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....

' 2003 season

2003 Major League Baseball season

*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S...

consisted of the Reds finishing in fifth place in the National League Central

National League Central

The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League...

 division, as they moved their home games from Cinergy Field

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...

 to their brand new Great American Ballpark.

Offseason

• November 18, 2002: Ryan Freel
  Ryan Freel
  Ryan Paul Freel is a retired baseball utility player. He played second base, third base, and all three outfield positions.-MLB career:...
  
   was signed as a free agent by the Reds.
• December 15, 2002: Elmer Dessens
  Elmer Dessens
  Elmer Dessens Jusaino [deh-SENZ] is a Mexican professional baseball player who is currently a free agent.-Personal life:...
  
   and cash were traded by the Reds to the Arizona Diamondbacks
  Arizona Diamondbacks
  The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
  
   as part of a 4-team trade. The Toronto Blue Jays
  Toronto Blue Jays
  The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
  
   sent Felipe López to the Reds. The Diamondbacks sent Erubiel Durazo
  Erubiel Durazo
  Erubiel Durazo Cárdenas is a Mexican baseball player. Durazo played for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Oakland Athletics in Major League Baseball.-Major league career:...
  
   to the Oakland Athletics
  Oakland Athletics
  The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
  
  . The Athletics sent a player to be named later to the Blue Jays. The Athletics completed the deal by sending Jason Arnold (minors) to the Blue Jays on December 16.
• January 22, 2003: Josias Manzanillo was signed as a Free Agent with the Cincinnati Reds.

Season summary

The Reds finished in fifth place in their division, nineteen games behind the division winner, the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

. They finished with a record of 69-93 and a winning percentage of .421. The Reds finished eighteen games behind the second place team, the Houston Astros

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

. They finished sixteen games behind the third place team, 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...

. They finished six games behind the fourth place team, the Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

, and one game ahead of the sixth place team, the Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

.

In the middle of the season, the reds fired manager Bob Boone

Bob Boone

Robert Raymond Boone is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who was a four-time All-Star. Born in San Diego, California, Bob Boone is the son of a major league player, the late third baseman Ray Boone, and the father of two major leaguers: former second baseman Bret Boone and...

 and promoted Louisville Bats

Louisville Bats

The Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League...

 manager Dave Miley

Dave Miley

David Allen Miley is a former baseball player and manager.-Playing career:Miley was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft out of George D. Chamberlain High School...

 to interim manager.

Notable transactions

• July 30, 2003: José Guillén
  José Guillén
  José Manuel Guillén |San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic]]) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. A prototypical league journeyman, the Giants were the tenth team for which Guillén has played since his major league debut in 1997....
  
   was traded by the Reds to the Oakland Athletics
  Oakland Athletics
  The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
  
   for Aaron Harang
  Aaron Harang
  Aaron Michael Harang is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher.-Amateur career:Harang graduated from Patrick Henry High School then went on to San Diego State University...
  
  , Joe Valentine
  Joe Valentine
  Joseph John Valentine is a Major League Baseball pitcher, currently pitching for the Rojos del Aguila de Veracruz of the Mexican League. He is a 1997 graduate of Deer Park High School in Deer Park, New York, where he led the Falcons to the State championship title game. He married his high school...
  
  , and Jeff Bruksch (minors).
• August 24, 2003: Scott Service
  Scott Service
  Scott David Service is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues between and . He also pitched one season in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons in .-External links:...
  
   was signed as a free agent by the Reds.

Roster

2003 Cincinnati Reds
Roster
Pitchers		Catchers Infielders		Outfielders Other batters		Manager Coaches (first base) (third base) (pitching) (bullpen) (bench) (hitting)

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

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

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

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

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Billings