…and he provides a few answers in this interview over at Reds.com, about his retirement, the Reds recent struggles, and more:
MLB.com: You were big on CEO Bob Castellini and general manager Wayne Krivsky when they first took over in the winter. Now that they’ve almost completed their first season with the Reds, what do you think now?
Brennaman: Even more so. Everything I felt when he took over this club, and when he brought Krivsky in, has not changed one iota. Any time I have any question, as far as Krivsky is concerned, I go back to the guy who had the job before him (Dan O’Brien). With Sun-Woo Kim, he’s the 36th player Krivsky acquired. You can probably divide that by less than an eighth, and that would have been the number of personnel moves that Dan O’Brien would have made.
If this club doesn’t make the postseason, people can’t come back and say that ownership and baseball operations didn’t do everything they could to put this club in a position to be successful. To me, that’s what it’s all about. With all due respect to the previous ownership, all they cared about was not losing money. I’m not saying that’s not an admirable trait, it is. But, I don’t think Bob Castellini, at one second of any point of the year when Wayne came to him and wanted to do something hesitated, because he didn’t want to take on money. He’s taken on money all year long. To my knowledge, he’s never balked.
If you’re a Reds fan, whether this club makes the postseason or not, people have to be encouraged and enthusiastic about the future of the franchise as long as Bob Castellini is the owner and Wayne Krivsky is the general manager.
MLB.com: Which of Krivsky’s 36 moves were among the best and which have not panned out successfully?
Brennaman: To me, the best ones have been the most publicized. Bronson Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena, Brandon Phillips from the Indians [and] David Ross from the San Diego Padres. I said the other night that the trade he made with the Nationals has been a bad trade. (Gary) Majewski? We know what’s happened to him. Bill Bray? The early returns are mixed. Royce Clayton? That’s not panned out for Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez. I’ve maintained that you’re never going to get to the postseason with Felipe Lopez playing shortstop. That’s not going to happen. Had he stayed here, they would have moved him to another position.
The guy in right field, Kearns, is who they miss the most. This might turn out to be a good trade next year for this club if Majewski pitches well, and Bray continues to mature and becomes a decent relief pitcher. As we talk today, this hasn’t been a good trade.
So, what do you think?
Good words from Marty there. I’ve been given a good dose of reality over the past few weeks…while this club has disappointed me over the recent stretch, they have exceeded my expectations as a first-year season ticket holder. I never thought it was possible to overachieve and underachieve in the same season, but my Redlegs have shown me you can. One way I can find inner peace is knowing it’s college football season. If we make a run…great. If not, wait ’til 2008.
I can’t get my hopes up for odd numbered seasons. Since I’ve followed the Reds, odd numbered years have been bad.
1981–No postseason (with best record).
1983 & 1989–No comment.
1985–4192 was my only highlight.
1991–Awful year after the WS.
1993–Terrible year after a 92-70 season.
1995–NLCS sweep.
1999–Overachieving club lets us down.
Let’s cheer this club on over the next six home games and I’ll look forward to seeing them in action on the 15th and 16th at Wrigley for a doe-or-die road trip!