Average MLB salary increases 5-7% a year. Reds ownership is keeping total payroll the same as last season. They’ll be buying a worse team. If instead they increased payroll by the industry inflation rate they’d have $7 million more. And they’d just be treading water.

And maybe Kyle Schwarber didn’t want to play for a team where the central hitting philosophy and approach that’s taught is slapping opposite field singles.

For 20 years, the Castellini family has been unwilling to ask the team's ownership group for another penny. In fact, Bob wears that as a badge of honor. The obvious downside ... not being able to convince top free agents you're willing to do (anything) what's needed to win.

I'm sure the Reds checked in.

Reds ownership shares have appreciated from $6.5 million in 2006 to ~ $80 million each now. There are 19 shares. If owners would kick in $2 million per share, payroll would jump from $120 million to $160 million. More than enough for Schwarber. Penny wise, damned foolish.

It's grossly misleading for Krall (or anyone) to say Reds owners put all $$$ back into to the team. There’s wealth and there’s annual operating income. Reds ownership gains wealth as their shares appreciate 10% annually. They won’t/don’t put a penny of that (>$1billion) back.

The only way the Reds can make a competitive offer to Schwarber without unloading other key players is for Castellini - *1st time ever* - to ask other ownership group investors for money. $4-5 million/share would do it. Share value has increased from $6.5m in ‘06 to ~$80m now.

And money comes down to whether Castellini is willing to ask the other ownership group investors to kick in more money. $2-3 million/share would be an enormous step.

The Reds tendered Gavin Lux, who has no position (even less with Sal Stewart at 1B), is unplayable against LHP and no power against RHP. A singles-hitting, platoon bat with no position. Projected at $5 million in arb3. Remember those people who insisted Krall is a genius?

Hard to think of a bigger failure than the Castellini ownership of the Reds. Broken promise to bring championship baseball back. But hey, the ownership group has added more than a billion dollars in wealth. So, there’s that.

If the Reds are even considering trading Hunter Greene it would be proof they are hopelessly lost.

Research shows bat speed correlates with xwOBA (overall run production) and power. Reds who *lost* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: De La Cruz, Marte, Hays, Benson, Steer, Stephenson, Friedl, McLain ('23), Lux Reds who *gained* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: none

Don’t think about what if Nick Lodolo had pitched the 4th and 5th innings and Chase Burns pitched the 6th and 7th.

The Reds don’t have a star bat and they are deliberately built and instructed not to emphasize hitting for power.

Yes the Reds were out-hit, out-pitched and vastly out-managed. But don’t lose focus on the original sin of ownership not supporting the team well enough. It also tolerates mediocre front office leadership. No postseason series wins since Castellini bought the team 20 years ago.

You can’t win games with the offense designed around singles hitting. If Krall and Francona don’t change the organizational philosophy on power hitting, they’ll never contend for more than backing into the wild card round.

Sure, the Dodgers have nine hard-hit balls compared to one for the Reds. But how many have been slapped to the opposite field?

Don’t worry, we traded for Zack Littell who’s starting tomorrow.

Castellini ownership

Research shows batting with RISP isn't a distinct or teachable skill. Just like "batting on Thursday" isn't distinct or teachable. Hitting for power *is* a distinct and teachable skill. Yet, the Reds emphasize "situational hitting" which isn't a thing