Turning orginzations around....

[Ltlabner]

What is the key ingrediant to turning around an orginization mired in losing and failure ?

Plenty of teams have stunk for years and then gotten better while others have just stayed stinky. What's the difference between both scenarios?

Is it a solid owner? Visonary GM? Scads of cash? Basical orginizational principals put into motion? None of the above?

[westofyou]

What is the key ingrediant to turning an orginization mired in losing and failures around?

Hire someone who once worked for Branch Rickey.

[flyer85]

"Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things."

[RedsManRick]

A GM ready, willing, and (most of all) able to execute to a multi year rebuilding plan and an owner willing to support the efforts of the GM financially. That's all it takes. Maybe you won't become a powerhouse, but you can regain respectability pretty quickly (Brewers, Twins) --- even the DRays are making progress.

[wheels]

Change the culture.

The best way to do that is with young players, patience and vision.

Know what works before jumping in there and bring in young kids without any pre-concieved notions about "the right way to play the game."

Teach them YOUR way, and make it stick. If they aren't down with it, out they go.

Recognize real performance (the most important part).

Be firm, be concise, be consistant.

Don't worry about what bitter old men might write or say about your club over the airwaves, they don't pay your salary.

The fans will get behind you if your system works.

[dfs]

The ability to identify talent makes up for a lot of shortcommings.

If you can identify talent, you can find undervalued talent and swipe it from other teams.
If you can identify talent, you can configure your rosters and your lineup for maximum bang per buck.
If you can identify talent you can take advantage of GM's in organizations that cannot identify talent.

On a broadbased scale, the reds have not been able to identify talent.

One of the encouraging things about the reds right now is that just about everybody on the 40 man roster, belongs there.

There are still some exceptions...The kid catcher in AA... Norris Hopper....Brendan Harris...I think the organization has already given up on Ray Olmedo....Everybody else....yeah they belong.
A lot of them will be chomped off come free agent time, but for the most part they've gotten rid of the guys on the 40 man roster who didn't belong there. The host of AAA pitchers who were never going to contribute to the major league staff? That's all gone. That's going to minimize waiver problems in the future and opens up the clubhouse for legitimate ruleV type pickups.

[WMR]

I think installing a manager with a lengthy track record of success is a smart part of that strategy if such a candidate is available.

[Handofdeath]

Do not sign mediocre pitchers to 3 year 24 million dollar contracts.:D

[mth123]

Do not sign mediocre pitchers to 3 year 24 million dollar contracts.:D

Those are the only kind that would play in Cincy for that amount. Go big or stay home.

[Kc61]

A losing team cannot be wedded to its existing players.

A good GM knows what is important to be a winning team. He can't compromise that vision by an allegiance to existing players.

[George Anderson]

I think the key to a small market team like the Reds is to develop the farm system. The Reds need to invest heavily in bringing in the best scouts possible. We have had way to many early round busts in the draft that have haunted the franchise for the past few years. This farm system hasnt developed a decent starting pitcher since Tom Browning, ask yourself just how pathetic is that???