One of the themes of Redleg Nation prior to 2010 was that the organization often appeared to be drifting, with no plan as to how to return to glory. After a lost 2011, following an off-season in which Cincinnati did nothing to improve, it’s time to ask those questions again. Although — as usual — there is some nonsense in his latest article, Paul Daugherty asks the salient questions:
The bigger issue is, the Reds appear to have no plan beyond trying to win today’s game, and that’s no plan at all. Emphasizing a win today clouds the vision for tomorrow.
By the way, what is the vision for tomorrow?
It doesn’t involve Renteria, Hernandez and quite possibly Willis. It might involve Francisco Cordero. It might not. It could involve Alonso and Joey Votto, one or both. It might include Heisey, it might not.
It could mean Aroldis Chapman resurrecting his career as a starting pitcher, after a wasted year in 2011. It might include Scott Rolen, invaluable last year, invisible this year. Can the Reds afford another year of being held hostage at third base to Rolen’s health?
None of these questions can be answered now, obviously, though playing the kids more might make the answers easier. What you wonder is, if the club has a plan for any of it.
Perhaps the Reds have a very detailed plan. You may be surprised to learn that they don’t let me sit in on meetings in the front office. Therefore, I don’t know what the vision is, or how they intend to return to contention next year. Reds management — and Walt Jocketty, in particular — are notoriously tight-lipped about these matters, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a road map.
I’d certainly like to know. Because the evidence that the public can see is not encouraging. Everyone knew the team’s weaknesses heading into 2011 — LF, SS, a replacement for Rolen, another pitcher — and the brain trust did nothing to address those problems.
Will they do anything to address all the current problems? I hope so, but one can’t help but be skeptical.
What a difference a year makes….