COLLECTIBLE GIFT SERIES

José Rijo was born in the Dominican Republic in 1965, and he made his major league debut with the New York Yankees in 1984. He provided a glimpse of the dominant pitcher he was to become when he struck out 16 batters in a game while pitching for Oakland in 1986.

He came to the Reds via a trade with the A's prior to the 1988 season, and he made an immediate impact by winning 13 games and leading the team with a 2.39 ERA in 1988. With the help of Rijo's arm, the Reds won the 1990 NL Western Division, and he notched a win and a no-decision in two starts in the NLCS against the Pirates. Rijo held center stage in the 1990 World Series by throwing seven innings of shutout baseball to get the win in Game One, and allowing only two first-inning hits over 8⅓ innings en route to a Game Four win that completed the Reds' stunning sweep. In his two World Series games, Rijo posted a 0.59 ERA.

In 1993, Rijo threw a one-hitter against the Colorado Rockies, and he led the league with 227 strikeouts. In 1995, his career was career was interrupted by elbow problems, but he mounted an improbable comeback. After missing more than five full seasons because of injury, Rijo made a triumphant and inspiring return to the Reds in 2001. He pitched again for Cincinnati in 2002, including receiving the honor of starting the last game played at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field September 22. The historic stadium's final season proved to be Rijo's last as well.

José Rijo was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame with fellow 1990 star Eric Davis in 2005.

When the Reds acquired César Gerónimo in the blockbuster deal that brought Reds Hall of Famer Joe Morgan to Cincinnati prior to the 1972 season, few would have predicted that Gerónimo would become the center fielder who would anchor the outfield of the Big Red Machine teams that dominated baseball during the 1970s. Gerónimo had been little more than a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch-runner in parts of three seasons with the Astros.

Upon his arrival in Cincinnati, Gerónimo fell under the tutelage of hitting coach Ted Kluszewski, a Reds Hall of Famer renowned for his ability to hit for power while also demonstrating tremendous discipline at the plate. The former Reds slugger instructed Gerónimo to eliminate the uppercut from his swing, and to start to hit down on the ball to better take advantage of his speed on ground balls. The advice paid immediate dividends as the formerly light-hitting Gerónimo hit a solid .275 in limited action in 1972. Geronimo's peak offensive season occurred in 1976 when he batted .307 for the World Champion Reds. The successful offensive campaign in 1976 was preceded by a seven-hit, two-home-run performance in the Reds' seven-game victory over the Boston Red Sox in the 1975 World Series.

Impressive though Gerónimo's offensive development may have been, it was his defense that made him truly special. Reds Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson described his defense as "ungodly" and his contemporaries compared his arm to that of Roberto Clemente when Clemente was at his peak. Gerónimo's arm was matched only by his uncommon grace in patrolling centerfield. His long, smooth strides allowed him to close on fly balls that most outfielders simply could not get to. Gerónimo's prowess in the outfield resulted in four consecutive Gold Glove awards from 1974 to 1977.

Gerónimo was traded to the Royals prior to the 1981 season, and he retired two years later. In 2008, he became the seventh member of the Big Red Machine's "Great Eight" starting lineup to be inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame.

Mario Soto was signed by the Reds as an amateur free agent in December 1973 and made his major-league debut July 21, 1977. Within a few years, he became one of the best pitchers of his era. With his fastball and tremendous changeup, he struck out at 1,063 batters from 1980 to 1985 -- more than any other pitcher in baseball.

During the peak years of his career, Soto had the misfortune of being an outstanding pitcher on weak clubs. The Reds averaged only 68 wins a year from 1982 to 1984 -- seasons during which Soto was annually among the league's leaders in ERA and strikeouts.

His 274 strikeouts in 1982 set a single-season Reds record, and occurred in the first of three consecutive years in which Soto was a National League All-Star. Soto's sterling pitching also resulted in three consecutive top-10 finishes in Cy Young Award voting, including a second-place finish in 1983.

During his 18-victory season in 1984, Soto came within one strike of pitching a no-hitter against the Cardinals on May 12 before surrendering a George Hendrick home run. Five days later, Soto tied a Reds record when he struck out four batters in an inning in a game against the Cubs.

Soto's career was cut short by injuries that forced him out of baseball after the 1988 season when he was only 31 years old. His career strikeout total of 1,449 ranks second in Reds history.

Mario Soto was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2001.

He was a licensed barber who once claimed that his grandfather was still alive at age 136. He was well-schooled in the sport of cock fighting -- illegal in the United States, but a thriving industry in his native Dominican Republic. He once bit an opposing player in the heat of an on-field fight. He was Pedro Borbón, one of the most durable and effective relief pitchers of the 1970s, and the pitcher who holds the Reds career record for most games pitched.

The stories and myths that surround Borbón are almost enough to cause one to look past an amazing pitching career -- one in which he anchored the best bullpen on baseball's best team for almost a decade. Acquired in 1969 in a five player deal that found the Reds trading outfielder Alex Johnson and infielder Chico Ruiz to the Angels for pitchers Jim McGlothlin, Vern Geishert and Borbon, Pedro turned out to be the most important player in the deal.

On a team noted for its strong bullpen, led by manager Sparky Anderson (nicknamed "Captain Hook" for the frequency with which he cycled pitchers off and on the mound), Borbón was arguably the most-reliable arm called into service. His was certainly the most oft-used arm and the most resilient. From 1970-1978, no pitcher in the National League appeared in more games. Borbón finished in the top five in the league in games pitched each season from 1972 to 1977.

Borbón was not only durable but extremely effective. The pressure of postseason competition seemed to bring out the best in him. From 1972 to 1976, Borbón appeared in 20 postseason games for the Reds, and he posted a combined ERA of 2.42 with a sterling 1.26 ERA in League Championship Series play.

In 2010, the Reds' most-durable reliever was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame. He passed away two years later at the age of 65.

David Concepción was signed as an amateur free agent by Cincinnati September 12, 1967. Initially eyed to be a second baseman, he proved a much better fit at shortstop -- a position he would play for the rest of his career. The young Venezuelan moved through the minor-league ranks quickly, and debuted with the Reds as the team's starting shortstop on Opening Day 1970.

During Concepción’s era, most of the stadiums in the National League had artificial-turf fields. Concepcion was a defensive master on these speedy surfaces, and he perfected the technique of the one-bounce throw to first base. During the 1970s, he teamed with Joe Morgan for baseball's best middle-infield combination. Concepción’s prowess at shortstop earned him five Gold Gloves, including four consecutive awards from 1974 to 1977.

Concepción was also one of the best-hitting shortstops of his era, collecting two Silver Slugger awards during his career; he batted over .280 eight times. In 112 plate appearances in the postseason, he batted an impressive .297 with a .455 slugging percentage.

A nine-time All-Star, Concepción was named the MVP of the 1982 Midsummer Classic.

Concepción retired following the 1988 season, having played his entire career in a Reds uniform. He ranks second in Reds history in career games played and at-bats; third in hits, fourth in doubles, sixth in stolen bases and total bases, and seventh in runs scored. He and Barry Larkin share the franchise record with 19 seasons played in a Reds uniform.

Inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 2000, Concepción’s uniform #13 was retired by the club in 2007.