| It was truly a joy to read, The Machine: A Hot | | | | Eastwick. The Reds went for a long stretch without |
| Team, a Legendary Season, and a Heart-stopping | | | | completing a game due to their fabulous bullpen. This |
| World Series: The Story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds, | | | | team actually started a trend where pitchers rarely |
| as the writing brims with so much passion. | | | | complete a game in the 21st century of major league |
| The Cincinnati Reds were my favorite baseball team | | | | baseball. Pitchers today are on a strict pitch count |
| throughout my youth. I was always a big fan of their | | | | and it's considered good if a pitcher lasts 7 innings. |
| larger than life players Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Jonny | | | | Nonetheless, this was the end of an era of players |
| Bench, Ken Griffey, Tony Perez, Don Gullet, Rawly | | | | playing with passion. Now mediocre mid relievers |
| Eastwick and all the others. Sparky Anderson was | | | | make the same money that the legendary Johnny |
| one passionate if quick tempered manager. One even | | | | Bench made in his prime. I have to admit that |
| learns about Sparky's relationship with his son. You | | | | somehow today's game does not seem completely |
| really learn a great deal about key role players. | | | | right. |
| George Foster was a quiet religious man but boy did | | | | Most captivating is Pete Rose's burning anger when |
| he swing a big bat. | | | | losing to the Red Sox in game seven. The details |
| The story of the 1975 Cincinnati Reds takes you | | | | that the author describes of Pete Rose hating to lose |
| back to an era when players played for the love of | | | | were really eating at his gut. His big time slide saved |
| the game. No team could produce runs like the Big | | | | an out. Then, Tony Perez with his oh so cool |
| Red Machine. They hit many homer runs and stole | | | | demeanor told Pete that he would hit a home run to |
| bases. Also, they did the little things to win. The | | | | get his team back in the game. And boy did he hit |
| author takes you into the Locke room and gives you | | | | one that went over the Green Monster and across |
| the inside scoop into the minds of these legends and | | | | the street from Fenway. The lockeroom tensions are |
| how they started slowly but picked up speed come | | | | brought to life but this great team just played |
| late May and left the hated Dodgers in the dust. I | | | | through them and finally won the big dance. Free |
| love the story about how the Reds finally beat Mike | | | | Agency took over after 1976 and baseball never was |
| Marshall after this standout relief pitcher tormented | | | | quite the same. |
| them throughout the 1974 season. Sparky Anderson | | | | The books is a very enjoyable read especially for big |
| really revolutionized an era when he managed | | | | time Reds' fans. The writing is simple yet effective |
| pitchers and he hooked them whether they liked it or | | | | yet a few incorrect facts and misspellings slightly |
| not. He had four top flight relievers and would use | | | | hamper the books overall effectiveness. Nonetheless, |
| them at any time to get a save. Although Eastwick | | | | the ride in reading this account of the 1975 Reds was |
| was the primary closer, Clay Carroll, Pedro Borbon | | | | truly an enjoyable one. |
| and Will McEaney more or less shared that role with | | | | |