Cincinnati Reds Named 2012 Organization of the Year
By Mel Payne
Sep 22, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips (4) rounds third base after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park. The Reds defeated the Dodgers 6-0. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports
Major League Baseball has wrapped up their annual winter meetings, but not before naming the Reds the 2012 Organization of the Year. The prestigious honor was handed out by Baseball America on Tuesday.
According to Reds.com, the Baseball America publication said that the Cincinnati Reds were given the honor, “Because of their ability to build a winner through scouting and player development and the fact that they’ve built for sustainable success.”
The Reds had an impressive 2012 season. The team finished with a record of 97-65 and was the first team in the Major League to clinch a postseason berth. The team lost in the first round, after a five game stand, to the eventual World Series Champion San Francisco Giants.
The Cincinnati club has a roster packed with talent and a farm system loaded with potential greats. Jay Bruce led the charge this year with 34 home runs, 99 RBI’s, and a .252 batting average. He was recognized for his play earlier in the offseason with the Silver Slugger award.
With talent like Billy Hamilton, who stole a pro baseball record 155 bases last season in the farm system, and the multi-year contract signing of 2010 National League MVP Joey Votto, the Reds look to sustain well into the future.