The Reds Tournament of the 2000s: Round 2 (cont.)

It’s time for another round of voting in the Reds Tournament of the 2000s. You can find the original post and rules here. Following these two match-ups the final four will be set, and we’ll be one step closer to crowning a champion. You have twenty-four hours to vote.

In this round we have been highlighting individual player performances worthy of attention (good or bad). However, continue to vote for a team based on any criteria you deem appropriate. Let’s get to the games!

2010 Reds vs. 2009 Reds

The 2010 Reds were one of only two teams to win their first round matchup with 100% of the vote (I still can’t believe someone voted for 2015 over 2012). There’s good reason for why this squad is so popular. They won 91 games, won the NL Central, and made the Reds first playoff appearance since 1995.

Which player’s production sticks out from the 2010 season? I’ll give that nod to the best starting pitcher on the team by ERA+ (116). That’s right, we’re talking Travis Wood. True, Wood only made 17 starts and pitched 102.2 innings, but when he was on the mound he was really good. Few games epitomized this like Wood’s one-hit complete game shutout against the Phillies on July 10. In those 17 starts Wood went 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA. His SO/W ratio was the best on the team for a player not named Aroldis Chapman.

Wood started 18 games for the Reds the following season, but he wasn’t nearly as successful. Following the 2011 campaign Cincinnati sent Travis Wood, Dave Sappelt, and Ronald Torreyes to the Chicago Cubs for Sean Marshall.

The 2009 Reds easily made it to the second round with an 80% to 20% victory over the 2003 Reds. Why was the 2009 team so successful in this tournament? My guess is because of the player who is about to be highlighted. For you see, 2009 was the first season the shooting star known as Jonny Gomes shot across the Reds universe.

Gomes appeared in 98 magical games for the Reds in 2009. In those 98 games he hit .267/.338/.541 with 20 HR and 59 RBI. It feels pointless trying to use words to describe Gomes’ greatness. Words will never be enough. It’s like trying to describe to someone the majesty of the Grand Canyon. Unless you’ve seen it, you just don’t get it.

Yes, I know Gomes was on the 2010 team too. It’s fine. He wasn’t as good that season.

Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

#neverforget #quitplayinggomeswithmyheart

2013 Reds vs. 2008 Reds

The 2013 Reds were the other team to march in to round 2 with 100% of the vote. There’s only one player I even considered spotlighting for this team. For a brief moment in time every Reds fan purchased a ticket and hopped aboard the Shin-Soo Choo train.

Choo hit .285/.423/.462 to go with 21 HR 20 SB, and a major league leading 26 HBP. In Choo’s only season in the National League he was one of the Reds best offensive players. Maybe he was the worst defensive CF in baseball that season (-18 DRS and -16.9 UZR). He was still #1 in our hearts.

The 2008 Reds pulled the lone upset of the first round, and they did it in convincing fashion over the 2011 team (82% - 18%). What the 2008 team lacked in wins, they only had 74, they made up for with...Josh Fogg? Fogg started the fifth most games for the Reds in 2008 (14), and he made a handful of appearances out of the bullpen.

Fogg did not have a lot of success in Cincinnati. His 2-7 record and 7.58 ERA are helped slightly by a 6.07 FIP (I know it’s bad, it’s still better). This was easily the worst season of Fogg’s nine year career, and he might be the only pitcher in history who was glad to get back to Colorado.

I guess you could say his season in Cincinnati was pretty Foggetable.