Thanks, Reds!

No serious fan would have thought, as the 2006 baseball season began, that the Cincinnati Reds would still be in contention for a division title going into the last weekend of the year. But that was where the Reds found themselves this past Friday.

People will be quick to point out that the Reds only won a handful more games this season than they did last year, that they finished below .500 in wins for the sixth consecutive year, and that their finish just 3-1/2-games out of first in the National League's Central Division was the result of the Saint Louis Cardinals playing way below their potential this season. They'd be right to point those things out. But none of them, collectively or singularly, tell the whole story.

One interesting fact to note is that there was a general elevation of play in both the National League's other divisions, the East and the West, at the expense of all the Central Division. Only two of the teams in those divisions had losing records against the Central. The point is that the Reds were better this year, but they, like the rest of their division rivals, kept running into the buzzsaw of vastly improved teams in the other two divisions.

More importantly though, there is a difference in attitude in the Reds front office. When new owner Bob Castellini and General Manager Wayne Krivsky saw opportunities to improve the pitching, a chronic problem with the franchise for over a decade, they made trades. They demonstrated a commitment to winning now, not asking fans to wait for yet another season for a magic someday. They also demonstrated a willingness to open their purse strings to pay for talent. On top of that, they showed real appreciation to the fans for their support with half-off ticket nights and other promotions.

The offseason will be interesting. Most fans and sports journalists appear to expect that the Reds will be active in the free agency and trading markets. The greatest speculation surrounds outfielder Adam Dunn, who I don't expect to be with the Reds next year, although a trade may be difficult to complete.

There have been many Reds heroes this 2006 season. But my choice for MVP is GM Krivsky.

The Reds have the core of a great team. I'm looking forward to the 2007 season! Thanks, Reds organization and players, for a terrific 2006!