It almost feels like it’s out of the movie “Major League.”
Phil Castellini, son of Reds owner Bob Castellini and president of the organization, joined 700 WLW in Cincinnati and basically told the team’s fans their options were blind support or to have them sell the team to someone who would move it.
The younger Castellini was asked, after 15 years, why fans should have faith in ownership and the management that the rebuild will be worthwhile.
“Well, where are you gonna go? Let’s start there. Sell the team to who?” Castellini asked, rhetorically and condescendingly. “That’s the thing. You want to have this debate? If you want to look at what you’d do to make this team more profitable, make more money, compete more in the current economic system that this game exists [in], it would be to pick it up and move it to somewhere else.”
Phil Castellini (right), son of Reds owner Bob Castellini, lashed out at fans who don’t have faith in their rebuild. MLB via Getty ImagesHe then made a veiled threat, before acknowledging that no, they’re not happy with the results, either.
“So, be careful what you ask for. I think we’re doing the best we can do with the resources that we have. We’re no more pleased with the results than any of the fans. I’m not sitting here saying anybody should be happy. I’m not polishing trophies in the office right now, and that’s what we’re here to do.”
The issue is that blaming Cincinnati’s market size is an excuse that ignores the success of a number of other franchises that are run much more competently than the Reds.
Take the Brewers, who have made the playoffs four straight years and reached the 2018 NLCS. They play in the same division as the Reds—and Milwaukee is actually a smaller market than Cincinnati. Nonetheless, other than the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Reds haven’t made the postseason since 2013.
The Cleveland Guardians, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays are other organizations in comparable markets who have performed better amid the same alleged economic hardships faced by the Reds.
Not everyone can be the Dodgers, Mets or Yankees, but a small market is not an insurmountable hurdle to being competitive in Major League Baseball.
Castellini said the organization had made mistakes on various acquisitions, and is focused on cultivating homegrown talent. His general demeanor doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence the team will execute.
