If I was Francona I would tell the Reds forget it I'm resigning right now. They flat out lied to him. They said they would upgrade the offense and haven't done shit. If the ownership cannot afford to put the pieces in place to at least compete they should sell the damn team. Because it's obvious the Reds owner is in over his head.
My thoughts exactly. Why come back for this headache of a franchise in addition to the shit the Dodgers are doing with these super teams without any restrictions. Reds have enough talent in the farm system to pull off nearly any trade for players they can't afford on the free agent market. Yet still won't come off any of those prospects to help this team in the outfield or on offense after moving India, the team leader in OBP. Top pitching prospects like Lowder, Burns, Petty and multiple infielders with Tyson Lewis, Stewart, Collier, Arroyo, Marte & Stafura among many more in the next tier that could be packaged. Many who claim Lowder, Burns, Collier and Stewart are the 'untouchables' severely limit any players Cincinnati can acquire in a trade. One or two of these players would be a hell of a bargaining chip in a potential trade. Even if they rather stay cheap with the years of team control on Lowder and Burns in the future, trade Lodolo before the window shuts on him.
This organization would rather crowd the rotation with someone like Brady Singer who is not an ace, a solid 4th-5th rotation piece in a good rotation, pursue a joke like Nick Pivetta and call it an offseason. No prospect is a guarantee to be a successful Major League start so trading a few of them before getting exposed at the MLB level like Barrero, Senzel and Marte would make sense. Instead the Reds hoard them like they are all first ballot HOFers and haven't learned a damn thing from past mistakes.
I know it isn't realistic with this franchise, but any FO with a gumption and wants to win now should have sent India to Seattle and unloaded the farm system for Julio Rodriguez and Luis Castillo. Actual difference makers!! To hell with the contracts, teams don't unload top prospects and assume entire contract so that is why the Reds would send a massive haul in prospects for the return with Seattle still eating a large portion of their deals. Rodriguez would mash in Great American Ballpark and boost the outfield. Castillo is proven in GABP with some postseason experience. Reds could easily trade them off and replenish the farm system in the next inevitable fire sale so zero excuses for the laziness, cheap skates and incompetence from the Reds FO.
Dodgers and Mets have changed the game with this horse shit deferred contract approach building super teams. The cheap skate approach by the Castellini's will have them building up half a decade making a run for the NL Wild Card spot with a narrow window to contend in before tearing it all down again. I get other teams including the Reds have had deferred contracts before but this Soto shit and what the Dodgers are doing is ridiculous as hell.
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