Zack Cozart signs with the Angels

**frankdracman23** · Dec 19, 17, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by jpa2825

To be fair, he had 1 1/2 good seasons and the other 1/2 he was hurt. Your point, however, is well made. Unless you can get all of the tumblers to line up in a 2-3 yr. window when you

A - have control over young talent that is actually performing rather than "showing potential";
B - have a couple of stars you agreed to pay and haven't gone bust (unlike Homer & Meso);
C - pick some "projects" off the trash heap who actually work out; and
D - rent a couple of players at the All-Star break to help get you over the top, the Reds and other non-large markets will have trouble competing.

This is the recipe the Marlins in the past and the Astros last year used. The question for 2018 and beyond is whether the Astros are a non-large market. If yes, expect them to have to blow it up soon like the Marlins did. Not good for the long term health of the game.

Baseball has to do something to encourage teams to develop drafted talent and be able to keep it. Otherwise stocking draft picks and having talent in the minor league system that you would think would keep fans hopeful will mean nothing in the coming years. Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, RedSox find ways around any restrictions in place and just keep getting better.

Meanwhile the Reds keep losing players and what they get in return will just leave eventually.

**MJAlltheWay24** · Dec 20, 17, 07:31 AM

Enjoyed seeing Cozart develop and hated that he had that injury a couple years ago. Wish him the best.

**MJAlltheWay24** · Dec 20, 17, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by frankdracman23

Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, RedSox find ways around any restrictions in place and just keep getting better.

Reds will never compete consistently with those teams.

All they can do is build from scratch and hopefully get lucky when their window opens. They didn't the year they lost the the Giants. Then the window shuts and you gotta blow it up and start all over again. It's a cycle the Reds will forever live it. Maybe the next time the window is briefly open, they can capitalize and at least advance a little in the playoffs.