BRM’s Friday 5: What a Face!

May 17, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Cingrani has created a bit of a fad in Cincinnati, but not with this face. It’s another face creating the buzz. (Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

The first of this week’s Friday 5 simply needs no introduction or explanation. It rests on its own merit.

1. Tony Cingrani making a face wouldn’t normally be a big deal.

This isn’t what I would term as “normal”.

May I re-introduce to you, the Cingraniface…

If you head to Twitter – and honestly, where else would you go for such – you will see a fair number of Reds fans attempting to duplicate this, um, face.

Some are kinda scary…

2. Just watch and listen…

Yep, Todd Frazier paying homage to the late James Gandolfini in using the theme to “The Sopranos” as his walk-up music during yesterday’s game. A Jersey guy saluting a Jersey guy.

3. A couple of important anniversaries were prevalent in Redsland this week.

In Marietta, Ohio, the Reds Legends Camp celebrated is 20th anniversary. In attendance there were Reds greats Don Gullett, Leo Cardenes and Bret Boone.

One of the quotes from Boone was telling…

"“I’ve been talking to five-year-olds and I’ve been talking to freshmen in college,” Boone said, “so you’re gonna have a range of people’s attention. But you know, I’m just here to give them what I was given and pass a little knowledge along. Like I said, if one kid can take something out of this and be better for it, then my job is done.”– Bret Boone (from NewsandSentinel.com)"

Sounds cliché, I know, but all players, current and former, say this. Reach one.

Another is the Rookie Success League had it’s 10th. At that event, the father of Ryan Freel, Patrick Freel, Sr., made the announcement of an award that will be presented annually: the Ryan Freel Heart and Hustle Award. The award is to honor how Freel played baseball – with heart and hustle.

Freel was also instrumental in the Reds Rookie Success League.

4. Many fans have hit the turnstiles at GABP this season. If you haven’t been down to GABP yet this season, there’s now a new feature during the 7th inning stretch that has not been prevalent in seasons past.

After you stand and stretch and join other Reds fans in singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the 7th inning stretch, it is now followed by…

“Cincinnati, Ohio” by Connie Smith. Were you aware that song existed? I ask because some in Cincy think a certain Jimmy Buffet song is the only one that refers to Cincinnati. To hear the song, WCPO has it on their site. Head there to give it a listen.

Your take? WCPO also has a post on their Facebook page for you to voice your opinion.

(H/T: WCPO)

5. The team is the Hillsboro Hops and the team plays in the short-season Single-A Northwest League. They are in their first year of playing in Hillsboro after moving from Yakima.

So you’re at the first-ever game for the Hops. You’re 15 years old. In the process of your attendance, you have the extreme fortune of catching the home run ball of the first-ever home run in the stadium’s history.

Quick, what do you do? I’m not sure it would be this…

"The Hops offered the kid an autographed team baseball in exchange for the home-run ball.He turned them down.The organization upped the offer to include a baseball bat, a team hat and a replacement baseball. Each of those overtures was refused. By the fifth inning, the 15-year-old’s father was consulting on the matter, and the offer from the Hops included a free season-ticket to every remaining home game for the kid. The counteroffer from the kid was everything that had been previously offered, plus a set of season tickets for his entire family.About this time, K.L. Wombacher, the executive vice president and general manager, halted the negotiations and retreated to a spot behind the grandstand to watch the rest of the game.“Too rich for us,” he said.– from John Canzano of The Oregonian"

And Canzano’s update tells us that the Hops still do not have the ball.

(H/T: Big League Stew)

BONUS: You simply have to hear this for yourself.

(H/T: Ali of BRM with some help from Devour)