Jon Adkins Released by Reds

Less than a month after becoming the Louisville Bats all-time saves leader, the Cincinnati Reds released closer (and good friend of this site) Jon Adkins.

Monday evening, Adkins tweeted the following:

Wanted to let all my tweeps know that Sun after the gm, the Reds released me, they need my innings so they can move guys...in WV chillin now

The Wayne, West Virginia native's history with The Hall of Very Good goes back to last winter when the 2009 KBO saves leader signed a Minor League deal with the Reds.

When Adkins hit Spring Training..."Ocho Uno" was born. A month later, he took his act to Louisville, Cincinnati's Triple-A affiliate.

A little less than a month ago, in front of 8373 fans at Louisville Slugger Field, Adkins became the team’s all-time saves leader.

“It's a great honor,” he told The Hall exclusively following the June 17 game. “A lot of great players have come through there and the team has a lot of history too. But, at the same time it means you've been in Triple-A too long as well."

Adkins isn't sure what team he'll be suiting up for next, you can rest assured...The Hall will let you know.

Jon Adkins Now Louisville's All-Time Saves Leader

There’s a moment in the 1988 classic “Bull Durham” when Susan Sarandon’s Annie Savoy is urging Crash Davis to let The Sporting News know about his pursuit of the all-time Minor League home run record.

“247 home runs in the minors would be a dubious honor, if ya think about it,” the Kevin Costner character responds.

With all the baseball headlines being filled with perfect games and team milestones, it’s easy to forget the guys that are busting their tails to make it to the Majors.

Or in some cases…back.

Like Annie, I think it would be great to see a friend succeed on any level and before the season even started, I told Louisville Bats closer Jon Adkins that when he earned his tenth save this year…I was going to write about it.

Adkins is a guy, like Davis, that has seen his time in “the show”, but also…has found himself in plenty of Minor League ballparks. Last year, his travels took him overseas to Korea where he led the Korean Baseball Organization in saves with 26.

This past December, he was back in the states, inking a Minor League deal with one of his former clubs, the Cincinnati Reds. Following spring training, he ended up in the same place he was in 2008…Louisville.

Tonight, in front of 8373 fans at Louisville Slugger Field, Adkins became the team’s all-time saves leader.

“It's a great honor,” Adkins told The Hall exclusively following the game. “A lot of great players have come through there and the team has a lot of history too. But, at the same time it means you've been in Triple-A too long as well. It was special being able to break the record at home.”

Adkins entered the game, appropriately enough, against the Durham Bulls with two outs in the ninth. He needed just three pitches to get shortstop Angel Chavez to ground out weakly in front of the plate and unseat Mark Grater to become the Louisville franchise leader in saves with 40.

“Anytime you can break a record of any kind, it's special,” Adkins added. “Louisville has some of the best fans in MILB baseball. They support us through good times and bad. I enjoy every game I play at Louisville Slugger Field.”

In his last stint with the Bats, Adkins was the team’s Co-MVP and an All-Star. Prior to this season, team Vice President/General Manager Dale Owens welcomed the righty back with open arms.

“He is a great pitcher and a great influence on younger players in the clubhouse,” Owens told The Hall back in December. “He certainly has the talent to pitch in the Major Leagues.”

After the game, he was just as enthused.

"I'm very happy for Jon. I don't care what level you participate at you want to be the best," Owens told the Hall exclusively. "In the history of the Louisville franchise, no closer has done better. It's a nice accomplishment and one I'm sure he'll be very proud of long after his career is over."

It remains to be seen if Adkins, who saw action in four Spring Training games for the parent club, will get the call north this season, but one this is certain…The Hall of Very Good will be with him every step of the journey.

Someone might even have to tell The Sporting News about it.

"Ocho Uno" is En Route to Louisville

Another sign that the baseball season is right around the corner…teams are starting to reduce their roster size.

Today, the Cincinnati Reds pared their roster to 48, sending Hall of Very Good favorite Jon Adkins to their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville.

“I grew up in Wayne, West Virginia where everyone is a Reds fan, including myself,” Adkins told The Hall exclusively after signing a Minor League deal with the Reds back in December. “Louisville is four hours from Wayne (and) is a great place to spend your spring and summer.”

Also en route to Possibility City, Adkins’ spring training number with the parent club…81.

“We have the 81 jersey, we also have an ‘Ocho Uno’ name plate,” Bats Vice President/General Manager Dale Owens said, referring to Adkins’ Chad Johnsonlike desire to be addressed by his number. “I also have an Adkins name plate. I am going to let Jon decide when he gets here. I'm not even sure if it's legal…but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

This spring, the righty appeared in four games, allowing seven runs in 5.2 innings. Last season with the Lotte Giants, Adkins was 3-5 with a 3.70 ERA and a Korean Baseball Organization leading 26 saves.

Over his Major League career, he has compiled a 5-5 record and a 4.54 ERA in 119 appearances. For most of 2008, he served as the closer for the Louisville Bats, Cincinnati’s Triple-A club, saved 30 games and was the Bats co-MVP.

"Ocho Uno" Reports for Spring Training

In a town that has brought the sports world such colorful characters as “Charlie Hustle”, “Sparky” and the “Nasty Boys”…reliever Jon Adkins is prepared to stake his claim.

“From now on I will be known as Ocho Uno for I will be wearing #81 in Spring Training with the Cincinnati Reds!!” Adkins said recently via his Twitter feed.

“I am very happy to be back with the Cincinnati Reds,” Adkins told The Hall exclusively in December after signing a deal with the organization. He added to that sentiment Tuesday night, “just being with the guys here in the United States will be great again.”

Last season with the Lotte Giants, Adkins was 3-5 with a 3.70 ERA and a Korean Baseball Organization leading 26 saves. In 119 Major League appearances, he has compiled a 5-5 record and a 4.54 ERA.

“I had it great in Korea,” Adkins continued, “I had an American manager but if I were on any other team wow it would’ve been really tough.”

Why?

Adkins thinks it’s the difference in attitude between American ball players and those overseas.

“Korean players play a little uptight because in their culture, the managers are very strict with them. They will pull them in the middle of an at bat when pitching and if they make an error sometimes they call timeout to yank them on the spot.”

Adkins is expected to start the season with the Triple-A Louisville Bats, but what remains to be seen is whether or not the newly dubbed “Ocho Uno” can make it back to the Majors with the “Big Red Machine”.

Regardless, Bats Vice President/General Manager Dale Owens is hopeful.

“If Jon can save 20 games or more we'll put whatever he wants on the back of his uniform,” Owens said of the team’s 2008 co-MVP. “I can't wait for ‘Ocho Uno’ to arrive in Louisville!”

Right now, Adkins is busy getting ready to begin spring training at the Reds’ beautiful new facility in Goodyear, Arizona. No word yet if Bengals’ superstar Chad Ochocinco will be showing up to greet the Queen City’s newest Ocho.

I guess we’ll have to wait to see if he’ll make that trip down Second Street from Paul Brown Stadium to the Great American Ballpark when Adkins hits Cincinnati for his second tour with the club.

And yes, he has been contacted.

2009: The Year That Was

About a week and a half ago, we said “adios” to 2009 and whatever “hello” is to 2010.

Many sites across the interwebs filled the end of the year with their “best of” lists…this is another one of those sites. You see, I’d have been a little more timely, but I was, um…being timely by breaking down the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot.

So, with a big “congrats” to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s newest member Andre Dawson and his supporters and an huge thanks that gave The Hall of Very Good, first, its biggest year to date and second, its biggest day (January 6) to date…here are the Top Ten* stories to hit this site in 2009.

10. On the Eve of 300 (June 4). The night before Randy Johnson notched his 300th career victory, I was able to compile the thoughts of three former Major Leagues that faced off against “The Big Unit”.

9. Talkin’ Baseball with Jeff Cirillo (August 28). The “Talkin’ Baseball” is one of my favorite things to do and they’re pretty popular on the site. I had no idea Jeff played in Mexico.

8. Hall of Fame ballot...2010 style! (December 3). A month before the Hall of Fame announcement was made…The Hall broke down the class of 26. Related, and also popular, was The Hall of Fame Class of 2011 (July 21). It seems people love themselves some Hall of Fame previews and talk of Bert Blyleven (more on that later).

7. Talkin’ Baseball with CJ Wilson (June 22). Talking with CJ and following him on Twitter is what pretty led to me starting “Twitter Tuesday”.

6. Jon Adkins signs Minor League deal with Reds (December 1). When good friend of The Hall Jon Adkins inked his deal with the Reds, I was curious what the Louisville GM had to say. Within minutes he responded and I committed it to the site. Shortly after that, one of my favorite sites, MLBTradeRumors.com, picked up the story.

5. Hall of Fame 2010: Kevin Appier (December 15). Mix together a Hall of Fame profile, a tongue-in-cheek Bert Blyleven reference and the chimps over at Baseball Think Factory and you know what you’ve got? A boatload of hits, gang!

4. Talkin’ Baseball with Seth Swirsky (October 25). Before the season started, I picked up a book by Seth Swirsky at the library. After buying, then reading, his other two…I started exchanging emails with the author and memorabilia collector. On what was the 23rd anniversary of (sorry Red Sox fans) Bill Buckner missing a slow roller up the firstbase line, Seth shared the story of how he came to owning that ball.

3. Twitter Tuesday (every Tuesday). “Infield Chatter”, “The Buzz”, “Follow Friday (Tuesday Style)” and now…“The Wisdom of Tommy Lasorda”, Twitter Tuesday has become a staple over at The Hall.

2. Mustache May (the ENTIRE month of May). Mustache May was conceived years ago when some friends and I decided to celebrate the ‘stache by growing one out. This year, it manifested itself with an endorsement from The American Mustache Institute, interviews with Fergie Jenkins (May 12) and Rollie Fingers (May 29) and, ultimately…an appearance on WGN 720 Radio (May 17).

1. Ten Milestones to Watch for This Season (April 6). The most popular post of the year was one that was initially a slideshow that was conceived to drive traffic (and it did) over at Bleacher Report. One appearance in Hot Clicks and on CBSsportsline.com later…a traffic generator was born.

Honorable Mention: Jim Thome now a Dodger...Hall of Fame next? (September 1). A couple years back, I posted that I didn't think Jim Thome was a first ballot Hall of Fame guy and the Baseball Think Factory chimps lost their collective mind. Almost two years later, I basically say it again...and Rob Neyer links to it.

What story (stories) did you enjoy most? Click on “comments” below and go bananas.

*-“Top Ten”…as defined at The Hall of Very Good’s Facebook page as “a combination of stories I enjoyed combined with the stories that had the most traffic”.

Jon Adkins signs Minor League deal with Reds

Just as exciting as it is to see milestones reached or awards being handed out, is seeing good people who work hard get what’s coming to them.

Good friend of The Hall and Twitter Tuesday stalwart Jon Adkins announced via Twitter that after a year playing pro ball in Korea, he’ll be back in the states.

jonadkins96: I signed with the Reds on a AAA contract. Be in Louisville,KY!

“I am very happy to be back with the Cincinnati Reds organization,” Adkins told The Hall exclusively late Tuesday night about re-joining his fourth Major League team. “I achieved a lifelong dream of playing with them in 2008 and look forward to having the chance to expand on that dream soon.”

For most of 2008, he served as the closer for the Louisville Bats, Cincinnati’s Triple-A club, saved 30 games and was the Bats co-MVP.

“We would hope (Adkins) would be given an opportunity to make the big club out of Spring Training. He certainly has the talent to pitch in the Major Leagues,” Bats Vice President/General Manager Dale Owens said of Adkins. “If he doesn't break camp with the Reds, we would welcome him back as an important member of the Bats in 2010. He is a great pitcher and a great influence on younger players in the clubhouse.”

“I grew up in Wayne, West Virginia where everyone is a Reds fan, including myself. Louisville is four hours from Wayne and Cincinnati is about two and a half,” Adkins said about playing in Possibility City. “Louisville is a great place to spend your spring and summer…that had a lot to do with it as well.”

Last season with the Lotte Giants, Adkins was 3-5 with a 3.70 ERA and a Korean Baseball Organization leading 26 saves. Over his Major League career, he has compiled a 5-5 record and a 4.54 ERA in 119 appearances.

“I felt very comfortable signing back with the Reds. I'm just very happy they have given me this opportunity to be there,” Adkins added. “The field staff, front office staff, and fans are great to be around.”