Excellent post M2, but I don't know that reading it was less painful than observing the Reds present performance. If your evaluation of the Reds prospects is accurate, the farm system is in an inexcusable mess. I realize the Reds can never have the Yankees player payroll, I realize the Reds have had terrible luck regarding injuries, I've never faulted Jim Bowden for acquiring Griffey, and I will even concede that some trades are certain to fail----but the farm system is the life blood of a team such as the Reds. To have so few good players in the pipeline is inexcusable and is ample justification for Bowden's dismissal, and for the firing of Allen.