Do you consider the 2020 season a success (poll)

[Tom Servo]

Hard no? Soft no? How about Hell no!!

They were trying to win and finished third in their division and seventh in their league. They got in the play-offs because 53% of the teams in baseball made it. They had a strong late season against the Pirates, a White Sox team that had clinched a spot and threw a pitcher from A Ball and a guy with an 1.6 HR/9 and an FIP over 5 against them,. Then they played a depleted Minnesota team that didn't have much to play for. Had they faced The White Sox and Twins in a different situation, they'd have lost 4 of 6.

They didn't land on the moon or anything worthy of a parade or anything but jeez. I didn't realize going 11-4 to end the regular season is actually not impressive at all if you REALLY look at it.

[Joeyjection19]

I'm genuinely beginning to wonder if I will see the Reds win a single postseason series in my adult life.

[Kinsm]

I can see what you're saying on Bauer. But, I'm pretty comfortable with Castillo and Gray as an excellent top 2 in a rotation. I think Mahle took a step forward this year, and I'm comfortable with him as a 4. They should have the money to sign a 3 if Bauer leaves. I don't think they can sign a 3/4 level bat (Rendon, Freeman, Prime Votto etc....).

The only reason they weren't a .450 team was because of Bauer - it's going to be a gigantic hole to fill.

This organization is not good at developing starting pitchers and it's running out of premium prospects to trade for top of the line starters.

[Kinsm]

They didn't land on the moon or anything worthy of a parade or anything but jeez. I didn't realize going 11-4 to end the regular season is actually not impressive at all if you REALLY look at it.

So after handing out not one but two of the largest FA contracts in franchise history and trading away top rated prospects for others - they had a.434 W% at the three quarter mark. In a full season that means they would have likely been trading away players, not hoping and praying on having a .733 W% over the last quarter of the season.

[REDREAD]

I don’t agree. I think each and every player underperformed to previous levels. Name one player that outperformed their talent level on the offensive side.

Oh I think this season was a fail, I was just understanding his point of view.
Yes, I am saying this with the benefit of hindsight, but Shogo was a disaster, he's going to be an albotross.
Miley and Castenallos were pretty high risk guys to sign too. Moustakas is getting older, never had much range to begin with.
He had decent slugging this year, but a low batting average, like most of the team.

So yea, I agree, no offensive players really met most people's expecations.

[BluegrassRedleg]

If the Cardinals just had this season and put this poll up, you wouldn't find 5% of their fans saying "success." (If that.) For the number to be at 36% here as I type this speaks volumes. And the Reds will always take advantage of the mindset. There's no demand by the fans for better results, and there's insufficient/inconsistent commitment by the organization.

[mgbrown66]

I voted yes. Mostly because it gave me something to look forward to every day, good or bad.

And this year, there just hasn’t been much of anything to look forward to...

[Bunting Bad]

Thom is gone. That, in itself, makes this season a success.

[Kinsm]

If the Cardinals just had this season and put this poll up, you wouldn't find 5% of their fans saying "success." (If that.) For the number to be at 36% here as I type this speaks volumes. And the Reds will always take advantage of the mindset. There's no demand by the fans for better results, and there's insufficient/inconsistent commitment by the organization.

A diehard Cards forum? I don't even think it'd be 5%. It's not a random sample, but it does make Cincinnati sports fans look like they are okay with mediocrity.

[WrongVerb]

I vote yes. The team strived for the World Series. Didn't make it, but neither will 30 other teams.

[Reds]

A big issue going forward when pur goals should be more than just playoffs is honestly we have some players who are probably aging past their prime and we're going to be banking on multiple bounce back seasons next year. Without having their ages in front of me this doesn't strike me as a young team minus one of two positions.

[UK Reds Fan]

1. 4 teams in our division made playoffs...so we played a decent division and still made it in.
2. .500 season after years of not coming close
3. Team was clutch down the stretch to get in
- Won 4 series in a row and 3 of those series were playoff teams...so not just beating on bums to get in.

I think we all now it stinks to end another wimper of a postseason and the thought of losing Bauer and the hole he brings is daunting for next year. But to be fair, we bring back Castillo, Gray, Mahle settled in nicely as rotation piece. I imagine Tyler Stephenson appears to be a big upgrade over Tucker, Winker settled in nicely I thought and maybe we can spend to upgrade the bullpen to improve the roster appreciably. I still am strong of opinion we should not bring Bell back and we need a guy who can help us have an organization semblance of an offensive approach to the game that we sorely lack. We look like a beer league softball team with everybody swinging out of their shoes for homers. That is my main hope on offseason.

[Caveat Emperor]

I vote yes. The team strived for the World Series. Didn't make it, but neither will 30 other teams.

It's been 30 years since this team was at all relevant.

At some point, you need to stop striving and actually start doing.

[Tom Servo]

So after handing out not one but two of the largest FA contracts in franchise history and trading away top rated prospects for others - they had a.434 W% at the three quarter mark. In a full season that means they would have likely been trading away players, not hoping and praying on having a .733 W% over the last quarter of the season.

Which, to be clear, we're downplaying as retroactively not impressive. That's what I'm taking exception to, not this whole 'definition of success' argument.

[Bunting Bad]

Going into this season, I was excited about the lineup, I thought the starting pitching would be solid and the bullpen had some holes. I was hoping that Senzel would turn into a solid starting CF and and stay healthy all season. I thought Bob Steve had a chance to prove he could be a solid bullpen contributor.

I was looking forward to watching the progress of Greene, Lodolo, Garcia, and Stephenson. Many of these questions will have to be answered next year, but the inability of situational hitting, the lack of defense, and athletism really made the games hard to watch.