The words hang over the ballpark like a shroud. They hang over the entire season, really. With every late summer Mike Minor pitch, every Colin Moran swing of the bat, it comes in whispers, like a voice out of the corn in that baseball movie:
aligning payroll with resources
The response sticks in the craw, choking the tongue of the weary fan. It does for me. Then the Milwaukee Brewers did the unthinkable. They traded Josh Hader in the middle of a divisional race, one they were in the thick of, because as president of baseball operations, David Stearns said:
“Consistent competitiveness leads to a World Series. That is how you win a World Series, is you give yourself as many chances in the playoffs as you can possibly have. We believe that. I think that is the right approach. It is the approach that I have tried to set this organization up for since my time here. We are trying to avoid the ‘boom or bust’ cycle.”
This was right out of the new Castellini manifesto, unartfully translated by Nick Krall as “eliminating peaks and valleys.” Krall went on to say, “We want to create a model of long-term success that is sustainable. Whether it starts today, tomorrow or whenever.”
Phil Castellini’s words, followed by Krall’s utterances lost much of the fan base. In Bernie Brewer land, Stearn was in danger of losing his clubhouse. Pitcher Eric Lauer was blunt:
“It didn’t send us the right message from the upstairs people trying to say, like, ‘We’re doing this and we’re trying to put you guys in the best position and we’re trying to win right now with you guys.’ It seemed more of a, ‘We’re trying to develop for the future.’”
Nothing changes the fact that the Reds had a playoff team not long ago and could have built on that with some savvy moves and a commitment to spending. The Reds are limited in what they can do to be sure. Nevertheless, they are not poor.
One could be persuaded to see the validity of this new “Reds Way,” even if it only feels like a faded blueprint of the Tampa model. David Stearns has been viewed as a more than capable front office guy, one who has his share of admirers for his stewardship of the Brewers organization, keeping them in contention year-in, year-out. It gives one pause, even as Milwaukee has struggled, falling behind the Cardinals; even as the Hader trade has so far been a train wreck for both the Brewers and the Padres. Front offices perceived as smarter than the one here in Cincinnati are moving similar chess pieces in an effort to compete with the handful of affluent teams that are swallowing up all the difference-makers in the game—the Gerrit Coles, the Mookie Betts, the Scherzers and the deGroms.
I want to jump on board with the new plan. Krall has done his part, and done it well. But “aligning payroll with our resources” hangs over everything going forward.
Fourteen years separate 2010 and 2024. If you look aslant in the direction of 2024, you can—with fond remembrance—see that magical breakout season, the one that saw the window crack open and the fresh air that signaled seasons of promise, the ones that never really came to fruition.
So while others cast their eyes toward 2024, I see next season as perhaps the biggest indicator of where the Reds are headed as an organization in both mind and spirit. And I see Mike Moustakas as the canary in the coal mine.
Yoda could tell you: spend money the Reds must. They are unlikely to do so next season. But they can do the next best thing. They can eat the rest of Moustakas’s contract, make room for the future. Get on with the business of finding out who belongs in 2024. None of that is likely to happen if Moose comes east from Goodyear next spring.
If ownership isn’t willing to eat the last year of the Moustakas contract, if they insist on penny-pinching, squeezing the orange for very little juice, it will be more than just an inauspicious beginning. It may be a signal that they never spend the way they will surely need to, not just in 2023, but ever. It could lead to another lost decade. Another unweeded garden going to seed. More thrift, more funeral baked meats furnishing the next morning’s marriage table.
Fie on it.
Unless he’s ready to quit baseball, Moose has an incentive to show up next year in shape. If he does, then I think it makes sense to at least see what he can do. I don’t think the Reds should cut him just for the sake of opening up a spot. If he’s in shape and can contribute, let him contribute. If not, cut him. That’s how I’d handle it. (Also, if he’s not in shape again, do the Reds have any sort of legal action they can take? I’ve never understood if players are actually under any contractual obligation to try to play up to their potential, or if they can show up to spring training 100 pounds overweight and incapable of running to first base without stoping for a breather, and still expect to be paid because they’re making a “good faith effort.”)
I seriously doubt there is anything in 3M’s contract that stipulates “in shape”.
I’ll choose to disagree that he has “incentive” to get in better playing shape. He had that this year and just because 2023 is a “contract year” for him, I don’t think he’s any more likely to show up fit and trim. His guaranteed money is more than I’ll make in the next decade by a huge margin. He knew coming in how the FO runs the team. He could have taken his shot at getting his trade value up to where he went to a contender this year and next. But he didn’t.
I tend to agree he’s already sunk costs and we can let him show up in AZ come February. but if he looks like he’s sporting a bunch of “winter weight” again, hand him his plane ticket home immediately. That would send a message to everybody.
Mark Moore, what I said was: “Unless he’s ready to quit baseball, Moose has an incentive to show up next year in shape.” This statement allows for the possibility that he isn’t concerned about getting another contract and may therefore feel no incentive to get in shape. It also allows for the possibility that he does want to come back and therefore will feel some incentive. It’s okay to admit we can’t read other people’s minds. We don’t always have to pretend to know things that we can’t possibly know. You don’t know what’s in his mind and neither do I.
He is not part of the future. Seems like JV is posturing for his spot too. It’s a business. If the Reds plan to win in 2024 there is no place for Moose and a only part time role for JV. With the trades they have multiple guys who need those spots.
Remember, we the fans had to live with “where else you gonna go”. JV and 3M need to as well.
Richard is right. A rebuild is a rebuild. You do it or you don’t. There is no in between.
Personally I’m all for offering both 75% of a monies owed to announce their retirements end of this year and have a dedicated day for each at GABP. If not they should be DFA’d.
They are both anchors tied to an albatross holding a deadman (old farming term for farm fence braces).
I’m a bit more accommodating when I consider Votto but I’m with you on Moose – cut him loose.
Votto is going to be the story of the off-season and he has earned his way into reds history and wants to stay.
Hes engaging and all-in so lets see how it goes. I suspect Votto will give an update at Reds fest in December and be a big part of that. If he says I am feeling good and ready to hit Arizona in late January…I’m on board to let him wrote his script until Memorial Day.
Moose is a completely different deal and why Steer is up now. If Steer crushes it at 3b and Votto is healthy, Moose is in trouble.
Glad you don’t run the Reds. You don’t treat a future Hall of Famer in Votto in that manner.
Kevin, make no mistake about it, JV publically put the Reds on notice last night. He expects to play 1st and bat 3rd next year. Calculated and selfish on his part. The Reds are a business.
We haven’t all bought in to this rebuild. Those of us who have, myself included, expect results. JV with anything more than a supporting role in that is counterproductive.
I expect them to win the WS at least once between now and 2030. We should hold them to that or be gone.
I don’t remember Votto hitting third in the lineup very often this year. Your bias is showing.
Before the Reds signed Mike Moustakas, his career slash line was approximately .250/.315/.450 for a .765 OPS. Mike Moustakas last 7 games as a Red in 2022, .310/.310/.448. If he has value with a .765 OPS before we signed him, and he’s got a .758 OPS in his last 7 recent Reds games, I see no reason to cut him. It’s clear the reason he can’t stay healthy is he’s very out of shape. It seems his struggles offensively at times is mostly because he is oft injured and doesn’t get in a rhythm. He actually can still hit. He’s only 33 years old. He’s got a lot of reasons $$$ to get in shape now. All he really needs to do is eat better to lose some weight, and start running so his calves can handle running the bases. I say let Moose earn some value next year and then trade him and eat most of the money but still get some offset salary savings. He could still be thrown in another trade to reduce his salary as well. Similar to Suarez throw in. You can still cut him anytime next year if he’s not performing. Let’s not forget how bad Eugenio was before we traded him, and now he’s a pretty valuable player if his performance holds at this level. There’s still all spring to see if Moose is any where near effective to get to that point. The only risk is a roster spot or the development of another player, but is that really a risk? Are there really that many players major league ready knocking on the door as a DH/1B? Is McGarry ready or needs a bit more time? I don’t see anyone so great that the roster spot is critically needed and we’re going to lose a top prospect off the 40 man. It’s not like we’re going to sign some amazing free agents next year. I think Reds retool for one more year because realistically there’s no way they are in the playoffs next year. Reds hopefully find a way to save some payroll in 2023 and reinvesting that money into the team as they say they do. I do believe them. But, the Minor signing crushed the payroll savings in 2022. You can’t miss that badly. It’s not like it was just an injury, and it’s not like he didn’t have a track record similar to what the Reds are getting this year from Minor in these last couple of years. You can buy prospects or players off other teams by eating some of their salaries, and it can be used to go over and above in payroll 2024 and later. Or simply payoff some of the Griffey and Votto payroll commitments in 2023 to free up some money into the future. I know Moose can change his diet, but will he? I believe so, even though it can and should be questioned why he didn’t do it already last offseason. I think that speaks to his commitment, but maybe with $ signs ahead it comes to fruition this offseason.
Seven games is a really small sample size and I personally have zero confidence in Moustakas. He was overpaid to begin with and even back to his Royals days I thought he was very over hyped.
The Reds should send him a check and wish him the best, but I assume they will hold onto him with the hope he can provide some value next year.
I agree. There is really no difference in cutting him today and cutting him May 4, 2023 from a business standpoint. If he comes in in shape and has a hot April, maybe hits 8-10 hrs…you ride him and hope you can pick up a trinket in June.
If not, you cut him after 4 weeks when it is clear that his tenure as a Red was same as it ever was.
J – you are absolutely correct that we can’t read the mind of 3M. All we can do is witness what we see when we see him. That’s a limited view, to be sure. Then all we can do is compare what we see in him with what we see in others like Joey. Again, limited view, but it’s what we have.
The future remains to be seen and that’s a ways off as you note. February and March will tell us more.
Haven’t we already spent far too much time finding out what he can do? What he can do…take erratic hacks at the ball, get fooled by the curve ball and only occasionally make contact. Cut your losses on this FO mistake and move on. There are plenty in the que who deserve a chance in the show.
Quite frankly, he may very well be ready to quit baseball after leaving the Reds. He’s made more than enough money in his career to set up his family for generations. He’s already won a World Series. He has a wife and multiple kids. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he called it quits when his contract with the Reds is finished. No team will give him more than a few million guaranteed dollars on a new contract, and even that’s a stretch after what he’s (not) done over the past three seasons.
Nice article again, Richard. I did my comment as a reply above, so I won’t duplicate that effort.
3M may just be that canary … a big, lumbering one 😀
manatee?
Yep … that’s one of the 3 M’s
More like the lump of coal in the canary cage. Open the cage, set the fledglings loose.
Good article Richard, but I suspect Moose is a regular next year unless he’s on the IL. My expectations for this entire organization are extremely low, from the ownership to the field management, and everything in-between.
They paid Akiyama $8 mil to go away.
Why do you think they traded the 2022/2023 salaries of Gray/WInker/Castillo/Mahle and the 2022/ 2023/2024 salary of Saurez? The answer is to rebuild and reset and reboot.
Bad news for the Farmer clan who think hes coming back to play SS at $6 mil next year. They wouldn’t pay Jose Iglesias that for 2 years who is 10x better.
And realistically, Farmer’s SS play has declined a bit this year vs. last.
Oh, forgot about that, yes I agree Iglesias was a great ss.. Well maybe not great but he was a good ss.
Excellent article.
I wouldn’t mind if they released Moose. For whatever reason he can’t stay healthy and a steady decline. I haven’t watched games this year, however from what I read on here his defense has take a few steps back.
I do think 2023 can be competitve if they look at the bullpen to see who realistically has a future and who doesn’t. Starting pitching could be a issue, however again do you trust Williamson and maybe Abbott to pitch along the trio of Greene, Ashcraft, and Lodolo? Gotta sign a vet or two, and I would like a solid vet not a minor.
Offense to me can be solid if they use the players strength’s. Votto, India, Barrero or Cruz, and Steer. With a outfield of Fairchild, Friedl, and Fraley. Senzel as your utility player. Stepheson , and maybe resign Romine and or Robinson?
Just my thinking and I realize I have forgotten a few players who could be in the mix next season.
I do believe Buck Farmer has earned a shot at next season in the pen. Thoughts??
Barrero in my opinion is not making the best use of his shot. I am not impressed at all. Anyone batting under 200 (playing everyday) should be moved aside. Say what you want about Farmer but he is playing all over Barrero right now. Farmer earned his spot and Barrero should have to do the same.
Tanking is the biggest issue with baseball. Not shifts, not length of games, not unwritten rules, not scheduling, not relievers, not cheating, not minor leagues. Tanking.
The economics that lead to tanking are definitely a huge reason fans in small markets lose interest in baseball. Big markets however love it. To me unwritten rules and length of games are much bigger issues when looking at baseball as a whole. Kids want to have fun not spend three hours following some expected behavior model from 1915
I agree Bill. With all the Reds injuries this season, I have spent a lot of time watching the AAA Bats on MiLBTV to see the guys in rehab. It is amazing how much quicker those games seem to move along. I really enjoy the pace.
I’d guess the pitch clock with the adjunct limits on throws to hold runners on is a big part of it. But I believe the breaks between half innings are also shorter. The actual physical process of changing pitchers once the manager has signaled for a switch seems to happen more quickly too.
I dont see any reason to just eat the money without giving him a chance at redicovering something. The team as currently contructed is not signing any big free agent deals this offseason. As long as he’s not starting then I’m fine with keeping him, if he earns that starting spot back then great. Its a sunk cost obviously, but why cuit bait on a team that shouldnt be adding at the ML level? A struggling overextended rookie is not a better choice.
But 3 rookies getting 2 months each gets you well past the all-star break. TBH, Moose has to make the team in spring training. If he cannot, what expectation is there that he’d improve in the regular season?
MIke Moustakis has value in 2023? Please educate us on that.
Value in that he might actually be better than a rookie that you have no reason to rush. This team looks very bad going into next year from where i sit, ill root for them regardless anyway but id be surprised if they did much. They chose to sell so stick to the plan. If they sign someone better or a rookie emerges to take his bench spot so be it. I wont care one iota if they cut him, but likewise i wont care either if they keep him. His presence on the team is being overblown if you ask me.
I think the Reds are done with signing expensive, long term contracts. Their model is going to rely on young players from their system complimented by free agents who are willing to sign with the Reds for a single year.
When the young players reach arbitration and become too expensive they will be dealt. I would not be surprised, if the Reds try to move India and Stephenson next summer, although it more likely will be in 2024.
For the Reds to have a chance at the post season, they will need their young players to blossom all at once. It often doesn’t happen that way, although I guess one could argue it did the last time the team won the World Series in 1990.
The Reds will no longer have a competitive window to work with, but more like a competitive crack. It means being competitive two out of every ten seasons or so. It also means shorter periods of time between each rebuild (something we have already started to see).
Maybe the Reds are cheap or maybe it’s truly the only option open to small market teams. I am not sure which it is, but it’s not good for the game.
V4L, I agree with some of this. I do believe the game is in big trouble in the long run. It is no attracting young people. As our generation rides off, there is little to follow.
In the mean time, I believe they can and will be good. Giving in to public demands by aging players is not the ticket to greatness. Cutting the excess is
Have the Castellinis ever said “rebuild?” Or are we just assuming they intend that? I sense its just a “new business model” that simply avoids free agents.
Bryant yeah, although I would add their new business model “avoids free agents AND multiple year contracts”. I don’t think we are going to see extensions even for players who come up through the Reds system.
Agreed…its 5 and half seasons and out (in exchange for at least 2 high prospects). Note, though, that all your newbies don’t have to ripen at the same time. You bring in a couple of newbies each year to replace your ripened fruit from 5 and half years ago that your letting go. Tricky to get it right, and not sure if it works…but it sounds like that’s the plan.
Moose ate the canary — he even has the ‘caught in the cookie jar’ look as his every day countenance.
That 2023 is a lost year is something we all agree on, so whether they carry Moose for the 1st half of season and keep another year control of Elly or someone else seems an easy call. Let them keep the big salary and use it to justify more “seasoning” for the young guys…
Just don’t burn a wasted year of contractual control for anyone of possible consequence in 2023. DFA Moose in June or July if it helps to make that happen.
excellent points by Votto4 life and Greenfield Red above. look, the fact that Moose and Votto likely will be the starting 1B and DH next year says more about the state of the league(and the game) than the reds in my opinion. Despite their age and injuries they are still the best left handed hitters the reds have right now. alot of these young players just are not very good hitters and we have to come to that realization. I think it is just lack of competition in youth /high school baseball now days. just less youth playing baseball now and it has finally caught up to the league.
It’s probably more about guys throwing 90 MPH sliders.
Do the numbers support this claim…fewer kids playing baseball? Are there just fewer kids in general? Maybe there is competition from soccer or some other spring/summer sport. Or are they playing golf…can’t really be any more exciting than playing baseball. I suppose video games offer some competition. Yuck. Perhaps more kids are going to MLB baseball camps and fewer playing little league.
It seems to me concern about the game not being exciting enough is saying more about us than the game. Whether its a score of 15 to 13 with 20 hits apiece, 6 home runs including 2 grand slams, or a 2 to 1 game where every pitch and fielding play counts…it all feels exciting to me. Especially if its your team that wins.
Still a Red, I can’t speak to the number of kids playing baseball, but the numbers for youth sports across the board are down when you look at the percentage of children involved. There has also been a huge push into focusing on only one sport that has probably taken away from sports like baseball. As a kid I played soccer, baseball, basketball, but now parents are locking kids into a single sport at a young age.
I also don’t attribute lack of interest to high scores. Many soccer games are low scoring and often tie games, but the action is non stop. From a purely physical standpoint the child is constantly involved and running around which is fun. With baseball they aren’t as involved. As you get older you can appreciate the strategy and mental aspects of the game. As a kid you just want to run around and have fun. That is where specialization in one sport hurts baseball.
@Bill> I have read more than one place that college costs are also a driver in early specialization. Parents think $100’s and low thousands $$ spent on a sport could return tens of thousands if the kid eventually gets even a partial ride on college costs.
And with this NIL stuff a kid who is a big fish in a smaller pond can (college) even make more than small change by hooking up with local merchants in a college town,
i live in Indiana. Big basketball country. when i drive around kids are playing football year round. at the parks, in the streets, in the school yards. kids just aren’t playing basketball and baseball much anymore. the nba has really struggled with lack of talent for some time and that is why even the LA Lakers stink now. this lack of talent imo is starting to affect mlb as well.
the nfl is the strongest league now because it has the strongest youth, highschool and college programs
Point taken Bill. When I was young there wasn’t soccer to play. But besides little league, the neighborhood kids (of which there were many back then) played pick-up baseball, we played wiffle ball, we played a game with a broomstick and a ping pong ball (it wasn’t coming in at 90 MPH, you could make it break 24 inches).
The ones who want to win would be ok with it… and besides, he is not a hall of famer yet. 236th all time in hits for a “great hitter”. .244 lifetime in the playoffs.
A certain other guy hit. 321 in the playoffs in his career.
I can’t imagine sitting down at my computer and posting something so profoundly ignorant.
The comments about moose arriving out of shape may be a bit misleading. Please correct me if I’m wrong but I believe he was injured.
He is constantly injured, and I am also not concerned if he has a six pack. The Reds need him to hit the ball not pose for the swimsuit calendar. However losing some weight may make it easy on his body
From a pure performance standpoint, I don’t see any difference between Votto and Moose. They both are 210 hitters who clog up the base paths and are not bad defensively. I do truly understand Votto has a sterling Reds history on his side.
There is no doubt that Moose needs to go. But from an owners standpoint, I would not throw $20M away on nothing. I would trade Moose and a prospect or two to a rebuilding team. Whatever it takes minus 10-12 untouchables. Isn’t that exactly one of the reasons why we acquired this abundance of prospects that we now have?
For a multitude of reasons, there is no doubt that 2023 will need to be a step forward as far as wins and fan optimism. The young pitching prospects will need to move significantly beyond 6-8 wins. The offense will need to significantly advance the power output. Possibly something between 2021 output and 2022 output. We are playing half our games in GABP and need offense. If Fraley, Friedl, Almora, and Senzel can’t provide 25 HR pop then we will need to find it via the marketplace. I really believe 2023 needs to be better than 2022 and needs to provide a glimpse of 2024.
Votto has a much better track record than Moose does, and his poor season is very possibly the result of his injury; he was good last year.
I believe sometimes they just have to pay the man and move on.
Look at the Bailey deal in December of 2018. To dump his contract with about $28m still due, the Reds had to include Josiah Gray and Jeter Downs plus take on Matt Kemp ($21m), Alex Wood ($9.5m), Yasiel Puig ($9.7m) and Kyle Farmer.
Kemp was released before the end of May. Deciphering his contract is solving a maze of payment commitments pledged against it in prior trades. The Reds appear to have paid Kemp at least $16m and perhaps as much as $20.5m. They paid the entire $9.5m on Wood for 7 games as a starting pitcher. They paid over half of Puig’s salary before trading him at the 2019 deadline. Farmer was financially insignificant in the deal.
In Summary, using a middle figure of $18m on the Kemp payout, the Reds paid ~$34M PLUS Downs and Gray to clear Bailey’s $28m and additionally get 7 starts from Wood, 2/3 of a season from Puig, and the services of Kyle Farmer.
To my eye, the Reds would have done much better to just have paid Bailey the money and used the additional $6-8m (depending on the actual Kemp payout) and their prospect capital elsewhere.
Moose and Joey both play and play a lot in 2023 regardless of how they perform.Makes no difference if the Reds have a better DH or first baseman on the roster they play.Reds won’t sign Solano or Farmer but one could argue both would/have done better then either.
Reds need to spend money to make GABP a bit more pitcher friendly. That probably has the better bang for the buck. You want a team and a ball park that good players want to come to, especially pitching.
The game now is only about making money. Players don’t care for whom they play as long as they make more than the next guy, and 10-30 times more than they can ever spend. Having a WS ring is not as important as having the highest salary in the game.
I wouldn’t know, Doc, never having had a WS ring or a high salary.
We have to pay attention to details, before we speak. A key detail relevant to this topic is how Moose did in his six days replacing Joey Votto, before Mike’s calf muscled betrayed him again. In that 6-day period, he was a house on fir, batting about .400 with a HR. We shouldn’t be counting him out.
Now that Moose is out for the rest of this season I wonder if that shifts the pressure just a bit. From the Reds view, could they have any remaining hope that he could play himself into some sort of trade value – it’s simply a waiting game to see if and when he’s released. From his view, could he rehab and recover and return to some sort of full and fit health?
Obviously he’ll be on the roster thru next spring, but would any other team pick him up as a league minimum add-on at any point next year? Just consider who else the Reds may release – Aquino, Almora, etc., let alone all the other late-March shuffling/waivers/DFAs. I suppose there’s a bad-contract swap out there somewhere, and that is always possible.
He’ll be paid, and good for him, but I suspect he’s made his last PA in a regular season game.
Or, maybe the Reds believe they can actually find a player with the net $13 million they will have who can contribute more than Moose does now.
Great post. One of the best I have seen on the Reds in a long long time.
If the Reds are going to DFA 3M, it should be before the Rule 5 deadline. They need his 40 man spot. Keeping him til ST does the rebuild no help. Frankly, it’s the same with JV, it’s just that nobody’s willing to say it.
There are difficult decisions coming.
Hi Greenfield. I agree they should DFA Moustakas. Been saying that for a long time. They have to pay him if he plays or not. Don’t think he is magically going to somehow stay healthy and hit like he did in his prime. Give his much needed roster spot to the prospects. That’s the direction the Reds have chosen and they need to do that full on. As for Votto his situation is different. He is a Reds icon and as such deserves to play out his contract and have a great send off. Reds fans have little enough to cheer about these days.
+5,000
That’s probably the biggest value of a DFA for the Reds where 3M is concerned. They protect another young asset.
It’s a rebuild. 3M and JV are not the future.
When JJ took over the Cowboys 35 or so years ago, he made some tough choices to rebuild the brand… including firing a 29 year hall of fame coach. There are similarities here.
With regard to dfa of a hall of famer, he would have earned more respect if his tv appearance was more about how he can help the future for the franchise that has meant everything to him than about his expectation to play every day next year.
If you’re not part of the future, get out of the way.
You would cut a hall of famer you have to pay anyway? Wonder how the rest of the players would feel about that, especially the younger ones
A good, but minor, point. Freeing a spot on the 40-man roster is useful well before they get to the question of adding a longshot to the 26-man. Unless it’s uniquely alluring, say a Joe Boyle type, they’ve got plenty of others who they may want in MLB for much less than the entire season.
That’s one big bite to eat on Moose’s contract so I don’t see the Reds taking that route.
Therefore, Reds should honor the last year of his contract but insist he shows up in better shape. If he doesn’t or gets hurt early, then get rid of him.
Hey Steve. Again they have to pay him whether or not he plays. The question is is it worth it for Moustakas to take a roster spot when prospects really need that to show what they can do. Suppose he does show up in shape and somehow manages to find his youth and hitting again. Somehow stayts off the IL. Maybe he hits .250-.260 so what? Reds are rebuilding and will probably not sniff the playoffs next year with or without him. We really need to see what all our shiny new toys can do. Anyway that’s how I see it. Have a good one. 🙂