The Cincinnati Reds' 2025 season reached the postseason, but what drove that success and what does it mean for the future? Terry Francona's first year as manager brought a laser-focused, day-to-day mentality that helped the team win crucial September games, a stark contrast to previous managers who would sacrifice today's game for tomorrow's bullpen availability. The hosts examine whether David Bell could have achieved the same results and credit Francona with approximately six additional wins despite notable mistakes with Ian Gibaut and Miguel Andújar.

Jeff and Steve grade GM Nick Krall's performance at C-plus to B-minus, praising his willingness to eat Jeimer Candelario's contract and build a competent bullpen while criticizing his failure to address the middle-of-the-order bat and outfield problems. The conversation shifts to ownership structure, revealing the Castellinis spend only 42.6% of revenue on payroll compared to the Mets' 90% and Dodgers' 70%+. They explore Dick Williams' departure, explaining how he refused to dismantle his vision of a 90-win team, and discuss why the ownership group operates the franchise as a business generating passive income rather than a passion project.

Tune in for realistic expectations about the 2026 offseason and what the upcoming CBA negotiations could mean for Cincinnati Reds fans.

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