The 1991 Cincinnati Reds season was the 122nd season for the franchise in Major League Baseball, and their 22nd and 21st full season at Riverfront Stadium. The Reds attempted to defend their World Series championship from 1990, but the team would finish with a losing mark, regressing 17 games from the season before. Their winning percentage (.457) set a new record for worst among defending World Series champions, besting the previous mark set by the Chicago White Sox in 1918. This would be a record for seven years.
Offseason
- January 29, 1990: Skeeter Barnes was signed as a free agent by the Reds.
- December 5, 1990: Bill Doran was signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
Regular season
- April 28, 1991: Against the Cubs, relief pitcher Rob Dibble nearly blew a save, allowing two runs on five hits. Clinging to a 4âÂÂ3 lead in the ninth with the tying run on first, Dibble struck out Ryne Sandberg to finish the game. Despite the win, in frustration he then flung a baseball 400 feet into the center-field seats, inadvertently striking a woman.
- June 28, 1991: Barry Larkin had six RBIs in a game against the Houston Astros.
- Barry Larkin had a 19-game hitting streak.
- At the beginning of July, the Reds peaked at ten games above .500 (44âÂÂ34). They were in second place in the NL West, only four games behind the Dodgers, and 3.5 games ahead of third place Atlanta.
- On July 6, the Reds spiraled after a 3-0 loss to the Astros. They would lose ten games in a row from that day to July 19 that dropped them to .500 (44-44). They won the next day and ended July at .500 (49-49)
- August saw the Reds essentially drop from contention. They would teeter around .500 before dropping down below the mark for good on August 31.
- July 23, 1991: In the bottom of the eight inning of a 8âÂÂ5 loss at the Cubs, Rob Dibble (fresh off a three-game suspension) was ejected for throwing the ball into the back of the leg of baserunner Doug Dascenzo.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions
- June 14, 1991: Reggie Jefferson was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Cleveland Indians for Tim Costo.
- July 18, 1991: Stan Jefferson was signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds.
Roster
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Awards and honors
All-Star Game
- Tom Browning, pitcher
- Rob Dibble, relief pitcher
- Barry Larkin, shortstop
- Lou Piniella, manager
Farm system
References