Re-evaluating this past season

With the Reds season being so close to the end, it is definite that they will finish under .500 for the season. This will make it the seventh season in a row of coming up under .500, and the 12th consecutive season of not making it into the playoffs. Their record will end at 72-90, but while this may not seem too stellar, their mid-season team shake up turned the teams losing streak around. As of July 1st, ex-manager Jerry Narron was replaced as Cincinnati Red's general manager due to the at that current time, 31-51 record. This left an opening at the Red's for new General Manager Wayne Krivsky. Once he made a couple of changes within the Reds management,such as Pete Mackanin as the interim manager, it turned the teams luck around. This resulted in a 41-49 record for the remainder of the season. Mackanin is in the running for a permanent position. While Mackanin did turn the second half of the season into a winning one, the team still lost seven of its last eight games, leaving many wondering if he can really cut it as the Red's manager.
Unfortunately with the improvements needed to make the Reds a competing team next year will mean getting rid of some of its big hitters to acquire the needed pitching relief. They had some prospective pitching in rookie Homer Bailey, and others, but they need some good relief pitchers to hold on to the leads that they get with the active hitters they already have, since the Red's bullpen has the worst ERA average in the league.
Even though the Reds need improvement, they still have the dedicated fans that no matter how down they get on the team, will keep returning. And like I said before, as long as the Reds have those die hard fans it will definitely improve the teams morale, and give them the confidence they need to perform. The fans do have a part in the Reds success!