The Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

' 1981 season

1981 in baseball

-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPsNOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...

consisted of the Reds finishing with an overall record of 66-42 the National League West

National League West

The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...

, putting them in first place. However, due to a split-season format, caused by a mid-season players' strike, they failed to make the MLB Playoffs that year. The Reds finished the first half of the season in second place with a record of 35-21, just one-half game behind the eventual World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers

1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season

The Los Angeles Dodgers season got off to a strong start when rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as "Fernandomania." Fernando went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards.The season was divided into two...

, and one-and-a-half games behind the Houston Astros

1981 Houston Astros season

The Houston Astros' 1981 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League West.- Offseason :* December 4, 1980: Don Sutton was signed as a free agent by the Astros....

 in the second half, in which the Reds were 31-21, good for second place, again. The Reds were managed by John McNamara

John McNamara (baseball)

John Francis McNamara is a former manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He managed six major league teams, directing the 1986 Boston Red Sox to the American League pennant, only to experience an excruciating defeat in that season's World Series at the hands of the New York Mets.-Playing,...

 and played their home games at Riverfront Stadium

Cinergy Field

Riverfront Stadium , later known as Cinergy Field , was the home of the Cincinnati Reds National League baseball team and the Cincinnati Bengals National Football League team. Located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, the stadium was best known as the home of "The Big Red Machine," as the...

.

Offseason

• January 22, 1981: Mike Grace and John Hale
  John Hale (baseball)
  John Steven Hale is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played from - for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners.-External links:...
  
   were traded by the Reds to the Baltimore Orioles
  Baltimore Orioles
  The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
  
   for Joe Kerrigan
  Joe Kerrigan
  Joseph Thomas Kerrigan is a former relief pitcher, manager and longtime pitching coach in Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
  
   and John Buffamoyer (minors).

Notable transactions

• June 8, 1981: Terry McGriff was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 8th round of the 1981 amateur draft. Player signed June 12, 1981.
• September 10, 1981: Doug Bair
  Doug Bair
  Charles Douglas Bair is a right-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of fifteen seasons in the majors, from until , for seven different teams...
  
   was traded by the Reds to the St. Louis Cardinals
  St. Louis Cardinals
  The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
  
   for Joe Edelen
  Joe Edelen
  Benny Joe Edelen was touted as one of the all-time great high school athletes in the state of Oklahoma. A recipient of the Jim Thorpe award, Joe excelled in basketball and baseball receiving All-State and All-America honors in both sports. Joe is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who...
  
   and Neil Fiala
  Neil Fiala
  Neil Stephen Fiala is a former Major League Baseball player. He played in five games in the majors in September , all as a pinch hitter. He pinch-hit three times for the St...
  
  .

Roster

1981 Cincinnati Reds roster
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders Other batters		Manager Coaches

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
CF		101	396	123	.311	2	34

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
	9	6	2	.333	0	1
	2	2	1	.500	0	1

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
	21	126	9	6	3.50	106

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
	24	2	2	0	5.77	16
	5	1	0	0	0.71	5

Farm system