Was the Big Red Machine the Greatest Team Ever?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 26 авг 2024
- Was the Big Red Machine the Greatest Team Ever?
The Big Red Machine!
Sounds like something out of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, right? Well, surprise, surprise… this BIG RED MACHINE actually refers to the Cincinnati Reds!
Well, some folks nod and say it all kicked off in 1970 when the Reds brought in the former minor league maestro, George "Sparky" Anderson. But, hold on a sec, because if you peek back to the early '60s, you'll catch wind of some game-changing moments that laid the groundwork for this powerhouse team.
In today's video we look at Was the Big Red Machine the Greatest Team Ever?...keep watching for more on big red machine, baseball, major league baseball, pete rose big re3d machine, baseball (interest), pete rose (baseball player), cincinnati reds (baseball team), boston red sox, baseball facts, baseballs, baseball lists, baseball cards, baseball moments, johnny bench (baseball player), ken griffey sr. (baseball player), baseball hall of famer joe morgan, joe morgan (baseball player), george foster (baseball player)
Subscribe for more on baseball history, baseball , Major League Baseball, and MLB. Inspired by Baseball Doesn't Exist, Made The Cut, and Cam 23.
Inspired byEvery team's BEST projected player for 2024!
Inspired by Major League Baseball Winners (1903 - 2022) | World Series Champions
Inspired by Most OVERPOWERED Team of All Time
Click here to subscribe: bit.ly/3NgaQ2K
Click here to subscribe: bit.ly/3NgaQ2K
One of the catalyst of the Big Red Machine that hardly anybody talks about, is the flexibility of Pete Rose to be able to play multiple positions that allowed for a certain player to play "their" position within the Machine. Rose played over 600 games at 2B, he couldn't do that if Morgan's on the team. Rose played over 600 games at LF, couldn't do that when George Foster is on the team, 900 games at 1B, well Tony Perez has to be there, so his 600 games at 3B worked out best for the Machine. Rose also played other positions.
Hall of Famer...
No one talks much about Concepcion. He was a magnificent defensive shortstop, with a cannon arm. And a good batter, with occasional power. He and Morgan locked the middle of the field.
And one of the few of the Big RM that played his whole career for the Reds. He deserved the HoF.
Concepcion was definitely a key piece and an unbelievable fielder. They definitely wouldn’t have been the same without him
Great Comment
Dave Concepcion would be a HOF except Sparky platooned him his first five years.
@@garryharris3777 good point!
I agree with you; Concepcion should be in Cooperstown. For my money, Joe Nuxhall and Clay Carroll should be there, too.
Caesar Geronimo also finished 25th in MVP voting in 1976.
As the 8th hitter for the Big Red Machine.
Truly astounding.
Cesar is so often overlooked when discussing that team. He was vital to their success.
When Johnny Bench bats seventh, as he did in the 1976 World Series, you have an incredible team.
Cesar Geronimo is overlooked because for most of his career he couldn't hit that well, BUT he was one of the best defensive centerfielders there ever was! He certainly is the best that on one talks about. I don't think there is any centerfielder with a better arm and his range was great. He was before they had range factor but everyone knew he had great range. He is in top 10 career in range factor for centerfielders. At the time he competed with Cedeno(former teammates) for golden glove in center. Cedeno had a weaker arm(but good arm|) and less range but is one of the All time best centerfielders in field percentage.
I saw the Big Red Machine play in person at Riverfront Stadium in 1976. When I was in college in the middle 1970s I listened to many of their games on radio. Marty Brenneman and Joe Nuxall were the announcers. Joe Morgan was the spark plug of the Big Red Machine.
No doubt! I love Joe Morgan and watched him a lot as a kid. In my mind he was in the top 1 or 2 2nd baseman of all time. So exciting to watch and a really good announcer as well! Thank you for the comment.
Focus, by Hocus Pocus was always the intro. Its all you heard
on Reds Baseball in the mid 70s.
@@tomodonovan5931 that’s right! Thank you for sharing!
Joe Morgan was pure talent and class. I was a Pirate fan but had to respect the Reds. I think I cried when Bob Moose threw that wild pitch in the playoffs.
They were one juggernaut of a team and it’s fun to revisit their greatness.
I lived in Dayton from 1970 to 1976 and my dad's company had season tickets to the Reds. I swear, I had no idea how lucky I was to see the World Series twice in a four year period (1972 & 1975). All I do know is that that team was so good. So, so very good. I shudder to think how good they could have been if they hadn't traded Frank Robinson or if the NL had the DH back then so they could have kept Lee May. Seriously, they were so stacked.
Thank you for sharing the memory that is a great one! In my mind, maybe the best top to bottom lineup.
I think Hal McRae started out with the Reds also. Their farm system definitely produced some dudes who could hit.
@@edvonblue he did play for them in the early 70s and then I think he got injured and traded to the Royals. Thank you for the comment!
@@edvonblue They had Hal McRae too, but that was a real log-jam at 1B since Tony couldn't play anywhere else and May & McRae were both first basemen. They also traded away Vada Pinson in 1968. I mean, they were loaded with talent in the 1960's & '70's. They just didn't have enough positions for everyone. That's a nice problem to have!
@@ghill628 McRae played OF also. Imagine of they had Foster, Griffey and McRae in the outfield throughout the 70s.
I grew up A Pittsburgh Pirates Fan, I was A very young Lad then and spent my Summers listening to the Gunner on KDKA.
And those games against the Reds were classic Baseball games. Great Baseball never dies. It lives on in every young boy from then.
That is a great memory. Thank you for sharing!
The Pittsburgh Lumber Company was a pretty good nickname too.
@@garryharris3777 No Doubt!
You were our greatest rival imho. Respect!
@@boffo63 two great teams in that decade!
As a Boston boy, watching the 75' World Series was one of the most fun times of my life
Unbelievable drama in that series. Unfortunately your team came out on the wrong end. Thanks!
I’m a Cincinnati boy, and although we won that series no one in Cincy has anything but respect for the Red Sox. Great teams only emerge from great competition.
@@cookie1054 well put!
Reds 1976: They swept the Phillies and the Yankees in the postseason. Should have 4 Hall of Famers in the infield: (Bench, Rose, Morgan and Perez). 6 MVPs in the decade Bench 70’,72’, Morgan 75’, 76, Rose 73, Foster 77. HOF manager Sparky
Offense: Reds ranked 1st in the NL in R, H, HR, 2B, 3B, BB, SB, AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS,TB. 7 All Stars on the Reds in 1976 (including Griffey Sr., Rose, Bench, Morgan, Perez, Concepcion, Foster)
Defense: 1976 Reds ranked 1st in Fielding % and E committed, Reds had 4 Gold Glovers (Bench, Morgan, Concepción, Geronimo) Career: (Bench 10 GG, Morgan 5 GG, Geronimo 4 GG, Concepcion 5 GG), strong up the middle.
Pitching: Reds had 7 pitchers that had double digit wins. 1st in Wins, 1st in Saves,
Concepcion was a 9 time All Star, Foster 5 time All Star, Griffey Sr. was a 3 time All Star. Lastly greatest catcher ever: Bench
This is crazy stats of “The Great Eight” when they in the lineup together from MLB article.
One of the enduring myths surrounding the Big Red Machine is that Sparky Anderson rubber stamped his lineup card before each game with the names of Rose, Griffey, Morgan, Perez, Foster, Bench, Concepcion and Geronimo and forgot about them. The reality is that from its inception on May 9, 1975 through the end of the 1976 season, the Great Eight lineup only took the field as a unit in 63 regular season games. Sparky regularly inserted different players into the lineup both to rest his stars and to keep his bench players fresh. The postseason was a different story as the Great Eight started each of the Reds’ 17 playoff and World Series games in 1975 and 1976.
But on those comparatively rare occasions when the Great Eight were in the same lineup, the results were devastating for the opposition. When postseason games are added to the regular season total, the Great Eight started a total of 80 games together in 1975 and 1976. The Reds record in those games was an astonishing 64-16, an .800 winning percentage that projected over a 162 game schedule produces a record of 130-32.
Great comment! Thank you for sharing.
While you mentioned the Joe Morgan trade, you didn’t mention the trade that put the team over the top. Their World Series wins wouldn’t happen without the trade for George Foster. It was an underrated trade at the time. That allowed Rose to move to 3rd base to finally shore up the infield
Good comment! Thank you for the added context!
Without billingham they might not win in75. Got quality innings to go to pen. They were always in the game too
@@BBUYTTV question if rice plays left yaz is at first. You lose left field defense. But coopers bat killed them anyway. He could only field?
@@haroldsmyth6685 No doubt!
@@haroldsmyth6685 Probably the best play would be to have Yaz in left, Rice at DH and Cooper at first
Many people act like the 70's Oakland A's are chopped liver. I must disagree as strongly as anyone can.
They beat the Reds without Reggie Jackson.
Late Tom Seaver, who was with the Mets which lost to my A's praised that team.
I have some details on the A's in my main post 📫
@@domenicdurante966The Reds lost without George Foster and Ken Griffey.
@@user-tc4yi5bk6k Ken Griffey Sr. was not on the 1972 Reds and Foster played in 59 games and batted .200. Reggie was one of the biggest stars in baseball in 1972.
Best hitting team ever. But not enough depth pitching, only 2 great pitchers.
Very true. Pitching was definitely their weakest point. Thank you for the comment!
In '75, The reds had three 15 game winners as starters. All of their starters had records above .500. All of their relievers finished above .500.
Nolan 15-9
Billingham 15-10
Gullett 15-4
Norman 12-4
Darcy 11-5
Kirby 10-6
Borbon 9-5 (bullpen)
Carroll 7-5 (mostly bullpen & 2 starts)
Their relievers combined for 50 saves: Eastwick 22, McEnaney 15, Borbon 5, Carroll 7, Darcy 1.
Borbon had a rubber arm, and threw 125 inn. in 67 appearances. (more inn. than Kirby's 110.2)
Maybe not the best staff ever, but certainly effective, especially with that reds lineup................
And still and has always been really@BBUYTTV
@@michaelsmith-bn6no What if you swapped their pitching staff out onto a mediocre team, they probably would be fairly mediocre.. Any pitcher would benefit from having that monster batting order giving you run support. The average fan probably couldn't name 1 pitcher on those 70s teams.. And their first guess would probably be Tom Seaver, after their run of dominance.
Tony Perez is my favorite Red of all-time, but this club was great all the way around. Clay Carroll was a terrific reliever, Gullett and Nolan were great starting pitchers. Boy, could Jack Billingham crank things up in the postseason! Morgan was great at 2B, Bench is the greatest catcher in Reds history, plus the Reds had The Hit King in Rose, Geronimo was a 4-time Gold Glove CF, Morgan and Concepcion had several Gold Glove Awards each; Bench had a whopping 10 of them! Perez was absolutely feared by the opposition in the clutch, and nobody could outwit Anderson. Griffey nearly won a batting title in 1976. Foster had three RBI titles, two HR titles, and an MVP award in 1977. Morgan won two MVP honors in 1975-76, plus Pete got one in 1973. The Reds were simply stacked.
Definitely stacked from top to bottom. Thank you for sharing!
@arturbello4213 Mike Lum never played enough to win Gold Glove, he was utility player. Yes he was a great outfielder as was Bill Russell, who put similar numbers in centerfield, but was moved to shortstop since the Dodgers still had Willie Davis another great centerfielder.
I'm prejudiced, as a longtime Reds fan, but I think the starting 8 was the best lineup I've ever seen. The pitching wasn't as good, but they were better than average in ERA. In 1976 they led the majors in hits, BA, Slugging %, doubles, homers, runs, and stolen bases. They also led the majors in fielding %, and their 'up the middle' defense of Geronimo, Concepcion, Morgan, and Bench was also the best I've ever seen. Their #8 hitter (Geronimo) hit .306 in 1976. Sadly, it all started to fall apart when they traded Tony Perez after the 1976 season.
I agree it’s hard to find a better lineup. Thank for the comment
I agree. Tony Perez was definitely the lynch pin that held the team together. I've heard that he was a great guy to be with in the clubhouse. Appropriately, he was there at first base on May 5, 1978 when Pete Rose got his 3,000th hit. Unfortunately, the Montreal Expos and Steve Rogers beat the Reds that night, 5-1.
@@Jdwify thank you for sharing!
Based on their competition, which included great teams loaded with talent, I might say yes. They had speed, power, pitching, and was as good defensively that a team will get. Just think look at team. Bench, Perez, Morgan, Rose and Concepcion in the infield with Foster, Geronimo and Griffey in the outfield. And for those who do not know, Geronimo was about the best in the business with terrific range and a cannon for an arm. The great teams they had to get past included those great Dodgers teams from 70s, in addition to the Phillies and Pirates. The Red Sox had a stacked lineup and the Yankees also had fantastic pitching and defense, in addition to great speed and some pop in the lineup too.
David Concepcion should be in the MLB Hall of Fame! Complete player.
I totally agree. Thank you for the comment
I agree he was rare for his time, a guy that could hit and field at shortstop! Most shortstops back then hit .220, especially if they were above average fielders!
I don’t know if it was the greatest team I ever saw, but it was probably the greatest lineup I ever saw.
It truly was a machine. Rose and Griffey at the top setting the table for Morgan, Bench, Perez, and Foster. And Geronimo and Concepcion adding that production at the bottom. That was about as flawless as you can get.
The Torre Yankees dynasty was more complete because their pitching was better. Reds didn’t have anything close to Rivera in the pen.
Regardless, the machine was a sight to behold when at their best.
I agree, the lineup was unbelievable. Hall of farmers throughout the lineup and if they weren’t a hall of famer they were very good players. I agree the pitching rotation was the only potential flaw…but Sparky got creative there. Thank you for the comment!
The 76 Reds were the most impressive team I've ever seen. Bench was the only starter to not hit over .300 but made up for it by winning WS MVP. They swept right through the post-season. In the clincher vs the Phillies they trailed by 2 in the bottom of the 9th and Bench and Foster led off with back to back homers. They then pushed across another run to complete the sweep. The Philly sports page said if the Reds needed 10 runs they probably would have got them too. In the 4 game sweep of the Yanks, the Reds starters pitched into the 7th or later in all 4 games and one reliever finished each game. They completely shut down Mickey Rivers and also got to use Driessen as a DH so their lineup was overpowering.
The lineup was just unbelievable
Concepcion didn't hit .300 in 76.
78 and 81 were his .300 seasons.
@@robertmurdock1848 actually neither did Perez, my bad
People are allowed to bet on every pitch now so why can't Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame. I bet it's hypocrisy. 😁
Many people have made that exact argument. A lot of hypocrisy in sports these days particularly around the issue of gambling. Thank you for your comment!
I always loved the big red machine. I’m a HUGE fan of Johnny Bench and Pete Rose. I love this video.
Me too! Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.
and Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, etc, etc...
@@user-co7fb6qe5w I love Joe Morgan. To me he is probably the best all time at his position! A great announcer too!
@@BBUYTTVAgreed. His career is a gimme, but he really was a great announcer along with his broadcast partner, I forget his name atm, he calls the Giants games now I believe, we're very good together.
@@tonyr.3435 Jon Miller was his broadcast partner. You are right he is really good, and together they were great!
Why no highlight segment for George Foster? and he was only mentioned once for like two worthless seconds > 5:53
The 1975 & 1976 "Big Red Machine" is the last National League team to win back to back World Series championships, and the 1976 team is the last MLB team to sweep the entire playoffs...
1972-74 A's team enters the chat...
There has been a lot of support for them in the comments, no doubt they could go toe to toe
The Reds had a better batting order, but the A's had much better pitching and a better team until free agency broke it up.
@@robertbradley8702 definitely agree with you on the first two point. Not sure I am completely there on the third. Thank you for the comment!
they played weak NL teams from 1972-1974...pirates should have won the 1972 NLCS (lost on a freak play) the 1972 Pirates would have beaten the 1972 A's....
The 1990 Reds. They would have been a tough out for the Big Red Machine in a World Series matchup.
No doubt, both great championship teams!
yes yes and yes! Great 8! Never to be forgotten by this living Fan!
I love it! Thank you for the comment!
Best team of the modern era.
I agree…lots of other opinions in the comments 😀Thank you for your comment!
was the 1972-73-74 Oakland A's.
12:47 There should at least be four there: Rose, Morgan, Bench, and Perez. But, to be fair, that whole team was unstoppable.
Definitely at least 4.
I saw the Reds play with my own eyes. It was mesmerizing.
No doubt! The lineup was electric!
I grew up in Cincinnati during the Big Red Machine days. That time felt like it was never going to end. You'd attend, watch on tv, or have Marty and Joe on WLW and expect the Reds to win. I was always simply heartbroken when baseball season ended and the Reds hadn't made the post season or had been eliminated in the playoffs. I wish i could gi back into time and watch them play again. The 1975 season was magical for me as an 11 year old child with the Reds winning and burying the Los Angeles Dodgers by a whoppinng 20 games. Then, smearing the Pittsburgh Pirates in 3 games. The World Series was classic. Most of the games were decided by 1 run. The two teams were simply determined play their best and capitalize on the oppenent's mistakes. The Mets manager once said, "Playing tge Cincinnati Reds is like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer. It feels so good when you're done." I'm sure that many other managers from that time would say the same thing. This was a great video. Thanks for the memories.
That is a great memory! Thank you for sharing!
WLW. I remember in the late 70’s picking up that station late at night in South Carolina.
At night, you could hear the Reds, Pirates, Phillies, Mets, Indians, Orioles and sometimes the White Sox games.
WLW in Cincinnati, WWL in New Orleans.
@@terrancethomas9792 that’s awesome! Sometimes I think listening to a game on the radio is the best way to experience a game. Thank you for sharing your memory.
@@BBUYTTV, those were the days before cable and ESPN.
Oddly, in my hometown, we could only get one TV station CBS.
I'd say YES! These were players like Johnny Bench, who redefined how their positions are played in the game.
Don’t forget about Joe Morgan too!
No question the best team I have ever watched
They were certainly great! Thank you for the comment
Junior was not on the Big Red Machine but his father was a key player - Junior didn't join the Reds until the 90s.
In my opinion Johnny Bench was the master key to the Big Red Machine's success , nothing against Morgan, Rose, Perez and Foster but Johnny Bench was the catalyst with his big bat , glove, arm and know how on the Cincinnati's pitching staff
Totally agree about Bench but in my mind Joe Morgan is a close second and the team really took off once he joined the team.
@@BBUYTTV bench had his hands full very sketchy pitching but bpen made the difference
@@haroldsmyth6685 Sparky handled the pitching staff masterly and of course Bench was the steadying force behind the plate. Great comment! Thank you for your comment!
If only nolan and gullett could stay healthy. Simpson also
You make a good point. I would argue that it was Morgan. The team became truly dominant once he was traded to the Reds. Either way both are all timers at their respective positions and very dangerous players. Thank you for the comment!
The reason I take the 70's Reds over the 70's A's is because the A's never had a dominant season like the Reds had in 76.
The A's caught a lot of breaks and played in a weak American league. Each year during the 70's the National League had 4-5 WS contenders. The AL only had 1-2.
Great point!
Well, the Reds had their breaks as well. When the A's won the 1972 World Series over the Reds, it was without Reggie Jackson who was injured in the ALCS. Also the Reds beat the Red Sox in the 1975 World Series without Jim Rice who had a stellar rookie season only bested by Fred Lynn. They would have put Yaz at 1B making it an even more potent lineup. I will admit the Reds did have to go through their rival the Pirates most of the time and the Reds getting the better of them, but that thing with Clemente in 1972 really hurt. The Reds got their breaks when other teams lost their star players.
@@flame-sky7148 Did the Dodgers under-perform with their good lineup ? Lopes, Russell, Cey, Garvey, Buckner, Wynn, Ferguson, Yeager, Crawford.........and always had stellar pitching: Sutton, Messersmith, Rau, Hooton, Marshall.
@@michaelsmith-bn6no I don't know that's a good question. I will have to look into it. That period was before my time. Sounds like they had a good team. It depends on which years,. They also had Dusty Baker for 8 years but that was from 76 to the early eighties.
The pitching staff was underrated. The first reference to Fab Five was for Cincinnati’s very young pitchers: Gary Nolan, Don Gullett, Ross Grimsley, Milt Wilcox and Wayne Granger.
That's cool, I am not sure I knew that they were called the Fab Five. Thank you for sharing!
It's insane that they had an MVP on the team in 5 out of 6 years.
@@awakenthewoke1091 definitely an impressive run
My idol Tony Perez! Best RBI man I ever saw. Period .
Tony was a beast! Love watching him play
Tony Perez- defined by Webster’s Dictionary as clutch!! I’ve never to this day seen anybody better in the clutch than Tony Perez.
@@mikelockhart5528 definitely a clutch player. The only player I think might beat him was Yogi Berra. Thank you for the comment
@@BBUYTTV was either pitch to bench or perez. What would i do?
@@haroldsmyth6685 If I had the choice I would probably pitch to Perez...not that you would be any better off, just a gut feel. Thank you for the comment!
I think everyone thinks hitting with the Big Red Machine, but I think they were one of the all time best defensive teams in baseball. I think their starting pitching keeps them out of GOAT conversations though. Billingham was an excellent post season pitcher though as he would consistantly give you a good 6 to 7 innings. Seaver and Gullet decent. Seaver was not the same guy he was in New York.
It’s a good point about their defense. They were very talented in the field.
I was a Dodger fan living in LA during this time and every time they played, I expected the Reds to score multiple runs every inning. Such a potent lineup. I would be surprised when the Dodgers won a game, and the Dodgers had a very good team during this era.
The lineup was so good, I agree. Fun to watch for sure! Thank you for the comment!
In '75 the dodgers were the only team that finished above.500 against the reds. 10-8.
NO, because they did not have really great pitching. But the starting 8 is as good as any.
You are right, there pitching wasn't great, just good. What are your thoughts on the best team ever?
@@BBUYTTV You can start with 3 Yankees Teams 27 Yankees, 36 Yankees and 98 Yankees. And perhaps the A's Dynasty of the 70's.
@@waynejohanson1083 I agree with the first two Yankees teams but the 1998 Yankees are overrated in my opinion
@@BBUYTTV But that 1998 team was dominating from start to finish but I do agree the first two Yankee teams I mentioned were better.
@@waynejohanson1083 yes but to me the top to bottom of the lineup is just not that impressive. A lot of good but not great players. Definitely a great team but for me they just don’t rise above the others.
Those 1970s Reds team were awesome. The 1976 Team might have been one of the best teams of all time.
No doubt! Thank you for the comment!
I met Tony Perez in person I was about 4 or 5 years old then and the Reds were playing at Wrigley Field My Dad and I went to Cubbie Bear Lounge to meet my Mom who worked there Tony (Mr.Perez) held me on his lap and we talked about School Baseball etc He even bought me soda and Potato Chips we became good friends even though he knew I was and still am a Die Hard Cubs fan!
Great memory. Thank you for sharing!
@@BBUYTTV My Pleasure
The oakland athletics of the early 70s had the greatest talent that matched the reds man for man . Then Charlie Finley wrecked everything .
I would say the Reds had the better lineup but not by a lot...and the A's had the better pitching staff for sure. Also the A's can claim they beat them. Thank you for the comment!
As a fan of wrestling before I became a fan of baseball. The big red machine is indeed, Kane lol
Ha! I was waiting for that comment, I knew it was coming.
The 76 Reds as the greatest team is a question of debate. But, that team was without question of he greatest starting 8 line up. They led in every offensive stat. Defense: all gold gloves up the middle- Bench, Concepcion, Morgan and Geronimo. Without question the greatest starting 8 of all time. And I'm a NJ Mets fan.
Forgot to mention.....that team swept the playoffs and the Yankees in the World Series.
They definitely can make that argument
Billy Martin must have thought, "Dear God. They have Bench batting 6th. We're in trouble."
@@petezereeeah scary thought…right?
@@BBUYTTV Bench was one of the best power hitters in the National League. He hit two HRs in game four in the Series. And he batted 6th.
Been a Yankees fan since the 70s, and this question made me think? I would have to say that team may have had more individual outstanding players than any team I saw over the last 50 years. Not sure they are the best ever but definitely one of the best!
They definitely had a killer lineup from top to bottom and a great manager, though the pitching was probably just average. The Yankees as you would expect are definitely up there for best team (particularly the 1927 Yanks), though I felt the Big Red Machine best represented the modern game. Thank you for the comment!
No question. If you disagree , you obviously weren't old enough to remember !
Everyone of these guys were top hitters and were clutch. All were outstanding defensive players. Rounded out with top pitching and the best manager ever, no team comes close !!!
I agree for the most part. The lineup was untouchable. The pitching to me was good but not great…however, they were just so dominant. Thank you for the comment!
And every starter had double digits in stolen bases, except for Rose, who had 9. Great team speed. Driessen had 14 steals coming off the bench.
@@michaelsmith-bn6no that’s a rare thing these days
I'm older than old enough to remember. They two great seasons, but not necessarily the greatest seasons.
@@ron88303
They were the type of team that could grind it out and find ways to win when it counted against any team. That is baseball !
My first games were at Crosly field in the late 60s..... I lived every minute of the Reds being built in the 70s. There were so many Great teams in the 1970s. The 75 Reds were one of 3 greatest teams ever. I think the Pirates won the most games during that decade. Dodgers were always top shelf year in and year out.
I love that 75 team, they were unbelievable...don't forget about the 71-73 A's as well...stellar teams. Thank you for the comment!
Also the 1970 Orioles team, one of the best, they beat half of the Machine in the World Series and if it wasn't for Lee May's 8th inning home run, then it would have been a sweep. Orioles had three 20 game winners, three hall of famers and won a ton of gold gloves.
@@flame-sky7148 That was not the Big Red Machine. That 70 team had Lee May playing first Base. Tommy Helms at 2nd base. The Big Red Machine Had Joe Morgan at 2nd Perez at First. George Foster in Left Geronimo in center and Ken Griffey in Right. Totally different team. I remember those Os teams very well. I Know they were very good. And better than the Reds in 1970. But that was not the 75-76 Reds that flattened everyone.
@@bitemenow609 I knew it, I knew it, I knew I would trigger somebody. Man they still had Rose, Bench, Perez, and rookie Concepción. Check this out:
These are the facts: 1970 Orioles- they had 3 MVPs (Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell, 70’ MVP). 3 Hall of Fame players (F. Robinson, B. Robinson and Palmer, Swept the Twins who had at least 4 HOF, and almost swept the Reds if not for L. May’s 8th inning home run in game 4, (won in 5 games). HOF Manager Weaver
Offense: Orioles ranked 1st in AB, R, BB, OBP in the AL. They had 7 All Stars that year in 1970.
Defense: Orioles ranked 2nd in Fielding %, and E in the AL. Gold GLoves 3B Robinson had 16 GG, CF Paul Blair 8 GG, SS Mark Belanger 8 GG, 2B Davey Johnson 3 GG, There were 3 Gold Glove winners that year for the Orioles.
Pitching: Orioles had 3 pitchers that won 20 games that year in 1970. 2 CY Young Winners (Jim Palmer, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally). Orioles ranked 1st in Wins, ERA, ER CG in the AL. Palmer had 4 Gold Gloves too. Greatest defensive 3B ever Robinson
#1 1976 Reds #2 1970 Orioles #3 1993 Blue Jays (Modern Era Perspective)
Man they were fun to watch!
No doubt, massive offense great defense, constant hard nosed play…the way baseball should be played!
When Joe Morgan had one foot on the green turf and the other on the dirt at first ,!! That messed up many pitchers
No doubt! I contend that Joe Morgan was the spark that put the reds over the top. He was so much fun to watch!
@@BBUYTTV well i just showed my age of 61. Lol . And I agree with you 100% . What a team that was and Sparky A was the tough ringleader. Take care and have a great year. Thanks Joey in Western Pennsylvania
@@ronniewoodinsteadofmt2615 you too. You had really great comments!
The 75-76 Reds are the best team ever. The Great Eight only actually played 80 games over those two years (postseason included) where they were all in the lineup and they went 64-16 in those games. That’s an .800 winning percentage and a 130 win pace over 162 game season. They never lost a World Series when they were together.
The 98 Yankees were great, no question. But their win total is inflated a little since it was an expansion year. They owned the first year Devil Rays that year, going 11-1.
As for the 27 Yankees, they were obviously fantastic for their era. But it’s comparing apples and oranges because it was pre-integration. They simply can’t be compared because they’re playing against a severely shrunk down talent pool. This is why statistics from back in the day are crazy inflated.
The 75-76 Reds are also the only team in the post-integration era to lead all of MLB in regular season wins and run differential while also winning the World Series in back to back years.
Starting eight were awesome. The bench (no pun intended) not so much. The '98 Yanks were deeper.
I dont know if they are the best ever, but i know for sure they are in the conversation
@@danzemacabre8899 absolutely!
The trade to acquire Joe Morgan annnnd the decision to move Pete Rose to allow the dominating bat of George Foster to play every day propelled the dominance of the Big Red Machine.
I totally agree. Two key moves!
Great position players great hitters
They were the greatest team ever
Thank you for the comment!
Free agency really hurt this franchise,but you could still win even without not being a big or having one of the biggest markets in the game,or not having a big spending owner. You just have to be smarter about it. KC did it in 15 against my Mets and the Braves have found a way to offset big spending teams like my Mets,the Stankees,and Dodgers by buying out young stud’s free agency years and locking them up before they become unattainable and lose them. The Reds just have to be more resourceful thats all.
Free agency has definitely made it tougher for smaller franchises, but like you said, it can still be done the teams just have to be smart about it. The Tampa Bay Rays are a perfect example. Thank you for the comment!
Certainly one of the best, perhaps the best NL team of all time. It is difficult to rank teams, because the game has changed so much in the past 100 years. Many would say the 1927 Yankees were the best of all time, but there is no way to know how they would have fared playing under today’s conditions, or no way to determine how the Big Red Machine would have fared playing in the 1920’s or 1930’s. Both would have to be considered in the top 25 of all time, but that’s probably as close as you can get.
Great point, it is so difficult to compare teams and players across eras…especially with teams that no one has a living memory of today. It is fun to compare and contrast and speculate. 1927 Yankees surely have a lot of supporters and rightly so. Thank you for your thoughtful comment
The Redsox were a better team in 75' imo
Greatest series ever and if Rice hadn't got hurt I think they win in 6 games
Unfortunately we will never know for sure. Thank you for your comment!
@@BBUYTTV np
I enjoyed the video
It was the greatest team ever to Cincinnati Reds fans..
@@thomascaramela9699 no doubt!
Best national league team of all time in my opinion, there’s a few American League teams that may have been better. Offensively they were a juggernaut, as far as the 75 series being difficult the 1975 Red Sox were an amazing team. Multiple hall of famers on the Sox team as well. The 75 season was legendary, I have the book on it called The Machine with Pete on the cover flying through the air. If you’re not from Cincinnati you’ll never understand what Pete Rose meant to this city, especially the west side where I’m from. Pete’s the embodiment of this working class neighborhood , the majority of the people around here are some of the hardest working people I’ve ever been around, we don’t hire contractors around here, everybody does the work themselves on the house and cars. Every time I think of the Big Red Machine I think of Charlie Hustle and how proud I am to be from the same neighborhood.
Without a doubt a great team. I always enjoyed watching Pete Rose. Thank you for sharing your memory,
And that 1975 Red Sox team didn't have Jim Rice in that WS due to injury. Had he been in that series, man it would have been something. It's already one of the greatest world series of all time.
@@flame-sky7148 you laid the case out well! Thanks!
Forgive me for taking the question seriously. The 75-76 Reds were very good but they simply bludgeoned opponents. Their starting pitching wasn't that good and relied on a very deep bullpen. I'd give the edge to the Yankees of 1927, 1961 and 1998 before I would rank these Reds.
While agree with your point on the pitching, the use of the bullpen was revolutionary at the time. I can see the 1927 Yankees though they didn’t play against non white players and never had to travel east of the Mississippi. As for the 1961 Yankees they were very good but I think over hyped due to the Maris and Mantle home run chase that year. Outside of Whitey Ford there pitching staff was pretty average. As for the 1998 Yankees there lineup wasn’t as good as the Reds and their only true difference maker on the pitching staff was Rivera. Thank you for the comment! It is always fun to debate.
The Reds were great, maybe the greatest of their era. But you are ignoring the Yankees of the 30's and then the Yankees of the 1950's if you think the Reds are the greatest of all time. This from a Tigers fan that is grateful we got Sparky from the Reds.
Thank you for your comment. I would favor the 1927 Yankees over those other Yankees squads. I was really focused particularly on the 1975-76 Reds years where I believe they may have had the best lineup top to bottom, with average pitching and a great manager. It has been great to see all of the suggestions of teams. I appreciate you sharing your point of view.
How many other teams would have a .300 hitter batting 8th?
Their pitching wasn’t great, but it was obviously good enough because they won back to back World Series. Y’all talk like it was bad but I do think they are one of the greatest teams of all time
I agree. The pitching was good enough to be a championship level team. Thank you for the comment
2016 Chicago Cubs 🔹103 wins 🔹🏟️⚾🎧🔹
@@rickygreider4281 that’s the first time I have heard that one
@@BBUYTTV cub fan 4 life 🧬🧬🧬.
Really good, Rose my favorite all time player but the A's beat them in their one WS matchup and they won 3 straight to their 2. But I'll take my '98 Yankees against any team.
Great comment. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a tournament where all of these teams from over the years were able to go head to head and determine who the best of the best is? Sadly we will just have to speculate and everybody will make the case for their favorite team. Thank you for the comment!
in `1976 swept the Yankees which was impressive, but in 1975 the barely beat a Boston team minus Jim Rice, so I'm not sold.
Fair enough. Thank you for your comment!
Definitely in the running.
No doubt!@@kenw2225
Respectfully I believe 1927 Yankees
@@user-co7fb6qe5w you definitely have a good argument. To me it is a toss up. Thanks!
That actually might be the 92-93 Blue Jays lol
They were good but I don’t think they could touch those Reds teams
Excuse me, didn’t the A’s win three straight World Series in the middle of five straight AL West titles?
The Big Red Machine was kind-of their equivalent in the 70’s, but if not for Free Agency and Finley’s dismantling, the A’s would’ve dominated then like those 50’s Yankees.
Great point and they won more titles than the Reds. I think the Reds lineup too to bottom was better though. The A’s without a doubt had superior pitching though
Absolutely the greatest team
'98 Yanks were the greatest.
Yes
Yes.
The General Manager of the Big Red Machine was Bob Howsam. No "n" in last name.
Nope! They couldn’t even beat the A’s. Sad that Oakland doesn’t support baseball as those A’s were the machine of 70’s but welds split up for cash savings and cash.
A few people have mentioned the A’s. We may have to do a deep dive on those teams. Thank you for the comment!
@@BBUYTTV please do.
Reds were monsters and like to sport my Joe Morgan jersey.
@@BBUYTTV gene tenace beat them. With no reggie his bat put them over the top
They were a good team, but not great. If they had won the Series in 70, 72, and the divisional championship in 73; they would have been great. There was one thing missing that would have made them great. That was top of line starting pitching. They always had the mediocre starters and the good middle and short relief. I am 70 years old and have been a Reds fan all my life. Great? No, they always fell short of what I would call greatness. To this day I always wonder what might have been if 70, 72, 73 had turned out different.
Great comment! Thank you for sharing!
Unfortunately, the Mets denied the Reds a rematch with the A’s in 73
@@garyfrancoeur3637 that would have been an epic series if that had happened.
While great I think the 29 Philadelphia A's and the 27 Yankees consider the crown. Oh yeah the Oakland A's beat them in the World Series, without Reggie Jackson.
It is so hard to compare eras but you make a great point about the A’s. Thank you for the comment!
The Yankees lost in 21, 22, and 26. Are you going to hold that against the 27 and 28 teams?
1927 New York Yankees
Many have proposed that. That would probably be my number 2. Thank you for the comment.
Didn't the Yankees win almost every year in the 50s with Yogi?
Yes many of those years. But individually for any of those seasons I don’t think they were they greatest team ever
Yes, yes they were.
Why are there clips from the 1990 World Series in this video?
Best team I ever saw. Beat the Phillies in 3 and the Yankees in 4. Nobody like them
One of the best for sure!
joe morgan is the player of the ‘70’s, right?
One of the contenders for that title for sure. I loved watching Joe play. He was also a great announcer.
Out of everyone who played the entire 10 years of the 70s ( 70 to 79) , I'd lean towards Pete over Joe, more consistent production over the whole decade.
Johnny deserves consideration.
Non -Reds to consider:
Reggie Jackson
Willie Stargell
Rod Carew, think of how much better his run production would have been in a better lineup.
Tom Seaver
Jim Palmer
Steve Carlton
@@robertmurdock1848 morgan beats him handily in war, home runs, obp, slg, ops+, and stolen bases. he also probably deserved the mvp pete rose won.
@@robertmurdock1848 all great players for sure
No it was the 2001 Settle Mariners 116 games won in one seasons
No title though
Coughs. Are you serious?
No. They won 2 WS titles. Right before them Oakland won 3 straight. Earlier Yankees won 5 straight and later won 3 straight.
No, I’m biased towards 57 Milwaukee braves
Great team, great players. Eddie Matthews, Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn. Good choice 👍🏻
Murders row? 1980s Cardinals? Bash Brothers? Close!
They are both a step below in my opinion…but both were great teams. Thank you for the comment!
The 1998 Yankees one a combined 125 wins (114 regular season and 11 in the Postseason) and a Championship. To me that makes them the best MLB team ever.
I would argue they are not even the best Yankees team
So they played more games? Big deal.
@@MeIn321 Facts are facts. You don’t like it? Too bad.
It's Bob Howsam...not Howsman.
1939 New York Yankees
Good suggestion but I would argue the best Yankees team is the 1927 Yankees
no .. Oakland A's 72 73 74 then free agency.... Base Ball Abstract Yankees 1 A's 2
Thank you for the comment!
1986 Mets. Better pitching.
Definitely better pitching. The lineup wasn’t as good though.
Offensively and defensively, possibly. But not epic pitching, so no.
You are correct, the pitching was not spectacular. However that lineup was just unbelievable
Best hitting team not best team had many average pitchers lost in playoffs 5 times
Agree with you on the hitting...the lineup was just stacked. The pitching staff I would say was a little above average and the pitching staff was managed masterfully by Sparky. Thank you for the comment.
They didn’t have a very notable pitching staff
That is definitely a valid point. It was probably the weakest point on the team but masterfully run by Sparky Anderson.
@@BBUYTTV The 1975 Reds used 12 pitchers.....for the entire season. And one of those pitchers only pitched 2 innings. That team finished 3rd in the NL in ERA, so they weren't bad. Sparky was known as "Captain Hook" for removing his starting pitchers early in games. They were last in the NL in complete games. But Sparky brilliantly utilized his 4 top relievers (Carroll, McEnany, Borbon, and Eastwick). Each of those relievers pitched over 90 innings, a big workload by today's standards, with Borbon pitching 125 innings. After he retired from the Tigers, Sparky did color commentary on Angels broadcasts, and he was great. One of my favorite managers of all-time, and I'm a lifelong Dodger fan.
@@joebarr725 totally agree. Sparky was the man behind the curtain making everything work. He was a great manager with the Reds and later with the Tigers. I think a lot of people don’t remember how good he was…and the truly unique style he used with the pitching staff of the Big Red Machine.
@@BBUYTTV I remember that not having an Ace on the staff was a big knock vs the big red machine in the late 70s, which led to them acquiring Tom Seaver.
@@edvonblue good point. Though that trade didn’t work out at good as they thought it was going to be.
No...The Orioles of the 66-71 years were the best team ever
That is the first time someone proposed them. Good suggestion. Great pitching staff, great manager, though the lineup is weaker than the Reds. Thank you for the comment!
but they have only 1 WS victory to their credit....during that time period
@@mcarlkv53 2 WS wins 1966 and 1970. Lost 2 WS in 1969 and 1971. 1966 over Dodgers, 1970 over Reds.
They aren't even the best team of the 1970s, that would be the Oakland A's. They also beat the Reds in the World Series.
The greatest Yankees 1998 .pitcher was the best season ever. 1998⚾️❤⚾️💪
Spoken like a true Yankee fan 😀
27 Yankees. The Finest Crop.
A number of people have mentioned them definitely one of the best
Early 70s A's were a better team.
That may be, they definitely had some great teams