FanPost

Worst season ever by a Red?

On the heels of their "each franchise's greatest player" poll, ESPN.com is doing a "worst individual season for each franchise" poll.

LINK (pops)

Their suggestions:

Paul Householder, RF, 1982 (.211/.265/.326, 9 HR, 34 RBI in 417 at-bats): Granted, 1982 was not the hitter's paradise we have come to know baseball to be since, but when a corner outfielder gets on base just 120 times in 455 tries, it's not too surprising when his team loses 101 games.
Eric Milton, P, 2005 (8-15, 6.47 ERA, 186.1 IP, 237 H, 40 HR): It was Milton's misfortune to spend the years 2004 and 2005 playing his home games in two ballparks that are the least friendly to fly-ball pitchers: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Except that of the 83 home runs he gave up in those two seasons, 42 came on the road. Opponents had a slugging percentage of .543 against him, the worst in Reds history going back to the very day the fee was paid to start the franchise.
Bobby Tolan, CF/RF, 1973 (.206/.251/.304, 9 HR, 51 RBI in 457 at-bats): An outfielder with an OPS of .555 will attract some attention in a poll like this. Once a good player (two 100-run seasons), Tolan's power had greatly diminished in 1972 and never really returned before his retirement in 1979. His walk rate also declined, leaving very little to recommend him to start. That, of course, made him an ideal candidate for the San Diego Padres of that woeful vintage, who traded for him that winter.


Tolan's a pretty strong candidate IMHO, but my question to my fellow Red Reporters is this - who did they miss? What's the worst individual season by a Red you guys can remember?