Steve Mancuso
@spmancuso.bsky.social
Wine travel, Michigan Wolverines, Cincinnati Reds, Burgundy
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
This is both a peak and a valley.
The Cincinnati #Reds were the biggest losers from MLB's Winter Meetings according to two different writers over at ESPN
www.redlegnation.com/2025/12/11/t...
www.redlegnation.com/2025/12/11/t...
The Reds were the biggest losers at MLB's Winter Meetings - Redleg Nation
Two writers at ESPN were in agreement that the Cincinnati Reds walked away from the Winter Meetings as the biggest losers.
www.redlegnation.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:58 PM
This is both a peak and a valley.
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.
December 10, 2025 at 3:59 AM
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.
Reds: We figured our fans would show up because Schwarber is from Middletown. But we won’t spend that money on other impact players because our fans wouldn’t be drawn to a team that, you know, wins. Pathetic. Damning. Hopeless.
December 10, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Reds: We figured our fans would show up because Schwarber is from Middletown. But we won’t spend that money on other impact players because our fans wouldn’t be drawn to a team that, you know, wins. Pathetic. Damning. Hopeless.
Tough, but essential reading for every Reds fan.
It's getting tougher to believe that the Cincinnati #Reds will ever commit to winning.
It wasn't the lack of signing Kyle Schwarber that leads us here, but the reasoning that they were willing to sign him that is actually a part of the problem
www.redlegnation.com/2025/12/09/i...
It wasn't the lack of signing Kyle Schwarber that leads us here, but the reasoning that they were willing to sign him that is actually a part of the problem
www.redlegnation.com/2025/12/09/i...
It's getting tougher to believe the Reds will ever commit to winning - Redleg Nation
The Cincinnati Reds failure to sign Kyle Schwarber was an indirect line to the thought process of the front office and the problems with it.
www.redlegnation.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Tough, but essential reading for every Reds fan.
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
When you play checkers at a chess match.
December 9, 2025 at 4:55 PM
When you play checkers at a chess match.
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
For 20 years, the Castellini family has been unwilling to ask the team's other owners in the ownership group for another penny. In fact, Bob wears that as a badge of honor. Of course, the downside of that is not being able to convince top free agents you're willing to do what's needed to win.
December 9, 2025 at 4:50 PM
For 20 years, the Castellini family has been unwilling to ask the team's other owners in the ownership group for another penny. In fact, Bob wears that as a badge of honor. Of course, the downside of that is not being able to convince top free agents you're willing to do what's needed to win.
I'm sure the Reds checked in.
December 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
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.
December 9, 2025 at 2:02 AM
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.
Grossly misleading. There’s wealth and there’s annual operating income. Reds ownership gets wealthier as their shares appreciate by 10% annually. Their conservative “break even” budgeting regards operating income. They won’t/don’t put a penny of their new wealth (> +$1billion) ‘back into’ the team.
Krall: “Our ownership group puts everything back into the team every year. They try to figure out how to break even every year. That’s how we budget. We’re trying to figure out how to best utilize that budget for the big league club.”
Nick Krall and Terry Francona weren’t divulging much about the Reds efforts to land free agent Kyle Schwarber. www.mlb.com/reds/news/ni...
December 9, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Grossly misleading. There’s wealth and there’s annual operating income. Reds ownership gets wealthier as their shares appreciate by 10% annually. Their conservative “break even” budgeting regards operating income. They won’t/don’t put a penny of their new wealth (> +$1billion) ‘back into’ the team.
The Reds have checked in.
December 8, 2025 at 3:35 AM
The Reds have checked in.
It makes sense that strikeouts and walks are more predictive than defense-dependent stats like wOBA and certainly ERA which is also polluted by scoring, park dimensions, relievers and sequencing. Pitchers have more direct control over K% and BB%.
What predicts ERA better: wOBA or K-BB Differential?
December 8, 2025 at 1:11 AM
It makes sense that strikeouts and walks are more predictive than defense-dependent stats like wOBA and certainly ERA which is also polluted by scoring, park dimensions, relievers and sequencing. Pitchers have more direct control over K% and BB%.
ERA is next to useless as a predictor, yet commentators still use it as a central indicator. Hard to defend when other, better stats are so easily available. Strikeouts and walks, for instance.
December 7, 2025 at 9:53 PM
ERA is next to useless as a predictor, yet commentators still use it as a central indicator. Hard to defend when other, better stats are so easily available. Strikeouts and walks, for instance.
The only way the Reds can make a competitive offer to Schwarber without unloading other key players is for Castellini - for the *1st time ever* - to ask other ownership group investors for money. $4-5 million per share would get it done. Share value has increased from $6.5m in 2006 to ~$80m today.
December 3, 2025 at 11:35 PM
The only way the Reds can make a competitive offer to Schwarber without unloading other key players is for Castellini - for the *1st time ever* - to ask other ownership group investors for money. $4-5 million per share would get it done. Share value has increased from $6.5m in 2006 to ~$80m today.
Sayin slipped. Sat on the ground a half yard short.
November 29, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Sayin slipped. Sat on the ground a half yard short.
You know that scene in Dead Poets Society where Robin Williams has his students tear pages out of their antiquated textbooks? If I was a head football coach that’s what I’d do on Day One for end zone fade routes.
November 28, 2025 at 2:33 AM
You know that scene in Dead Poets Society where Robin Williams has his students tear pages out of their antiquated textbooks? If I was a head football coach that’s what I’d do on Day One for end zone fade routes.
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
With DC shooter now identified as an Afghan national not the antifa secret agent White House hoped for a good time to remember the Trump admin has gutted domestic anti-terrorism capacity and reassigned many to finding grandmothers to arrest at immigration hearings.
November 27, 2025 at 4:06 AM
With DC shooter now identified as an Afghan national not the antifa secret agent White House hoped for a good time to remember the Trump admin has gutted domestic anti-terrorism capacity and reassigned many to finding grandmothers to arrest at immigration hearings.
The Reds traded a top prospect and a top-50 draft pick for Gavin Lux, a player who had nowhere to play on their roster. Lux was supposed to help the offense, but the upside of his platoon singles didn’t offset his liability on defense. Should have saved the $5million this year for something else.
November 22, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The Reds traded a top prospect and a top-50 draft pick for Gavin Lux, a player who had nowhere to play on their roster. Lux was supposed to help the offense, but the upside of his platoon singles didn’t offset his liability on defense. Should have saved the $5million this year for something else.
The Reds tendered Gavin Lux, who has no position to play (even less than last year with Sal Stewart at 1B). Lux is unplayable against LHP and has no power against RHP. A singles-hitting, platoon bat with no position. Projected to make $5 million in arb3. Kralled.
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The Reds tendered Gavin Lux, who has no position to play (even less than last year with Sal Stewart at 1B). Lux is unplayable against LHP and has no power against RHP. A singles-hitting, platoon bat with no position. Projected to make $5 million in arb3. Kralled.
I’d favor an internal choice. Save the money to acquire offense. Try Tony Santillan or Connor Phillips. OK to spend on relievers but don’t pay a premium for “closer” experience or title.
Currently, the Reds are without a closer going into 2026. Who could some of their options be? I took a look.
www.mlb.com/reds/news/re...
www.mlb.com/reds/news/re...
With Pagán potentially leaving, what are the Reds' options at closer?
This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon's Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
www.mlb.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I’d favor an internal choice. Save the money to acquire offense. Try Tony Santillan or Connor Phillips. OK to spend on relievers but don’t pay a premium for “closer” experience or title.
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
If you're letting a player with a torn quad play 162 games (seemingly two months with the tear), then that player better have your family hostage or something. And even then, I'd recommend evaluating *which* tier of family members are being held.
November 20, 2025 at 3:24 AM
If you're letting a player with a torn quad play 162 games (seemingly two months with the tear), then that player better have your family hostage or something. And even then, I'd recommend evaluating *which* tier of family members are being held.
Fair and insightful as usual from @dszymborski.fangraphs.com. Hope rests with the SP rotation. Too many out-of-position or new-to-position players. Awful, dreadful roster construction for the position players. Bullpen a long, long way to go.
November 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Fair and insightful as usual from @dszymborski.fangraphs.com. Hope rests with the SP rotation. Too many out-of-position or new-to-position players. Awful, dreadful roster construction for the position players. Bullpen a long, long way to go.
From the gushing commentary about the Eagles defense in this game you’d never guess the Lions have out-gained the Eagles.
November 17, 2025 at 4:08 AM
From the gushing commentary about the Eagles defense in this game you’d never guess the Lions have out-gained the Eagles.
What if you desperately need hitting and are looking for someone who can slow down his bat speed, reduce his exit velocity and slap the ball to the opposite field for singles? Asking for the local Cincinnati-area brain trust.
Wrote about the free agent supermarket and who is available based on what kind of skills you're looking for
.. and while this wasn't expressly intended to be a "whoa, Tyler Rogers, he good" piece, it sort of turned into it
--> www.mlb.com/news/free-ag...
.. and while this wasn't expressly intended to be a "whoa, Tyler Rogers, he good" piece, it sort of turned into it
--> www.mlb.com/news/free-ag...
What's available on free-agent market? Check out this menu
So you’re a team on the free-agent market, looking to add the next massive piece of what you hope can be a contending team, or maybe just that final complementary part to help get you over the line. W...
www.mlb.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:38 PM
What if you desperately need hitting and are looking for someone who can slow down his bat speed, reduce his exit velocity and slap the ball to the opposite field for singles? Asking for the local Cincinnati-area brain trust.