“So you paid for a subscription to watch Reds baseball this year?”
“That’s right.”
“And the team has been terrible your entire life?”
“That’s correct Dave”
“And you thought that this year would be different?”
“Yes”
“Are the games at least fun to watch?”
“No”
“Is the broadcast at least enjoyable?”
“No Dave”
Qualifying for the postseason was not an insignificant development for the Reds. Tangible proof of progress and a small but concrete payoff of a plan that was hatched years ago.
But the fact that they checked the "make the playoffs for the first time in forever" box doesn't obscure that there still lots of work to be done to the roster. If the idea is to simply sit back and spend the offseason thinking that they'll naturally improve from one year to the next without any significant addition from outside ignores how flawed this team was all season and how unproven so many players are.
There's a nice core of guys to build around. Their collection starting pitchers has to be one of the more envied things in the sport. They've got dudes in their lineup with upside.
But it's a pretty big leap to go from a barely above .500 team that scrapes into the playoffs to one that makes the postseason with ease and enters October with legit championship hopes.
I don't know that the Reds can make that leap if the front office spends the coming months not being active and aggressive.
Good night.
Dave Portnoy and Big Cat both pick Washington to upset Ohio State today and Portnoy has some thoughts.
"Nobody panics and pees down their leg faster than Ryan Day and Ohio State."