I tend to agree. The organization is going backwards. From the farm on up to the ownership. I kept telling everybody on the Cincy boards that the window closed in 2012, that it was time to retool. They start following what others are doing and lose the edge. They simply have to get over the BRM. Those days will never happen again in Cincy due to the money that is made inside and outside of the contracts.
IMO Chappy, Homer, Votto, Phillips, and Cozart need traded. Bruce may need traded at some point unless there is a significant turn around. You keep Billy, Meso, and Frazier as first liners. You hold on to Pena and Schumaker due to what they bring you off the bench and as part time starters with great experience. You lose nothing by using Santiago the rest of the season. You just make sure the trades bring you a good SP as well as starters at first and second. if you luck into a good guy at third you can move Frazier to first or LF. Luddy, Heisey, etc. should be moved out after the season unless they are thrown in with a trade. You keep LeCure, Simon and Parra for the pen. You move the rest. You sign Cueto, Latos, and Leake to 4-5 year deals. You move Cingrani to the pen where he could be an all star. You bring Stephenson up. During this whole process you can probably come out clean with no out of pocket on the contracts with the "stars" you moved with the exception of Votto, whose deal you can enhance more with players if you need to. Regardless, even if you have to kick in some cash to move them you will be able to drop the payroll about $30 M a year and still field a .500 or better team with some upside next season. Give you a shot to go after guys like Nelson Cruz for LF who will probably get a 3-4 year deal at $17 M or so if he keeps doing what he is doing.
