If the Rockies are the most disappointing team in baseball, which I fully believe they are, then the Cincinnati Reds are a close second. They took control of the NL Central last season. With a whole season of Aroldis Chapman, a healthy Edinson Volquez, and a pretty solid crop of young starting pitchers coming along, it seemed like they were destined to repeat this season and possibly beyond.
That all sounds familiar. Just change a few names and divisions.
It hasn't happened for them. There have been injuries along the way. Volquez has gone from the ace to constantly shuffling back and forth with AAA Louisville. The young pitchers are still feeling their way. But above all else, and I've seen this several times when watching them, their fundamentals, baserunning, clutching hitting and all around execution are all terrible.
Baseball being baseball strikes again. Every new season is exactly that - a new season. We've learned that the hard way a couple times over the past five years. Reds fans are relearning it for themselves right now.
But you aren't here to read about the Reds and how sad and disappointing they are. And I surely don't mean to take away from...