Gather round everyone, let’s relive this nightmare of a season. I won’t lie. This was borderline impossible to compose. In the spirit of trying to look at things in a more “glass-half full” approach, I tried to come up with the moments/things (as few as there were) that I actually enjoyed.

Hunter Greene’s First start

Hunter Greene’s first start in Atlanta was a thing of beauty. He came out pumping 100 mph heaters and Braves hitters couldn’t catch up. He made watching the first part of the season (really, just the first series) quite enjoyable. It was an uneven season for Greene. We saw CY Young level type-highs, and John Lamb level lows, but all in all, the buzz around this start on Reds Twitter was electrifying. I expect big things from Greene next year and we desperately need him.

Any day Mike Minor didn’t pitch

Do i have to explain? The move to trade for Minor was puzzling in itself and then I had to watch him take the mound every fifth day. I would have rather watched underwater basket weaving than watch Minor pitch. I’m sure Mike is a nice guy and I have nothing against him personally, but this marriage was a disaster from the start.

Joey Votto on social media.

It was a pleasant surprise at the beginning of the season when Joey wiped the cobwebs off the keyboard and joined social media. His Tik Toks were somehow a good luck charm and I loved the rush of seeing how far away I was from his scavenger hunts where he left signed bats and bobbleheads all over the city. It’s nice to see one of the best players in franchise history finally open up, connect with fans online, share photos of his family and learn a little bit more about 1-9. Even after season-ending shoulder surgery, he still managed to make time for the fans by going around the concourse during a game to take photos and chat with the few fans that showed up. Cherish him.

Brandon Drury.

“The Gingerbread Man” (credit my friend Ross for the nickname). It was a meteoric rise for Drury coming from a Minor-league signee in March to an All-star snub come July. Drury tweaked his swing before last year and it paid dividends. He mashed 20 homers for the Reds and led the team in OPS (.855) before being dealt to San Diego. He will go from making the major league minimum to probably making more than 5 million per year in free agency. Cheers to the Gingerbread man!

Nick Lodolo being awesome

Nick Lodolo is the future ace of the franchise. He’s posted a 3.00 ERA with 88 strikeouts across 72 innings in his last 12 starts. Pretty strong. Nick Lodolo is going to anchor this rotation for a decade (assuming he doesn’t get traded). 6’6, wipeout breaking ball, deceptive delivery. Here’s to hoping he stays healthy.

Tyler Stephenson

He’s Buster Posey. Next.

Acquiring all the shortstops at the deadline.

I applaud Nick Krall for this approach. I envision someone in the front office asking Krall how many shortstops he wanted to acquire at this year’s trade deadline. The answer: “Yes.” In fairness to Krall, if you can play shortstop, you can play pretty much anywhere. I’m encouraged by Noelvi Marte’s stint in Dayton. Edwin Arroyo has the makings to be a plus-defender at short. Victor Acosta is very far away from the major league club, but he’s a worthy lottery ticket. The collection added at the deadline joins the already hyped-up Elly De La Cruz and the 2021 first-round pick Matt McLain. If you have 20 shortstops, one of them will have to pan out, no?

The Obscure Reds

There may be no busier account on Twitter than @ObscureExReds. The Reds shattered the franchise record for most players used in franchise history, using 66 players. Ten years from now, we will have some all-time obscure Reds. Taylor Motter, Ronnie Dawson, Chris Okey, and Phillip Diehl just to name a few. This team was so bad I think half the roster might qualify as Obscure Reds. Shoutout to Mike Papierski for that homer off Corbin Burnes though…

Realizing that we will win the World Series in 2025

Picture it now. Nick Lodolo wins the CY Young. Elly De La Cruz wins NL MVP. Ian Happ hits 45 home runs at GABP as a member of the Reds. Christian Encarnacion-Strand will be a hell of a replacement for Joey Votto. I think Greene, Graham Ashcraft (dear friend), Andrew Abbott, and Chase Petty will form a formidable rest of the rotation. If we care even a little bit about the bullpen, I expect to be somewhere between 125 and 130 wins. I haven’t even mentioned Stuart Fairchild yet. The NL should be put on notice.

Featured Image Credit: Julia Nikhinson/AP Photo