Stolen from another board. Thought it was an interesting response to "the division was ours for the taking."
How do you figure the division was there for the taking? Would Ryno or Bobby Valentine be able to teach Ramirez to hit HR's again? Or how about teaching Pena not to strikeout...
This is a bad baseball team with aging veterans past their prime (Z, Demp, Wood, Kosuke, Byrd, Ramirez, Soriano) and younger players who will be serviceable but never great (Barney, Soto, Colvin, Marshall)
The Reds are going to win this division by 10 games and win 95 games. It was NEVER there for the taking with this roster.
Hiring Quade was nothing more than a version of the four corners offense. Let the contracts expire, let Pujols and Carpenter age, let the Reds be forced to break up the roster.
2013 is the next window for the Cubs. Clean slate for payroll (minus fonzi) and a weakening division.
Just relax and pretend we're the New York Mets. Our owners have no money, fans aren't coming, and the other teams in town are more entertaining to follow.