Reds stalk Cobs, fall 4-2 in Field of Dreams Game

It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times. Thus is life in the world of the Cincinnati Reds during this rebuild, something that makes reflecting on the good times of baseball history a bit more meaningful.

As the Reds took the field in Iowa for this year’s Field of Dreams Game, that was clearly the emphasis. There were Kens Griffey Junior and Senior, Barry Larkin, and Johnny Bench flanking the current Reds as they emerged from the right corn field before the game’s first pitch. Kids played catch in the outfield alongside them, while Ferguson Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg, and Andre Dawson joined the Chicago Cubs in the pregame festivities.

These are two old, storied franchises, but two bad, flawed teams at the moment. Still, the spectacle of the moment made the entire event a worthwhile watch, even if young Nick Lodolo struggled enough early to put the Reds in a hole out of which they could not climb.

The Cubs won this event by the score of 4 to 2, with all balls staying in the yard despite the allure of them sailing into cornfields as the sales pitch. All I know is that when the next century and century beyond turn their calendar pages, there won’t be - dear god there should not be - any 2022 throwback Reds uniforms in their arsenal.