The Cincinnati Reds played in the first professional baseball game in the United States in June of 1869 under the name of the "Cincinnati Red Stockings" against the Mansfield Independents. At that time, the team's combined expenditures on players' salary was about $11,000 with their best player, short-stop George Wright, earning nearly $2000 of it. From 1876 to 1878, the Cincinnati Red Stockings shorten their name to the "Cincinnati Reds" and join the National League. After a century of successful baseball seasons with the likes of Hall-of-Fame outfielder Pete Rose and 2nd baseman Joe Morgan behind the wheel, the team has turned into the dominant franchise we know them as today. The Reds have played at the Great American Ballpark and have played there since 2003. The team's overall historic accomplishments include five World Series championships in 9 World Series appearances, nine National League pennants, eight LCS appearances, and seven division titles.
For this 2008 season, the Cincinnati Reds have acquired the services of new manager Dusty Baker to try and turn around a recent franchise slump after last season's poor performance. The Reds are off to a slow start thus far, which is to be expected initially as the new manager tries to build the team's chemistry and cohesiveness, although the team hasn't done too poorly with a current record of 31-35 putting them in 6th place in the National League Central division. The Cincinnati Reds are led by pitcher Edinson "Voltron" Volquez and All-Stars Bronson Arroyo and Adam Dunn, but the best player on the team, by far, is future Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. Former MVP Ken Griffey, Jr. is a 7-time Silver Slugger Award winner, 10-time Gold Glove Award winner, and 13-time All Star. Tickets this season are selling relatively slow due to the slow start this year, but even if the team isn't winning, fans always pay to see the excitement that is the Cincinnati Reds.
