Former Cincinnati Reds manager Bob Boone has died at 78, according to reports.
Boone led the Reds from 2001 to 2003 and spent 2 1/2 seasons in charge, finishing with 190 wins and 238 losses. Before that, he managed the Kansas City Royals from 1995 to 1997.
The Boone name runs deep in baseball, and Bob was the father of Bret and Aaron, both former big-league players.
Former Reds general manager Jim Bowden paid tribute on X, writing, "Prayers, condolences and thoughts to the Boone family on the passing of Bob," Bowden wrote on X. "He was a leader as a player, coach and manager...a great son husband father grandfather...gold glove catcher...loved baseball and family at an elite level...high class and character special human being...blessed to have spent many years with him🙏🏻⚾️❤️"
Former Mets catcher Mike Piazza also shared a message on X.
"My deep prayers and condolences to the family of Bob Boone, Bret, Aaron and the rest," Piazza wrote. "I grew up watching Bob with the great teams of the 70’s..
His play and mastery of catching inspired me to want to play the position.. God Bless.."
Boone’s impact in the game stretched well beyond his time as a manager. A sixth-round pick in the 1969 MLB Draft out of Stanford University, he debuted with Philadelphia on September 10, 1972, and went 0-for-2 against the Chicago Cubs in his first major league game.
He spent 1972 through 1981 with the Phillies, then closed out his playing career with seven seasons for the California Angels and two with the Royals.
Across 19 seasons, Boone hit .254/.315/.346 with 105 home runs. He was a four-time All-Star in 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1982, and won six Gold Gloves, earning the honor in 1978, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.
Boone retired in 1990 at 42, and in his final game with the Royals he went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
In Other News...
Jonathan Stewart Just Delivered A Reds Rookie Season Fans Wont Forget
Jonathan Stewarts first full season in Cincinnati ended with the kind of recognition that usually follows a breakout year, not just a promising one. The Baseball Writers Association of America named him National League Rookie of the Year after a campaign in which he played all 162 games, hit .263 and powered the Reds lineup with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs.
For a club that spent the season leaning on his bat, Stewarts production stood out not only across the league but in franchise history, where he reset the rookie standard for power and run production. He led NL rookies in several offensive categories and gave the Reds a middle-of-the-order presence they could count on every day, even as the bigger question now is what comes next after a season like this. [Read more 🡒]
Reds May Need An Unusual Offseason Move To Fix Their Pitching
The Reds are heading into an offseason where the pitching staff could look different, and that kind of uncertainty tends to push a front office toward less familiar avenues. One possibility that has surfaced is Japan, where Cincinnati could consider adding a starter with a track record of durability and enough versatility to help stabilize a rotation that may need reinforcements.
The fit is not straightforward, though. Cincinnati does not have the kind of long-standing ties to Nippon Professional Baseball that make these moves feel routine, so any pursuit would require real conviction and a willingness to step outside the usual market. For a club trying to protect itself against possible departures on the mound, the appeal is obvious, even if the path to getting there is still unclear. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Fans Have Every Reason To Push Back On This Award Race
Sal Stewart gave the Reds plenty to feel good about in his rookie season, and the bat alone made him one of the most productive first-year players in the National League. He finished third in the league in RBIs and added 32 home runs, the kind of power output that can carry a lineup and shape an award race all by itself.
Still, Rookie of the Year is rarely decided on offense alone, and this one has a few layers for anyone looking beyond the counting stats. The finalists include Stewart, Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt and Mets right fielder Carson Benge, and the broader numbers paint a different picture, with Wetherholt and Benge bringing more complete value across the board. For Reds fans, the case for Stewart is obvious, but so is the argument that the race may be tighter than his home run total suggests. [Read more 🡒]