Mo Egger

Same for Jamar Chase when he wanted a deal.

Same for T. Higgins when he wanted a deal.

Same for Jesse Bates when he was up for a contract extension that he didn't get.

unendingly every offseason there's been some sort of contract or salary related controversy that has just hovered over everything there's none of that just go around which I'm sure Zach Taylor would tell you is very what's happened to the Reds they were rocking and rolling going all the way through April they were in first place May went south and June has gone on the toilet what's wrong with the Reds

First three weeks of the season, the bullpen was terrific.

Since then, the bullpen has been a disaster.

And there are other things.

Ellie Dela Cruz being hurt.

Hunter Green hasn't thrown a pitch this year.

They have a top-heavy offense where early in the season, when they won 20 of their first 31 games, Ellie Dela Cruz and Sal Stewart carried the offense, which is great when those guys are hitting.

Sal Stewart has pulled off rather considerably offensively.

You know, I always talk about the Milwaukee Brewers and what they do.

You know, they led the sport last year in a number of games where everybody got a hit.

The Reds are dead last in that category this year with zero.

It's just a top-heavy offense.

But more than anything, they can't get the last nine outs of the game without giving up a bunch of runs.

And when you're a low-stealing offensive team and you've got to win lower-scoring games and your bullpen is as bad as this bullpen has been, it's a losing proposition.

And so the other stuff, how they construct the lineup, Ellie coming back, where can they get some more offense from?

Those are not unimportant topics, but they all take a back seat.

Who do you trust to get key outplayed in games?