Bass: Why I sided with ‘every moron’ Reds fan ‘in deep despair’
Check out the top of an email I received about my last column:
“Dear Mike. Your column about why Reds fans should be in deep despair now and why the team has never looked more hopeless seems out of step with reality. I know what you wrote is what every moron who once rooted for the Reds thinks right now, but aren't columnists supposed to be thought provoking and able to see clear sighted into the future and capable of sharing contrarian viewpoints to make readers think a little?”
– James
Quite a contrast from this comment on the online story:
“Really good article, Mike. You hit the nail on the head. Reds fans have the right to option out if it gets to be too much. Or they can stick around and ride it out. Either is OK. It's all up to the individual to decide for her- or him-self.”
– Greg
Guess which one I enjoyed more.
As a (relatively) normal human being, that would be Greg’s.
As a coach, that would be both.
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My message was clear to Greg. We connected.
James interpreted a different meaning. It happens.
We see what we see. We might fill in or ignore the rest, read between the lines, construct a narrative, tell a story that fits for us. We interpret. We’ve all done this. Interpretations can serve us or separate us.
Sometimes a yawn is a sign of exhaustion and not boredom. Sometimes a smile is polite and not a show of approval. We don’t always know unless we ask. Instead, we interpret. We blame or praise others or ourselves. The more personal it feels, the more emotions can take over.
When it comes to the Reds, emotions can be raw.
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“Baseball is something to do between football seasons nothing more. (The Reds’) only viable hope is to move to a larger market. You know it and I know it. They don't generate the revenue to retain talent ... I was on fountain square with my broom in 1990 BTW. A fun time. ... I'm not anti baseball. (It’s) you gotta know when to fold your tent. The Reds financially can't compete with the Yankees or Mets etc.
– Ron
That was part of Ron’s email response to the column. He sees what he sees with the Reds. He assumes that what he sees will continue. He interprets what he sees as proof the Reds need to relocate. He can only watch the games on free TV. No wonder he disengages.
Ron is not alone at questioning the Reds’ ability to compete financially. What is another way of looking at it?
The Rays usually rank near the bottom in payroll and near the top in record. Can the Reds be Tampa Bay?
Ron isn’t going there:
“Sorry they’re doomed.”
Ron is where he is. If this works for him, why not respect that?
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“I'm 76 years old, and have been a Reds fan for about 71 of those years. ... But, for the past couple of years, I'm one of those fans who has become disengaged. I'll watch the games on TV, on Bally Sports Ohio until the team falls behind. Then, I switch channels. I don't have any faith that they will come from behind to compete, or win the game. Yeah, sometimes they do. But, I've gotten to the point, ‘Who cares?’ Also, I really don't believe that the Reds will win a Division title, or even compete for one, in my lifetime. I don't blame the players. I put the onus squarely on the shoulders of the ownership, and front office. I don't believe they have the ability to assess the talent, either for the draft, in their own system, or looking at other teams' talent in case of a future trade.”
– Ed
That was part of Ed’s email. He interprets what he sees as proof of the Reds’ ineptitude at talent evaluation and assumes it will continue. He has lost faith and patience. Every deficit feels draining and insurmountable. No wonder he disengages.
Ed never mentioned payroll. Maybe for good reason.
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If the Rays, Brewers and Guardians can win in smaller markets, why use that as an excuse? How might it serve him to look at the farm system, which ESPN and MLB.com ranked No. 5? Would he see that as hope? Or a mirage?
He did not mention that, either. Ed is where he is. If this feels right for him, why not validate that?
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Which brings us back to James. The guy who contends I wrote what “every moron who once rooted for the Reds thinks.” He also is not exactly a Bob Castellini fan:
“Do the Reds have one of the worst owners in Baseball? Absolutely! But in spite of this, they've started to do things right. Unlike the botched rebuild of 2015, they seem to be finding building blocks that could be the foundation of a really good postseason team.”
James sees the next wave of arrivals building on what the three young starting pitchers, the closer and the bullpen overall have provided. He sees two years of trades for “some of the biggest future stars” in the minor leagues that earned “high grades from knowledgeable baseball folks.” He sees a couple of those prospects with the Reds later this season and providing a “tipping point” to potential contention if not the postseason this year. He sees all the one-run losses as indicative of a rising team about to turn those L’s into W’s. He interprets what I wrote and what he perceives from others as out of step with reality.
“So I'm sharing my thoughts because I've always found it most thrilling to watch a team right when it's on the cusp of becoming a good team. I think the Reds have turned the corner, whether you see it or not.”
James sees what he sees, feels what he feels, interprets how he interprets, is where he is. If this serves him, why not acknowledge it?
How might it better serve him – and the level of discourse – to listen respectfully to those on the other side, if they would do the same? They share an affection for the Reds and disaffection for Castellini, so why not start there?
What if despair is not required but understandable for some amid the losing, especially with no trust in ownership to execute a rebuild? What if others believe James overstates the value of the prospects and question the Reds’ ability to develop, meld and keep them? Then again, what if he can convince the disbelievers to re-engage with the Reds?
These Reds thrill him, and so why would anyone deny him that feeling about his team?
Why would anyone deny anyone the right to feel the way they do about the Reds?
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bass column on Reds fans dealing with the rebuild
