Aug

26

A Note from Cincinnati

Posted by Greg | Filed Under News | 

concepcion.jpgThe 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League season may be fading in our memories, but this year’s MLB pennant race is heating up. Just as we did last year, we’ll keep the baseball discussion going by following former and future Cape league players.

I was in Cincinnati this weekend and caught a Reds game with the Florida Marlins. It was homers galore, including one of those sweet strokes by Ken Griffey Jr (his 591st). But it wasn’t just any game. This was the game in which they retired the Big Red Machine’s number 13 – shortstop and All-Star MVP David Concepcion.

It was a special game for me. Growing up in Oklahoma, which is also the home of Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, I was a hard-core Reds fan through all of the 70s and much of the 80s (sorry Red Sox fans). It was made all the more enjoyable by joining my brother, Mike, who lives here, and my son.

Just before game time last night Bench, Sparky Anderson, Tony Perez, George Foster and other Reds greats gathered for a ceremony celebrating their teammate from Venezuela along the first-base line.

Concepcion, overwhelmed by emotion, could barely speak. His wife had to come up to join him at the lectern. It was a special night for Reds fans and for baseball. I was honored to be there.

In seeing his number retired, Concepcion joined six other former Reds: managers Fred Hutchinson (1) and Sparky Anderson (10), catcher Johnny Bench (5), second baseman Joe Morgan (8) and first basemen Ted Kluszewski (18) and Tony Perez (24).

It had been years since I watched Concepcion. His deep range in the hole and his powerful arm would place him among the best in the majors today. The Cincinnati papers yesterday morning and the talk this weekend is that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and some say he may be among the best shortstops of all time. He didn’t do backward flips but if I had to take a national league shortstop I’d be hard pressed not to pick him. I believe his skills, his numbers, his many awards and his part in the Big Red Machine deserve a spot in the Hall.

This was my first visit to the Reds’ new home, Great American Ballpark. Great American is not the greatest of the ballparks I’ve visited. But I have to say it’s better than billed. When I told friends I would be visiting the park, many were quick to say it’s not a great ballpark. I disagree. It’s a comfortable, intimate ballpark, conveniently located next to old Riverfront Stadium downtown. It has a beautiful mosaic at the entrance featuring Reds greats and some terrific statues Ted Kluszewski (1B), Frank Robinson, Ernie Lombardi and Joe Nuxhall, the kid who broke into the majors at 15 during the War. Nuxhall was in attendance last night for the Concepcion ceremony.

The ballpark definitely has some downsides. The often heard complaint is that it’s turned the wrong way. There must be engineering reasons why. Most downtown ballpark outfields frame the city’s downtown skyline. Not Cinci. You basically see nothing in the outfield but sky. The scoreboards are hard to decipher, confusing. The ballpark, while functional, is not a beautiful ballpark.

The Reds’ Aaron Harang, who played in Cotuit in 1998, had gotten the win the previous night in Cincinnati. There must have been other Cape league alumni in the line-up but I’m not sure who they all are. Did former Memphis star Dan Uggla, who homered last night for the Marlins, play on the Cape?

As in my other notes from major league parks, the connection with the Cape league is through its players. But a night devoted to Concepcion can also be an inspiration to players young and old.

Comments

6 Responses to “A Note from Cincinnati”

  1. Andrew on August 26th, 2007 1:46 pm

    Good write-up. Uggla did not play for either the Cape League or the Alaska League.

    An interesting pattern emerged when I did some research to find some other Reds players from the CCBL. Turns out they all wore red when they were on the Cape: LHP Bill Bray (Orleans ‘03), LHP Mike Gosling (Orleans ‘99), SS/2B Jeff Keppinger (Orleans ‘00-’01).

    Some Marlins: LHP Taylor Tankersley (Brewster ‘02), OF Todd Linden (Chatham ‘00).

    I’m sure I missed some, as I used the old list on the CCBL site.

  2. Greg on August 26th, 2007 4:42 pm

    Linden did pinch hit for pitcher Mitre (3-1 put-out) in the 7th.

    Thanks for the research Andrew.

  3. Ryan Hanigan (Orleans) Called-up by the Reds : CodBall: Unofficial Blog of the Cape Cod Baseball League on September 9th, 2007 1:53 pm

    [...] A Note from Cincinnati [...]

  4. David on September 14th, 2007 9:41 pm

    I think he is discounted today because of the flood of big hitters at that position since - Yount, Ripken, A-Rod, etc. Concepcion was not only a great shortstop, he was a clutch hitter, far more dangerous than his average and power numbers indicate. I have recollections of Russell, Campaneris, Bowa, and Belanger in the 70’s - he was at the top of that group. The Wizard went to the hall, and I think Visquel is going in as well. He is in their class - my sense is that the Reds guys who got in have to lobby for him with the veterans committee. You should write to Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench and tell them that instead of wasting energy talking about Rose, they should be talking up number 13 every winter around voting time.

  5. Greg on September 14th, 2007 11:29 pm

    David, thanks for your post.

    Interestingly, Vizquel spoke to the Reds crowd on the big screen via a recorded message. He was funny and told a Reds player from Venezuela who wore #11 for the last time to translate for him.

    I met Vizequel last year in Seattle at a dinner. He was promoted throughout the evening as future Hall of Famer. I like Omar but I would put Concepcion in first.

    I have to confess a huge bias. I love the ’70s Reds more than any sports organization ever. Johnny Bench is right up there for me must after faith and family.

    David, I guess you must have seen a few Reds games in Pittsburgh, huh?

  6. David on September 15th, 2007 12:00 am

    I was privileged to see the machine in the NLCS playoffs against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, but confess now that without going to the scrap book I can’t remember if it was 72 (the late Bob Moose wild pitch) or the 75 sweep. Never understood why that team did not win more titles - I always remember them as being better than the A’s that won 3 and the Yankees that won two during that era. I do not believe that any team in baseball today is as good. Plus, Pete would have been juiced. D

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