In All Fairness To Cincinnati....

[kevin]

(02-20-2017, 02:34 PM)xxlt Wrote: 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.

I hate to tell you. but 1975 and 1976 are ancient history. Heck, Free agency hadn't taken off yet. No million dollar players. 100 grand was a big contract and Pete Rose was proud to be the first singles hitter to make 100 grand.   By that 100 loss season in what, 1982 or 1983, 1975 and 1976 seemed like ancient history to me.   I remember first Red they ever paid a million to was Mario Soto and the Cincy Fans booing him. I remember the yells of, " Hey Mario, Nobodys worth a million Mario ".   Of course Cincy fans had to start accepting the game had changed.  When a GM added a player to Reds, Marge Schott in stands told people, There is my million dollar ' N '....I'm sure you know the N word. 

So Reds are all youth movement now as a small market team. I agree that paying Phillips all this money to play for Braves is just stupid. The deal should have been you get Phillips if you pay his contract. Some good teams a second baseman away from making a run this year would have bit. Reds played their hand bad.  Any team paying his contract and I trade him for a bag of peanuts.  In return I offer Minor League contracts to some players still out there such as Tim Lincecum, Matt Capps or Jake Peavy.  I find Jumbo Diaz still on the 40 man roster a joke, he stinks.  There are a lot of free agents worth a minor league contract and look see by this awful last place Reds.  There are free agents 25 and under that Reds should be bringing in if they really are in youth movement, such as Gerardo Concepcion. There are old guys like Kyle Lohse.   In mid 80's Bob Howsom and Pete Rose came back and added some vets such as Bo Diaz, Bell, Dave Parker, Bill Gullickson, Danny Jackson until the young guys like Barry Larkin and Norm Charlton came along. They also got lucky in a kid they never planned to keep,  Chris Sabo.   The 1990 Reds had some luck, but Bob Howsom came back and started building that after the 100 loss season on of early 80's...

So 1975 and 1976 and pre million dollar players is ancient history. The Reds were NOT a small market team when they beat the NY Yankees because million dollar players hadn't happened yet. If it had, Johnny Bench would have been highest paid player ever.  Due to lower salaries Cincinnati, Pittsburg were not small market and had the best minor league young players going.  Then the dynasty Oakland Athletics sold off top players and New York Yankees had the money to buy. NY Yankees also got Cleveland's best players in Chambliss and Nettles to add to Athletics Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter.  Suddenly deep pocket big cities could buy a good team instead on waiting on their minor league.  Yet baseball said Reds could not add Vida Blue, yet baseball allowed Yankees to buy up Don Gullett.  MLB Headquarters at that time in New York became awful also in creating this small market division.  If Reds would have traded for Tom Seaver and added Vida Blue, the 1977 and 1978 Reds could have won. 

Looking at the players that are free agents, I fail to see why Reds don't offer more a minor league contract to come play in Spring Training Games and see what happens.  Jumbo Diaz is a waste of time. I guess fat people like that he is fat, but he can't pitch.  A circus show attraction.  Still paying Phillips to play for Braves, no Reds do not know what they are doing. You can't tell me some team needing a second baseman wouldn't have picked up that salary.  Plus, injuries happen. Some top team thinking World Series loses a second baseman to injury, I don't think Reds were smart on Phillips, very dumb. Bad deals.  Very bad deal.  We pay him mega millions to play for Braves, just stupid. Reds are stupid. They deserve last place with these type moves. .....Meanwhile guys in free agency well worth the Reds to bring in on the cheap for a look see.  This team needs an enema.  There is no possible logic to paying millions and millions to Phillips to play for the Braves.  I hope against Reds he kills them every game as the Reds pay him to do it.  The whole Phillips thing is stupid for a small market team to do, unless Reds are getting money under the table nobody knows about from Braves. 

Imagine Mike Brown paying a player mega millions to play for another team. I don't see him doing it. Now Raiders paid Carson Palmer after he went to Cardinals, and the new Raiders owner came in and said he hated the last owner put him behind the 8 ball. Unless you get great draft picks or good trades, this thing of paying players mega millions to play for another team is just bone headed. I hope Phillips beats Reds in each of the games with Braves. At least they aren't paying him to play for a division team they play a lot.