Letter to the Fans from Castellini & Jocketty

[redsmetz]

I just got this in my email:

Dear Fans,

Thank you for your loyalty and support of the Cincinnati Reds. You are extremely vital to the success of the Reds, and it is important we share with you the thinking behind our recent personnel decisions.

Since taking ownership of this franchise, we have aggressively tried to improve our Major League roster for the purpose of restoring championship baseball to Cincinnati. We have sought and signed proven players. We have extended the contracts of select current players. We added Dusty Baker, a proven winning manager. And, we have capitalized on our burgeoning younger players like Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Johnny Cueto.

We had high expectations for the 2008 season. Unfortunately the team has not played up to our expectations and we have sustained injuries to key players within our starting lineup and rotation.

We opted to trade Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn at this time because we believe it provided the best outcome for the long-term success of the organization. By executing these inevitable changes now, we secured more players as part of our focus towards building a deeper, stronger inventory of young talent.

We are pleased that the trades allow Griffey and Dunn the opportunity to play for teams in tight division races. Both Ken and Adam made significant contributions to the Reds and we are extremely proud and grateful they wore the Reds uniform.

While the run production generated by these two veterans will not be quickly replaced, we chose to endure the short-term ramifications for the sake of building a strong, competitive team for 2009 and many seasons to come.

The vast majority of our 50 draft picks were signed, culminating last week with first-rounder Yonder Alonso and a pair of talented pitchers. Our expanded scouting operations also signed Juan Duran from the Dominican Republic and Yorman Rodriguez from Venezuela, who are arguably the best amateur free agent position players from their respective countries.

As we near September, we will continue to provide valuable playing time to our young players and new acquisitions who we feel can become significant contributors at the Major League level. We ask your continued trust and patience as we build the roster that will get us back on top. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at the ballpark.

[gonelong]

Could this be "The Plan" that suffering Reds Fans have been so desperate to waft to their ears?

This feels like a total reboot of the system to me ... about time. I suspect some offseason acquisitions and trades as well.

GL

[redsmetz]

Could this be "The Plan" that suffering Reds Fans have been so desperate to waft to their ears?

This feels like a total reboot of the system to me ... about time. I suspect some offseason acquisitions and trades as well.

GL

I think it's a bid to bump up attendance in the final five to six weeks of the season, acknowledging that it's going to be a bit dreadful, but asking folks to come on down anyway.

[RedsManRick]

Could this be "The Plan" that suffering Reds Fans have been so desperate to waft to their ears?

This feels like a total reboot of the system to me ... about time. I suspect some offseason acquisitions and trades as well.

GL

This isn't a plan; it's a collective blame job meant to allay fan revolt and an admission that "win now" didn't work. One thing the letter was noticeably free from was accountability in the front office. They outlined all the things they tried to do, implying it should have worked, and then passed the buck on to the players failing to meet expectations. There was no admission that the expectations were out of line with reality and the moves made were insufficent at best, misguided at worst. That scares me.

This process of putting together mediocre teams and then the front office blaming losses on bad luck and unexpectedly poor performance has been the hallmark of poorly run organizations such as the Pirates and Royals. I want Castellini to say point blank "I screwed up." He hasn't and won't.

If I hear the phrase "proven winner" once more my head might explode. Highlight the individual's contributions towards winning. There's too much room for coattail riding in any organization to apply the success of the organization broadly to any (and thus all) individual.

[flyer85]

This isn't a plan; it's a collective "our bad" meant to allay fan revolt.

it's an OOPS ... did we do that.

It says
1) We like Dusty
2) We had to trade Dunn/Jr
3) We have no idea how we are going to replace their production

Maybe Walt will right the ship ... but I have no idea how he plans to do it other than waiting on draft picks to develop. Problem is by that time other productive players have aged and left and the inexpensive become expensive if they are any good and the cycle continues.

[Krusty]

it's an OOPS ... did we do that.

It says
1) We like Dusty
2) We had to trade Dunn/Jr
3) We have no idea how we are going to replace their production

Maybe Walt will right the ship ... but I have no idea how he plans to do it other than waiting on draft picks to develop. Problem is by that time other productive players have aged and left and the inexpensive become expensive if they are any good and the cycle continues.

That is why this offseason will be so interesting to watch.

[flyer85]

That is why this offseason will be so interesting to watch.

or not.

Walt built his success in St. Louis in doing the opposite of what he is now required to do.

[registerthis]

They outlined all the things they tried to do, implying it should have worked, and then passed the buck on to the players failing to meet expectations.

That was what jumped out at me as well.

It wasn't that the team that was assembled was bad, it was that the players simply didn't do their jobs. Which is not exactly how I view things. It seems to me that a team featuring the likes of Patterson, Keppinger, Bako, Ross, Hopper, Valentin, Belisle, Fogg, Bailey, Freel, Coffey, Majewski et al. performed right about how you'd expect a team comprised of such players would perform.

[gonelong]

This isn't a plan; it's a collective blame job meant to allay fan revolt and an admission that "win now" didn't work. One thing the letter was noticeably free from was accountability in the front office. They outlined all the things they tried to do, implying it should have worked, and then passed the buck on to the players failing to meet expectations. There was no admission that the expectations were out of line with reality and the moves made were insufficent at best, misguided at worst. That scares me.

While we'd all love to see that kind of realistic and objective self loathing from the front office for the job they have done, it's just not going to happen in that type of forum, if ever.

It's at least the beginning of a plan IMO. The last half dozen years we've watched the franchise half-hearted attempts to "compete". Maybe this smells to you, but at least it smells different to me. Hopefully they will at some point elaborate a bit.

But for now ... is it a good plan? Can they execute the plan? Don't know ... but at least they don't seem to be buying all their explosives from the ACME company going forward.

GL

[Chip R]

P.S. The losing stops now. We really mean it this time.

[Krusty]

At least they showed consideration and addressing fans with the situation.

[RedEye]

P.S. The losing stops now. We really mean it this time.

All kidding aside, this letter really feels more like it is saying that "the losing begins now so that we can start rebuilding." It's a refreshingly honest change IMO.

[Chip R]

All kidding aside, this letter really feels more like it is saying that "the losing begins now so that we can start rebuilding." It's a refreshingly honest change IMO.

I'll believe it when I see it. The Reds are masters at sending out mixed messages.

[RedEye]

I'll believe it when I see it. The Reds are masters at sending out mixed messages.

True. I guess I just feel like this one is much more connected to reality than past claims about "winning now." In this letter, there are no claims about having a winning team by such-and-such a date... there's just an honest evaluation of the state of the franchise.

[Chip R]

In this letter, there are no claims about having a winning team by such-and-such a date... there's just an honest evaluation of the state of the franchise.

While the run production generated by these two veterans will not be quickly replaced, we chose to endure the short-term ramifications for the sake of building a strong, competitive team for 2009 and many seasons to come.

I understand what they said and why they said it. They aren't going to say, "We're going to suck next year but we hope you come out to watch us anyway." I want action, not words. I didn't care if Wayne and/or Walt never articulate(d) their plan. I want to see them follow through. If they wanted to get rid of Jr. and Dunn, fine. But I don't want them trying to break the bank to sign Pat Burrell or pick up guys like Moises Alou and/or Juan Pierre. I don't want to see them keep 5 utility guys on the 25 man roster because they are scrappy.