Reds' Jeff Conine Remembers Former Teammate Cal Ripken Jr.

The Chattanoogan - Chattanooga, TN, USA - Cincinnati first baseman Jeff Conine shared a few such stories of his time playing alongside Cal Ripken with the Orioles from 1999 to 2001, as well as his first two Major League seasons spent in Kansas City alongside 1999 Hall of Fame inductee George Brett.

"That's baseball," Conine said of his impressions of Ripken and Brett. "That's pure baseball, both of them. I mean, they lived, ate, slept, drank baseball. They were always focused on the game. It was a pleasure to be around."

Conine said beyond statistics and even his legendary toughness, what elevated Ripken to a higher level, as much as any other factor, was his passion to learn all he could about the game.