Time to blow it up!

[GAC]

If you're talking about developing prospects, great. Houston is a wonderful model. What's your point?

I thought that's what we've been talking about these last several pages? - farm systems, developing prospects (LOL).

My point? You said we should follow the Astro's model. I agreed. What is the Astro's (GM Luhnow's) model? You begin with a strong farm system, developing talent. And he utilized those assets (prospects) as needed, had no issues trading #1 draft picks, top prospects, in accordance to his plan, to build/better the team. #1 picks are just another ballplayer.

You, and others, are on here saying "Last place teams don't trade away their #1 draft picks, top prospects, if they want to go anywhere!"

The Astros did. And JMO, but I don't think market-size was much of an influence on Luhnow when he makes those decisions either. The objective is to identify and acquire talent utilizing all and any means available - and in according to his plan.

And IMO, that's the Red's management's problem when it comes to their farm system. This thinking of - "Oh! We're a small market team and we can't afford to trade away our top prospects because we expect ALL of them to field our roster and be under our control for 6 years." is a faulty plan. How has that worked out so far? As Luhnow stated, when it comes to top prospects ...

“You want so desperately for that to work out, to validate all the people involved in making that decision,” said Luhnow, who holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. “But there’s a concept in business school called ‘forget sunk costs,’ an economic concept that if things change, you can’t continue to invest in that outcome improving if it’s not going to get better. There’s certain times you just have to change your strategy. We did that in both cases.”

Not the Reds. They hold onto those "assets" until their value ain't worth nothing and they can't get anything for them. And we can all sight numerous examples, over the last decade, where the Reds could've sold high on some players while they had value, yet held firm.

They don't seem to have a firm plan. At least nothing like what Luhnow has devised. The Red's seem to be too haphazard, knee-jerk.