Worst Reds ownership?

[fearofpopvol1]

And why?

[cincrazy]

This was tough for me. But I voted Schott. Her actions embarrassed the franchise, and her complete and utter lack of care for the scouting department wrecked the franchise for a good long while. Lindner was inactive, but not really destructive. And Castellini, it's too early to tell, but I have faith in him.

[KronoRed]

Too early to say, but it is horrifying how bad the Reds ownership has been for the last 25+ years.

[MrCinatit]

Marge. I think the organization is still recovering from her noncommittal to the minor leagues and scouting system. This is not to take into account her embarassment to fans many times when she opened her mouth in the public (the Hitler comment...wow).
Lindner, of course, was no picnic - he continued to run the scouting and minor league aspect into the ground. But, he could not hold a candle to Marge.

[KronoRed]

Don't forget Marge letting the Reds territory shrink and shrink as affiliates jumped ship.

[RFS62]

Marge. I don't care if we did win on her watch.

She was an embarrassment, and she destroyed one of the great farm systems. We're still paying for her poor judgment.

[SunDeck]

I think it's a toss up between Marge and Carl. At least Marge threw money into the big league club to win a championship, but in the process she killed off the Reds' farm system.
Lindner said he bought the club to keep it in Cincinnati. I never believed that for a minute; he bought the club at a bargain basement price, knowing full well that he'd be able to sell it at a considerable profit a few years down the road after he had branded the new ball park. While the owner, he did nothing to improve the team on the field.

[chicoruiz]

Marge or Garry Herrman.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by RFS62

Marge. I don't care if we did win on her watch.

She was an embarrassment, and she destroyed one of the great farm systems. We're still paying for her poor judgment.

I agree.

[macro]

I voted Lindner before reading any comments, because at least the Reds had decent teams under Marge. But after reading the posts, I'll agree with Marge as the choice of worst owner.

[Heath]

None of the above - Sid Weil hands down.

[oneupper]

Originally Posted by Heath

None of the above - Sid Weil hands down.

I guess the term "recent times" is relative.
...and I thought I was an old-timer.

[hebroncougar]

For me it's Carl, hands down. They didn't take advantage of opening a new ballpark, and the springboard it created. They decidedly ignored the great history of the franchise as well. At least Marge cared about winning, and she publicly adored the franchise, and it's history. She was a strange old bird, but she cared.

[paulrichjr]

Carl no doubt about it. Marge did some stupid stuff but I think she wanted to see the Reds win and honestly I don't know if she had deep enough pockets to spend much more on the organization. We had one of the largest payrolls in baseball at that time. Carl on the other hand (I think) had the pockets but decided to make money off of the Reds. Sure I suppose he should try to make money but I'm not sure he understood that winning would lead to higher profits over the long run. Personally I don't think he bled Reds like Marge did...and besides Marge was a winner no matter what anyone says about her. She might have been awful as an owner but she still won a championship and 1999 was even the result of her horrible management.

[westofyou]

I'd vote marge hands done in that poll.... but others are worst, Sidney Weil was worst than all of them, even Marge... whose crassness was only eclipsed by her ignorance.

That said Weil had no business in the game, he secretly bought the club up, had limited resources, acted as his own GM at times and eventually had to hand control of the team over to the bank.

However, the worst owner by far is John T Brush, a man who lived in Indianapolis (only Reds owner ever from out of town) and a guy who partnered with The Giants owner to stock the Gotham team (Mathewson) for dead meat (Rusie) and steal the AL Baltimore team for that as well.. in return he was allowed to buy the team after he dumped the Reds.

The thing to note with all three of the above is that their departure from team ownership led to the worst teams of the Reds history

Brush

1905  5th     79   74  .516   26   
1906  6th     64   87  .424   51.5 
1907  6th     66   87  .431   41.5 
1908  5th     73   81  .474   26   
1909  4th     77   76  .503   33.5 
1910  5th     75   79  .487   29   
1911  6th     70   83  .458   29   
1912  4th     75   78  .490   29   
1913  7th     64   89  .418   37.5 
1914  8th     60   94  .390   34.5

Weil

1931  8th     58   96  .377   43   
1932  8th     60   94  .390   30   
1933  8th     58   94  .382   33   
1934  8th     52   99  .344   42   
1935  6th     68   85  .444   31.5 
1936  5th     74   80  .481   18   
1937  8th     56   98  .364   40   
1938  4th     82   68  .547    6

Marge

1999  2nd     96   67  .589    1.5 
2000  2nd     85   77  .525   10   
2001  5th     66   96  .407   27   
2002  3rd     78   84  .481   19   
2003  5th     69   93  .426   19   
2004  4th     76   86  .469   29   
2005  5th     73   89  .451   27   
2006  3rd     80   82  .494    3.5 
2007  5th     72   90  .444   13   
2008  5th     74   88  .457   23.5