In All Fairness To Cincinnati....

[xxlt]

(02-03-2017, 10:33 PM)kevin Wrote: ....it is not New York.  Baseball does not have the revenue sharing Football has.  The Bengals are in something that gives them more of a chance to win than the Reds.  Cincinnati is not New York or Los Angeles or one of these big cities. Yes, the Reds are the first pro baseball team ever back in 1800's.  That cuts no ice now.  So Reds did have to dump big contracts.  It's business and entertainment.  Even in TV and Movies stars get paid money, but then the company must make even more than what they paid out.  You do not spend more than you bring in.  New York can spend a ton because with all those people they are going to sell tickets each and every game. Filling the seats is no problem in New York as it is Cincinnati.  Same with other big cities full of people. So, when you are paying the players more than you are making, you sell off. Million Dollar contracts are why Cincinnati will never have a Big Red Machine again. If they had to pay Bench, Rose, Morgan, Perez and the rest what they were worth they could never have had that team. Proof is Rose and Foster leaving for the millions once there were million involved. So smaller Cincinnati will have to be a small market team. Some say you can win being small market, but the payrolls say different.  So the Reds had some good young players who made play-offs and fell short. Then these young players became veterans wanting Big Money.  One by one we see these players traded, not because they were bad players, but because these minor league players we get in return are cheaper. The real blame lies with MLB not being like the NFL.  So, Reds loading up with youth and who knows, maybe someday play-offs before they become veterans and want Big Money. Then they will leave and more minor league players.  A Reds owner that would spend much more than team is making in profit would be stupid.

So, after these trades 2017 looks as hopeless as 2016 and 2015.  Maybe if Billy Hamilton can hit though. Imagine if he could bat .300 and steal bases leading off like Lou Brock.  Maybe Votto knocks him in. Maybe these young pitchers get it together and win in 2017.  Maybe the youth movement takes off again.  Or maybe it doesn't.  Cincinnati will never have another Big Red Machine due to million dollar contracts.  There will be years the young lower paid players surprise and win games. That is all there is to hope for unless someday MLB has revenue sharing like NFL.  It will not happen because Yankees and all big city big money teams do not want it. It's good to be King. Right now the Cubs, Cardinals, Pirates and even Brewers out in front of Reds. Hey, Milwaukee built a stadium that never has a rain out, smart move to sell more tickets. Still, if the young pitchers catch fire, if the team plays top defense, if they get clutch hitting, if, if, if...but Groundhog Day and the movie Groundhog Day is of hope Springs eternal and redemption and salvation, just as baseball in Spring Training.  Who knows, maybe the young pitchers look like Sandy Koufax or even Jack Armstrong this year. Hope Springs Eternal.  The Reds not in last place from 2016. All teams start out in first place going into season. Like Groundhog Day, you start all over, yesterday's gone. another chance, another spin of the wheel for every team.  I would just like to see Reds stay in it in April and May for a change. Lately those April games with Cubs, Cardinals, Pirates and Brewers are making the season over before May 1st.

I am not disagreeing with anything you said.

I remember in the mid 1970's when it would be 95 degrees in July (a lot of games left on the calendar) and the LA Dodgers (second best team in Western Division the Reds played in) would come into town and Riverfront Stadium would be sold out (54,000 tickets) for ALL 4 GAMES and they would sell Standing Room Only tickets (another 500-2500 or so people). I remember the Reds beating the Boston Red Sox in 7 games in the 1975 World Series. The next year, we heard all the same stuff about New York and how a small market team just couldn't compete with the big bad money spending Yankees in the run up to the 1976 World Series. The result of that Series: Reds 4 - Yankees 0.

Since I don't consider myself ancient, I don't think of that ancient history.

So, at some level I am always amazed the Reds can't get GABP half full most nights of the year and can't field a competitive team. But, lots of factors I suppose.