When Geno left the Reds, he was a replacement power bat with most of his extra edge sanded off and a lot of issues that had piled up. He left, joined the Mariners, Diamondbacks and Mariners again and became a great hitter again. So when he came back to the Reds on a one-year deal, one of two things was gonna happen. Either he'd have another strong year and bring the Reds to October...or he wanted to play somewhere he enjoyed and was calming back down for his age-34 season. The latter happened, and nobody should be especially shocked.
It's still a decent enough year for Geno, with 24 homers and 69 RBIs, but he's a .210 hitter again, he's replacement level again and his consistency and accuracy are gone. He was also a limper centerpiece of a much more sporadic Reds team, diluted by the lack of success from T.J. Friedl, Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Matt McLain, Ke'Bryan Hayes, Noelvi Marte and Spencer Steer, who were supposed to be the core of the team going forward. Like it definitely feels like all the failsafes sort of sputtered out this year. Rhett Lowder was finally healthy and he wasn't very good at all, going 6-11 with a 5.80 ERA. Abbott, Lodolo and Brady Singer all have WHIPs over 1.450. Brandon Williamson just got back and he's still not back to where he was. Ke'Bryan Hayes still cannot hit, and neither can Matt McLain. Blake Dunn was finally getting to some great MLB-level material but then he got hurt. The next stage, guys like Hector Rodriguez, Juan Brito and Carlos Jorge, is being filtered in, but at this rate it's mostly setting the stage for the *next* rebuild.
Because, let's be honest, the Reds are probably gonna crumple and toss a little after this season. Elly's gonna want to be traded, cause the Reds don't want to extend him. Singer, Pagan, Stephenson, Suarez, Burke and Friedl are all probably leaving. Who knows what shape Hunter Greene will be in when he's back. Maybe they try and shop Abbott, Marte and Steer as well. The guys who are definitely sticking around are Lodolo, Stewart, Greene, Hayes, Trevino and Chase Burns, and that's all very good. But...beyond that, what's nailed down? Not much. Getting Ozzie Cabrera, for a steal, will help short-term, but is this Reds team really back to waiting for the rebuild, after it felt like THIS rebuild would be the productive one?
It's frustrating. The Reds fans have been getting frustrated by teams like this for 30 years, making the playoffs but getting walloped, bringing up THE guy but losing him. At the very least Sal Stewart is looking like he'll be the next marquee guy for them, and he might win a Rookie of the Year. But...I don't know if Elly's gonna come back, and I don't know if the rotation's gonna look as good next year. So this, a fifth place finish with definite stars, might be as good as it looks for a while somehow. At least Geno got a victory lap I guess.
Coming Tomorrow- Every time I have to set up a post about this guy I make the same Lisa Loeb joke, and I will never know when the last time I get to make that joke will be, so I might as well keep making it.
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