They really haven't been shit since Marge Schott kept getting in trouble for her comments and getting banned, ultimately selling the team to Carl Lindner which was the beginning of the end. Bob Castellini is a piss poor executive in a small market. Don't even get me started on Jock Strap. Spend money upgrading a ballpark with gimmicks each year thinking that will draw in a crowd. Investing in talent would be a smarter use of money and you'll acquire that revenue back in ticket/merchandise sales when you decide to put a product on the field worth watching for the fans. Cincinnati gets a core young group of talent, then have a fire sale follow by another rebuild. Rinse and repeat cycle. The dynamics of the Reds market will never allow them to be the big spenders on the Free Agent market. I've said my piece a thousand times on them on this board. I'll still support my Reds, watch every game, spend money at games but I can't allow myself to get upset anymore over anything this franchise does and get my blood pressure up.
Reds are conservative with prospects. Votto should have been called up in 2006 when Sean Casey was dealt instead of an '07 September call up. Frazier was like a 26 year old rookie. How long do we have to wait on Nick Senzel? I think much of Robert Stephenson & Amir Garrett's issues have been complacency in the minors. They rose through the ranks of the minors with ease and for a team in development, I believe playing the top prospects is key to bringing the future now rather than delayed. They may never pan out but refuse to believe yet it's over for them. Garrett pitched too well before he was optioned, came back, got hurt and was never the same. Romano and Stephenson pitched strong to finish 2017 off.
Out of Mike Leake, Aroldis Chapman, Johnny Cueto, Jay Bruce, Brandon Phillips among others Adam Duvall has been the only real return back. I'm aware BP was aging and pricey but the dumb ass Reds still ate $13 of $14 million of his salary when he was dealt to the Braves. Schebler still has a chance to prove his worth, I see a ceiling of Bruce with him and a floor of Wily Mo Pena worse case scenario. If Anthony DeSclafani & Brandon Finnegan can ever get healthy, consider it a bonus. Let Zack Cozart walk in free agency when he could have been traded for "prospects".
Absolutely love Bryan Price's strategy benching our All-Star OF Adam Duvall for the season opener.
I get lefty/righty splits but I'm not down with benching a 30 HR/100 RBI All-Star when you eventually have Duvall PH against a righty in a key situation later in the same game. Today it was Billy removing the speed of the fastest guy in the majors as well as a great CF glove. I want Price to succeed, any manager who can drop 77 F-Bombs in one interview is hilarious but this is one of many bonehead moves he's made. He hasn't been dealt a good hand but the Reds have supported him through the early injury plagued seasons of his tenure, through the eventual fire sale and now another rebuild.
I'll give them this much, hell of a finding plucking Scooter off the waiver wire last year.
10 years ago I'd been excited to have signed Yovani Gallardo. He can hit for a pitcher though lol Hope he's at least serviceable.
![[jumpingsmile]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/happy/happy0028.r191677.gif "Jumping Smile [jumpingsmile]")
