Breaking Down Cincinnati Reds All-Time Starting Nine

Fox Sports recently released its "All-Time Reds Lineup" as a series during the All-Star break. Cincinnati has an illustrious list of all-time great players during the franchise's history. To no one's surprise, a lot of Big Red Machine players made the lineup.

Designated Hitter: Tony Perez

Tony Perez played 13 seasons in Cincinanti from 1964 through 1976. He played both corner outfield postions as well as corner infield positions for the Reds during his career. During his time with the Reds, the seven time All-Star finished second in franchise history with 1,192 RBIs, fourth in home runs with 287, fifth in total bases with 3,246, seventh in hits with 1,934 and ninth with a 45.5 Wins Above Replacement and 936 runs scored. Ken Griffey and Adam Dunn were named honorable mentions at DH.

Catcher: Johnny Bench

To no surprise, Johnny Bench is the Reds' All-Time Catcher. Not only is he one of the best catchers of all time, but he's also one of the best hitters of all time. The slugger spent his entire 17-year career with the Reds from 1967 through 1983. He was one of the most reliable backstops, winning 10 Gold Glove Awards. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1968, which was also his first of 14 All-Star games. He would win two MVP Awards, a World Series MVP, two World Series titles, and be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989. Bench finished his career first in team history with 389 home runs and 1,376 RBIs. He's second in WAR at 75.1, third in total bases with 3,644, fifth in walks with 891, fifth in runs scored with 1,091, and sixth in hits with 2,048. There was no honorable mention at catcher.

First Base: Joey Votto

Joey Votto is the only position player on this list from the 21st century. The second-round pick was originally drafted as a catcher before transitioning to first base. His eye for the strike zone is one of the best of all time, but he also had elite power. If Votto wasn't taking a walk, chances are he was either slapping the ball in the gap to all fields or driving the ball over the wall to all fields. The 2010 MVP Award Winner finished his career as an on-base leader seven times, a leader in walks five times, and an OPS leader two times. He finished second in team history with 356 home runs, 3,706 total bases, and an on-base percentage of .409. He's third with 1,144 RBIs, fourth in runs scored with 1,171, fifth with both a 63.6 WAR and 2,135 hits, and sixth in slugging at .511. Unfortunately, the Reds would not win a playoff series during his tenure. There were no honorable mentions at first base.

Second Base: Joe Morgan

Joe Morgan outplayed his stature during his playing career. He played with the Reds from 1972 through 1979. He was an All-Star in every season for the Reds. He won the MVP Award in both 1975 and 1976, winning five Gold Glove Awards, and led the National League in WAR and on-base percentage twice and in walks two times. He is first in Reds history with a .415 on-base percentage, second in stolen bases with 406, and sixth in walks at 881 and WAR at 57.9. Joe Morgan was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. Brandon Phillips was named as an honorable mention at second base.

Shortstop: Barry Larkin

Barry Larkin played his entire career with the Reds from 1986 through 2004. The 1995 National League MVP was known to have a good eye at the plate, rarely striking out, hitting for average and even posted a 33 home run season in 1996. Larkin would win three Gold Glove Awards, nine Silver Slugger Awards, make 12 All-Star teams and win a World Series Championship in 1990. He finished second in team history in hits with 2,340, third in runs scored with 1,329, 379 stolen bases, and a 70.5 WAR. He's fourth in total bases with 3,527 and walks with 937. He is seventh in RBIs with 960. Dave Concepcion is named as an honorable mention at shortstop.

Third Base: Pete Rose

Pete Rose is arguably the greatest hitter of all time. The switch hitter is the all-time leader in hits with 4,256. When building the prototype for a baseball player, Pete is what comes to mind. He almost never struck out, hit the ball at a high average to all fields, legged out hits, and made an attempt for an extra base with his trademarked head-first dive. He played for the Reds from 1963 through 1978 and again from 1984 to 1986, while managing from 1984 to 1989. He won three batting titles, had 200 or more hits in nine seasons, and led the National League in doubles four times. The 17-time All-Star is first in franchise history in hits with 3,358, 1,741 runs scored, 4,645 total bases, and a 78.1 WAR. Rose is also fifth in RBIs with 1,036, 10th in batting average at .307, and on base percentage at .379. There are no honorable mentions at third base.

Outfield: George Foster, Eric Davis and Frank Robinson

Frank Robinson played 10 seasons for Cincinnati from 1956-1965. His first season, he won Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team, leading the National League in runs scored and slugging .558. Frank was a six-time All-Star in Cincinnati, winning the 1961 National League MVP Award and ranking fourth in home runs with 324, fourth in WAR at 63.8, fifth in on-base percentage at .389, and sixth in runs scored at 1,043.

Eric Davis was one of the most electric players of his time. Blazing speed, cannon for an arm, loads of power, and a great glove, Davis was a true five-tool player. Davis played for the Reds from 1984 through 1991 and one more season in 1996. Davis had an 80 stolen base season in 1986 and had 30 home runs with 100-plus RBIs twice. He won three Gold Glove Awards, two Silver Sluggers, and was named to two All-Star teams. Davis is seventh in team history in slugging at .510, ninth in stolen bases with 270, and 10th with 203 home runs. Vada Pinson is an honorable mention at center field. 

George Foster played for the Reds from 1971 through 1981. The 1977 National League MVP made the All-Star team five times during his career with the Reds. He won two World Series titles and finished his career third in slugging at .514, seventh in home runs with 244, and 10th in RBIs with 861. Jay Bruce was named an honorable mention for right field.

Starting Pitcher: Eppa Rixey

Rixey pitched for the Reds from 1921 through 1933. The Hall of Famer is first in Reds history with 2,890 2/3 innings pitched and 179 wins. He’s second in WAR for pitchers at 40.9 and tied for eighth with 23 shutouts and ninth with 180 complete games. Bucky Walters, Paul Derringer, Noodles Hahn, and Jim O’Toole were named honorable mentions. 

Relief Pitcher/Closer: Danny Graves

The Reds acquired Danny Graves during the 1997 season and he pitched for the Reds until the middle of the 2005 season. Graves is first all-time in team history in saves. He had a career ERA of 3.94 and was a two-time All-Star. Aroldis Chapman and Rob Dibble were named honorable mentions. 

Manager: Sparky Anderson

The Reds and Sparky Anderson were a match from the beginning. In his first season with the team, the Reds won 102 games and won the National League pennant in 1970, repeating the feat in 1972. He won two World Series titles with the Big Red Machine in 1975 and 1976. He’s first in managerial wins with 863, a record of 863-586 and a winning percentage of .596, second in franchise history. Bill McKechnie was named an honorable mention. 

You can find the complete list here: