screams putrid. I can't think of any other reason, other than he's served two tours with the team and Krivsky has a mancrush on him. Honestly, I think that the national media tends to fixate on Ryan Freel as a face of the Reds. He's scrappy, he runs into things, and provides good highlights. He's constantly showing up on dumb espn.com lists.

Aaron Harang's face terrifies children and opposing batters.

by Brendanukkah on Aug 20, 2007 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Now that I think about it

maybe he SHOULD be the face of the Reds, because he and players like him are the reason the Reds have been losing for seven years.

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i wonder why

they picked rosecrans rather than fay? (just curious, not implying anything.)

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 4:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's Trent's big day on the internet

Maybe he's outhustling Fay (not hard) because he knows he needs a job next year.

by Brendanukkah on Aug 20, 2007 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

From looking at the other teams,

ESPN is picking the younger, more internet-savvy reporters. E.g., Goldman for the Mets, Zolecki for the Phillies.

by ken on Aug 20, 2007 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

where was crolfer from the Reds?

I'm a numbers freak, numbers freak. I'm numbers freaky, ow.

by Slyde on Aug 20, 2007 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Snap, now JD's too old?

Alright, I'm gonna go hang out with Caleb, Lonesome George and Madville, and we'll reminisce when 26 used to be the prime of life. Only we had to call it dickety-six because the Kaiser had stolen our word for "twenty"...

by Brendanukkah on Aug 20, 2007 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I would like to name the following

friends of mine as members of the red menace: Fred Wilson, my brother Bill, Dom DiMaggio, the paper boy, Howdy-Doody, Josef Stalin...

"Two Dunn's enter, but only one Dunn will leave...unless neither do because they decide to play cards, drink beer, golf, and fish."--SlydeFrog

by Man Mountain on Aug 20, 2007 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It begins...

I'm too old to properly include pictures in my posts. Criminy! Land o'Goshen...

by Brendanukkah on Aug 20, 2007 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I nominate Valentin

for the Mustache of the Franchise.

by ken on Aug 20, 2007 4:15 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

La Machina

es muy hirsuto.

"Two Dunn's enter, but only one Dunn will leave...unless neither do because they decide to play cards, drink beer, golf, and fish."--SlydeFrog

by Man Mountain on Aug 20, 2007 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

and maybe choosing castro

to represent reds losing isn't far off - look at who stark chose for the orioles (and he's a choice in the public vote):

It would be more uplifting if we could nominate Nick Markakis or Erik Bedard for this honor. Or even Cal Ripken Jr., for that matter. But it's the owner who has become the focal point of this once-esteemed franchise. And, as one of his fellow owners observed, "doesn't that tell you everything?" Well, yeah, as a matter of fact. Does Angelos really deserve all the fan fury he's unleashed? Is he singularly responsible for the empty seats, the nine straight losing seasons, the parade of managers and GMs, the exile of icons like Ripken and Brooks Robinson, the constant friction and turmoil? Heck, that would be impossible. But it doesn't matter, because his fans think he is. And about the only ways he could change that image now would be to win five World Series in a row -- or sell.

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 4:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ankiel hit another one out

deadbirds above chub$ 6-4. perhaps he will become the face of the deadbirds? nah, that has to go to prince albert.

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 4:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ESPN.com is a family site!

Although it wouldn't surprise me to find out that all the males there are in the 8% that suffer from Seth's affliction in Superbad.

by Brendanukkah on Aug 20, 2007 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

some other notes

*Sausage Races are a choice for the Sausages.
*PNC Park is a choice for the Pirates.
*The Red Sox vote does not include Manny Ramirez.
*Why is it so damn difficult to catch the logos to click on them?

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 4:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If I lay down, people will throw dirt on me...

Damn Kaiser.

Damn TV.

It's Hell getting old.

Witless as usual

by Lonesome George on Aug 20, 2007 5:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I had to go with Castro

Cause the reds are scrappy and shitty like him!

"A lot of good ballgames on tomorrow, but we're going to be right here with the Cubs and the Mets." -Thom Brennaman, Chicago Cubs broadcaster.

by Zach K on Aug 20, 2007 5:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

BP for me

I too am shocked to not see Phillips name on that list. When I think Face of the Franchise I envision the guy whose name is on the back of the majority of the kids jerseys walking around GABP. I think of the main guy on the billboards and ticket campaigns, I think of the guy with the most fan appeal while being the best player on the team. To me, BP is all of those things. He brings the youthful, exciting energy, that megawatt smile, and his walkup music, one might say sadly here, is going to be the most recognizable of anyone else on the team, with Dunn playing old rock music and EdE going with Spanish rap. And he's awesome. 20/20, makes a ton of flashy defensive plays, etc. If Dunn's option is picked up and we extend him, then I can why he should be the face. But with his future in Cincinnati in doubt, I think it's BP. If we we're a contender, I would say Griffey, but at this point we need to look to the future, and right now, the future of this franchise, or least a major piece, is at 2B.

Rosie Red is a cheating whore.

by JK on Aug 20, 2007 6:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't know if BP is the best player on the team

I don't know who I would say is, but to me, it's not BP. I guess I kinda think he's overrated. I still like him, but I don't like him like him.

If I had to choose somebody that most represented the Reds and was a good player, I'd probably say Harang. He's the franchise in my mind.

I'm a numbers freak, numbers freak. I'm numbers freaky, ow.

by Slyde on Aug 20, 2007 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

To those who know baseball..

Harang is the franchise. He's by far the best pitcher on a team that will depend on pitching for success. Without him we would be much worse than we would be without anyone else on this team. But, I don't think Harang can be the face of this team in the public eye. He has the personality of a wet sock and looks like a guy who loses a toughman contest every weekend. And he's a pitcher, he's out there once every 5 games.

BP may not be The Franchise ala Steve Francis, but because of his personality, style, and the fact that he plays everyday and is more likely to be seen on ESPN than Harang, I think he is the best candidate for being the face of the franchise. But I don't disagree with you that Harang is the franchise.

Rosie Red is a cheating whore.

by JK on Aug 20, 2007 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I like him...

I'm just not 'in like' with him.

"Karma - there it was. The meaning of life, straight from Carson Daly's lips to my morphine-laced ears." -Earl Hickey

by BLee2525 on Aug 20, 2007 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow. castro is a choice.

i read the redreport here and thought arroyo myself. then i clicked the link and he aint even a choice. can we choose winston churchill? becaaaaauuuuse he's done as much to help this team as juan castro has.

as for my opinion, i would say jr. is the face of the franchise. the most recognizable. the most liked player, however, would probably be arroyo. chicks dig the mark paul gossaler smile and the flaxon locks. the best player is probably harang. im not sure to the win shares or whatever it is they use to measure that these days, but i would say with much confidence that he leads the pack.

at least this isnt pittsburgh

by Charlie Scrabbles on Aug 20, 2007 7:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can we vote for the ass-end of the franchise?

If so, I vote for Moeller.

If Krivsky doesn't exercise Adam Dunn's 2008 option, I'm a Mets fan until they fire him.

by Paul Householder on Aug 20, 2007 9:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

maybe you missed it

but 1)moeller is a dodger and 2)castro is a choice!

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 20, 2007 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

I figured that Moeller was bad enough that he didn't need to be with the team to become the ass-end of the franchise.

Stanton would be a good nominee too, as would McJeffsky.

If Krivsky doesn't exercise Adam Dunn's 2008 option, I'm a Mets fan until they fire him.

by Paul Householder on Aug 21, 2007 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I vote for fucking Gapper

They say it is all over in the blink of an eye. Don't Blink.

by Madville on Aug 20, 2007 10:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gapper . . .

. . . the Asshole of the franchise.

by Brian B on Aug 20, 2007 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dunn

Just to piss off Marty.

by Brian B on Aug 20, 2007 11:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Does anyone else think...

..think that Castro might be included on ESPN's list as subtle swipe at the Reds front office? It's good old-fashioned irony, yes?

I mean, the Reds have a Hall of Fame outfielding slugger, one of the league's best aces, a potential 30/30 middle infielder and a big hoss hittin' balls into the Ohio River and yet here we are kind of tripping over ourselves to answer this question. No one in Las Cruces could name a Red other than Griffey. And in Las Cruces, they think he's always hurt.

(By the way, if Hamilton plays 140 games in '08, I think he might be the new face of the franchise. Certainly locally. Perhaps nationally as well.)

by Fat Vegas Alan on Aug 21, 2007 9:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Trent picked Griffey

And seems to take a couple shots at the city of Cinci which may not be entirely deserved.

"The return to his hometown has been anything but storybook for Ken Griffey Jr., but for better or worse, he is still the face of the Cincinnati Reds. A graduate of Cincinnati's Moeller High School, Griffey has been plagued by injuries since donning the uniform he wore as a child in the father-son games at Riverfront Stadium. He still may hit his 600th career home run at Great American Ball Park in a Reds' uniform, but anything short of multiple titles and the all-time home run record was destined to be a disappointment for the Queen City faithful that celebrated his return in 2000. The "hometown discount" Griffey took is now perceived as shackles that bind the small-market Reds, despite any individual greatness that Griffey still exhibits for the last-place Reds. Griffey is still a Big Red, but just without a Machine to live up to the expectations of a town that will forever be spoiled by memories of greatness."

by Brendanukkah on Aug 21, 2007 1:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

where are these "shots" at cincy

i don't perceive these comments about the town wanting a winner as "shots." it's the truth. we have a winning franchise, and we don't put up with anything else, esp. this losing.

although i guess he is saying that we don't appreciate griffey. well, he hasn't been around to experience the disappointment of his constant injuries. he fails to understand that griffey is NOT a Big Red - he is ken griffey jr., who, if he has a team to belong to, belongs to the mariners. you don't become a Big Red just because you are a good player who dons the uniform.

is he using his 15 minutes of national media attention to jump on the bash the small market losers bandwagon? he is a royals fan and all. well, a former royals fan who abandoned his team when they started losing. so yeah, i guess he wouldn't understand why cincy fans hold onto our winning tradition.

hmm...maybe they are "shots."

I love the Reds no matter what!

by Daedalus on Aug 22, 2007 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did anyone else notice

that they have dunn making the most money? Griffey clears him by $2 million. Maybe since this is a fan thing, and most fans seem to think dunn is the highest paid, htey felt justified in distorting the facts.

can you set them straight, jd?

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on Aug 21, 2007 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Griffey

ESPN actually defers part of Griffey's salary, since that's what is supposed to happen. The Reds however don't when they report their budget.

I'm a numbers freak, numbers freak. I'm numbers freaky, ow.

by Slyde on Aug 21, 2007 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, shouldnt espn

be smarter than that? Isn't the point of "highest-paid player" to show who makes the most money this season for playing baseball? It's nice that the Reds can play tricks with their books, but the fact remains that when it's all said and done, jr. will make at least 12.5M this year (and more, because the deferred salary earns 4 points a year, and the entire thing isnt paid out until 2024.)

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on Aug 21, 2007 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

going one step further

if you start a game on Aug. 1, and rain causes its postponement, but you pick up the game at a later date and finish it off on Aug. 30, everything that happens on Aug. 30 actually occurred on Aug. 1, according to the rules of baseball. Salary should be the same way.

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on Aug 21, 2007 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dunn Makes 28 Millon Dollars dude

what are you talking about?

He also has 232234 Ks and 50 HIts 34 of the HRs...

"A lot of good ballgames on tomorrow, but we're going to be right here with the Cubs and the Mets." -Thom Brennaman, Chicago Cubs broadcaster.

by Zach K on Aug 21, 2007 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

JD went with

Juan Castro and sent a strong message.

by pw on Aug 22, 2007 10:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

deez nuts...

Serious balls shown by JD, I think. Check it out:

"The face of the Reds franchise in 2007 is without a doubt utility infielder Juan Castro. He sucks. And the Reds have sucked for a long time. There is little redeeming about Castro as a player, just as there is little redeeming about a Reds franchise that seems adrift these days, with no clear plan of how to pull themselves out of the mess that has been the past seven years. The Reds have had plenty of players on their team the past few seasons that have no business being on a major league roster, but Castro is the worst, and he's the greatest example of why things are looking pretty bleak in Cincinnati these days."

by ben nevis on Aug 22, 2007 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that why ESPN had to add Castro to the poll?

Because JD chose him? Honestly, I can't see them being clever enough to add him as a choice on their own.

by Brendanukkah on Aug 22, 2007 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't doubt that...

..JD tipped them off to his forthcoming scathingly ironic pick, but c'mon, not everybody at ESPN has to be considered a rumblin' stumblin' self-promotin' blowhard catch-phrasin' doofus. Let's give some love to the creative techies who put together the baseball portion of the site. They somehow knew how to find Red Reporter, right?

by Fat Vegas Alan on Aug 22, 2007 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"Let's search the internet for

REPORTERS that cover the REDS." I can see that they might want to do funny picks (wasn't the stadium a choice for some teams?), but Juan Castro seems not quite obvious enough to be on their radar. I'm pinning this one entirely on JD.

by Brendanukkah on Aug 22, 2007 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

holy shit

i thought you were kidding. that is some serious work by jd. if youre reading, jd, way the fuck to go man. that's the coolest thing ive read on espn in a long time.

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on Aug 22, 2007 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs