The Cardinals and Cubs are turning into the Yankees/Red Sox of the NL. The Cubs payroll will approach 100 million with Nomar. The Cardinals have a payroll about 82 million.
The Reds are doomed to finish behind the Cubs/Cardinals/Astros every year with a 45 million or less payroll.
The Reds are basically a team that only signs retreads. Not good.
Financially, the Reds are probably in better shape than anytime during the Marge Schott era. And they have an idea that success for the club for the longhaul can only be achieve by building a solid farm system like the Twins and Rangers. Only problem is it takes time and patience....something Reds fans are running short on.
If you think small, you'll go nowhere in life.
Krusty,Originally Posted by Krusty
This has been repeated several times on the board but if you buy into the idea that all improvement is going to come from an overhauled farm system, (though drafting a HS pitcher #1 was a terrible way to start) take note of Reds asst. GM Dean Taylor's fate in Milwaukee. Taylor was able to put together one of the top farm systems in baseball during his time with the Brewers; unfortunately, because the big league team stunk so badly, and he did little to improve it, he was fired after a few years. If DanO is putting all his eggs in one basket with the notion that improving the farm system is the only way to improve the major league team over time, he, like Taylor won't be around if and when those prospects are ready. As I mentioned, that isn't even taking into account his questionable methods for 'improving' the farm system to this point.
Boss
I would take the "stability" point and wonder if Allen,Naehring,Miley and Gullet are all purged after this season. Would fit the bill, if anything, Allen may have resigned after his choice for GM wasn't hired, but for the sake of stability and timing, stayed on another year.
It will be interesting to watch who is in control of the franchise and product going ahead with its future after this season.
And I don't think DanO is putting all his eggs in one basket, but he has laid down the foundation of how he plans to rebuild the Reds into a consistent top of the division legitimate contender. Maybe I am giving him too much credit, but an empty farm system and very little money to spend shouldn't lead anyone to think that they can overhaul the major league team in one or two seasons. My guess is that his gameplan is to pull weeds, plant seeds, and water even through next year so that he can shoot for it and have a dramatically improved product when his contract comes up for renewal after the 2006 season. Then he will let the chips fall where they may because he cannot control whether that will be good enough for his bosses. Now, I don't envy his job because they seem to be further away than that, but fortunes can also change pretty quickly in this game.
As far as personnel changes, I like making all the changes Aronchis suggested except Miley should be kept around. I also fire Sammy Ellis to add to the list.
I'll tackle the second one first. You might be right. Maybe Carl's looking to sell and put out the marching orders to stand pat as much as possible to create the seeming of stability. Yet they can't bluff forever. Sooner or later the organization has to start working its roster and addressing its core problems or the overall perception of the team will be that it's less stable than ever, utterly lacking in direction and leadership. IMO, if they field a stinker next year any brand maintenance they did this year evaporates.
On the first one, I don't buy into the rolling "well, this wasn't the time" rationale. The Reds could do that ad infinitum. In fact, it's the easy thing to do. Part of what makes Billy Beane so remarkable is that he never bought into that line of thinking. The notion of getting players to improve his club never has been perceived as an exercise in futility. So, while it certainly wasn't an expectation Reds leadership sought to address this past offseason, it remains an expectation of necessity. Either they start meeting that expectation or things don't get better. I emphasize start because obviously this isn't a simple, one-step process. The Reds may have to plod in the right direction, but, regardless of the pace, that's the direction in which they have to embark.
And if they see Cory Lidle up ahead, turn around because they're headed 180-degrees in the wrong direction.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Beanes first year on the job.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/te...98_trans.shtml
You guys...I wouldn't mind if you let this thread die.
Bip!
4009
i guess i'm an idiot... when did Dean Taylor sign w/ the Reds? that's very good - was it before the season?
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