[lollipopcurve]

Welsh made a point last night, in comparing the Cards and Reds, that I agree with 100%. The Cards have had continuity -- with the exception of Jocketty leaving there last year, the ownership/FO/field staff has been comprised of most of the same people for a long time now. When you have that kind consistency -- and the people are competent -- it allows you to make sensible plans and follow through, instruct with consistency, build trust, etc. Minnesota is another example of an organization that has had a good track record of continuity.

The Reds, well... they may be the most turbulent, discontinuous organization over the last decade in all of major league baseball. My sense is that we may have suffered the major earthquake (the ownership changes), but that the aftershocks may not be over yet (I don't know if Baker will be here beyond his 3-year contract, and I doubt Jocketty really wants to be a GM at this stage of his career). Still, a solid young core of players -- pitchers and position players -- is here to build on, and that hasn't been the case for a long time.