Steve Mancuso
@spmancuso.bsky.social
Wine travel, Michigan Wolverines, Cincinnati Reds, Burgundy
Sayin slipped. Sat on the ground a half yard short.
November 29, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Sayin slipped. Sat on the ground a half yard short.
You know that scene in Dead Poets Society where Robin Williams has his students tear pages out of their antiquated textbooks? If I was a head football coach that’s what I’d do on Day One for end zone fade routes.
November 28, 2025 at 2:33 AM
You know that scene in Dead Poets Society where Robin Williams has his students tear pages out of their antiquated textbooks? If I was a head football coach that’s what I’d do on Day One for end zone fade routes.
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
With DC shooter now identified as an Afghan national not the antifa secret agent White House hoped for a good time to remember the Trump admin has gutted domestic anti-terrorism capacity and reassigned many to finding grandmothers to arrest at immigration hearings.
November 27, 2025 at 4:06 AM
With DC shooter now identified as an Afghan national not the antifa secret agent White House hoped for a good time to remember the Trump admin has gutted domestic anti-terrorism capacity and reassigned many to finding grandmothers to arrest at immigration hearings.
The Reds traded a top prospect and a top-50 draft pick for Gavin Lux, a player who had nowhere to play on their roster. Lux was supposed to help the offense, but the upside of his platoon singles didn’t offset his liability on defense. Should have saved the $5million this year for something else.
November 22, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The Reds traded a top prospect and a top-50 draft pick for Gavin Lux, a player who had nowhere to play on their roster. Lux was supposed to help the offense, but the upside of his platoon singles didn’t offset his liability on defense. Should have saved the $5million this year for something else.
The Reds tendered Gavin Lux, who has no position to play (even less than last year with Sal Stewart at 1B). Lux is unplayable against LHP and has no power against RHP. A singles-hitting, platoon bat with no position. Projected to make $5 million in arb3. Kralled.
November 22, 2025 at 4:09 PM
The Reds tendered Gavin Lux, who has no position to play (even less than last year with Sal Stewart at 1B). Lux is unplayable against LHP and has no power against RHP. A singles-hitting, platoon bat with no position. Projected to make $5 million in arb3. Kralled.
I’d favor an internal choice. Save the money to acquire offense. Try Tony Santillan or Connor Phillips. OK to spend on relievers but don’t pay a premium for “closer” experience or title.
Currently, the Reds are without a closer going into 2026. Who could some of their options be? I took a look.
www.mlb.com/reds/news/re...
www.mlb.com/reds/news/re...
With Pagán potentially leaving, what are the Reds' options at closer?
This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon's Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
www.mlb.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I’d favor an internal choice. Save the money to acquire offense. Try Tony Santillan or Connor Phillips. OK to spend on relievers but don’t pay a premium for “closer” experience or title.
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
If you're letting a player with a torn quad play 162 games (seemingly two months with the tear), then that player better have your family hostage or something. And even then, I'd recommend evaluating *which* tier of family members are being held.
November 20, 2025 at 3:24 AM
If you're letting a player with a torn quad play 162 games (seemingly two months with the tear), then that player better have your family hostage or something. And even then, I'd recommend evaluating *which* tier of family members are being held.
Fair and insightful as usual from @dszymborski.fangraphs.com. Hope rests with the SP rotation. Too many out-of-position or new-to-position players. Awful, dreadful roster construction for the position players. Bullpen a long, long way to go.
November 19, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Fair and insightful as usual from @dszymborski.fangraphs.com. Hope rests with the SP rotation. Too many out-of-position or new-to-position players. Awful, dreadful roster construction for the position players. Bullpen a long, long way to go.
From the gushing commentary about the Eagles defense in this game you’d never guess the Lions have out-gained the Eagles.
November 17, 2025 at 4:08 AM
From the gushing commentary about the Eagles defense in this game you’d never guess the Lions have out-gained the Eagles.
What if you desperately need hitting and are looking for someone who can slow down his bat speed, reduce his exit velocity and slap the ball to the opposite field for singles? Asking for the local Cincinnati-area brain trust.
Wrote about the free agent supermarket and who is available based on what kind of skills you're looking for
.. and while this wasn't expressly intended to be a "whoa, Tyler Rogers, he good" piece, it sort of turned into it
--> www.mlb.com/news/free-ag...
.. and while this wasn't expressly intended to be a "whoa, Tyler Rogers, he good" piece, it sort of turned into it
--> www.mlb.com/news/free-ag...
What's available on free-agent market? Check out this menu
So you’re a team on the free-agent market, looking to add the next massive piece of what you hope can be a contending team, or maybe just that final complementary part to help get you over the line. W...
www.mlb.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:38 PM
What if you desperately need hitting and are looking for someone who can slow down his bat speed, reduce his exit velocity and slap the ball to the opposite field for singles? Asking for the local Cincinnati-area brain trust.
The Reds as a team ranked 28th out of 30 in hard-hit rate.
November 12, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The Reds as a team ranked 28th out of 30 in hard-hit rate.
Hard to think of a bigger failure than the Castellini ownership of the Reds. Broken promise to bring championship baseball back. But hey, the ownership group has added more than a billion dollars in wealth. So, there’s that.
PLAYOFF WINS SINCE 1998
(when MLB went to 30 teams):
116 NYY
86 LAD
77 HOU
69 BOS STL
50 SF
49 ATL
48 PHI
36 CLE
35 NYM
33 DET TEX
29 CHC
28 ARI TB
25 KC
21 LAA SD
20 TOR
19 WSH
18 ATH
17 MIL SEA
14 CWS
13 MIA
9 COL MIN
6 BAL
3 PIT
2 CIN
(when MLB went to 30 teams):
116 NYY
86 LAD
77 HOU
69 BOS STL
50 SF
49 ATL
48 PHI
36 CLE
35 NYM
33 DET TEX
29 CHC
28 ARI TB
25 KC
21 LAA SD
20 TOR
19 WSH
18 ATH
17 MIL SEA
14 CWS
13 MIA
9 COL MIN
6 BAL
3 PIT
2 CIN
November 11, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Hard to think of a bigger failure than the Castellini ownership of the Reds. Broken promise to bring championship baseball back. But hey, the ownership group has added more than a billion dollars in wealth. So, there’s that.
This is how current ACA subsidies work. Each individual is receives a cash subsidy based on income. You shop insurance plans, and can use the money toward your insurance OR you can put it toward your taxes, like cash. Subsidies only "go to the insurance company" if the individual choses that.
Trump: "I want the money to go into an account for people where they buy their own health insurance. It's so good. The insurance will be better. It'll cost less. Everybody is gonna be happy. They're gonna feel like entrepreneurs. They're actually able to go out & negotiate their own insurance"
November 11, 2025 at 3:02 PM
This is how current ACA subsidies work. Each individual is receives a cash subsidy based on income. You shop insurance plans, and can use the money toward your insurance OR you can put it toward your taxes, like cash. Subsidies only "go to the insurance company" if the individual choses that.
If the Reds are even considering trading Hunter Greene it would be proof they are hopelessly lost.
November 11, 2025 at 3:26 AM
If the Reds are even considering trading Hunter Greene it would be proof they are hopelessly lost.
Loved Frankenstein. Visually stunning. Award nominations for Elordi.
Frankenstein | Guillermo del Toro | Official Teaser | Netflix
YouTube video by Netflix
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Loved Frankenstein. Visually stunning. Award nominations for Elordi.
I’ll give you my BLT when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.
A jury acquitted the D.C. man who was charged with assault after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent during President Trump’s crime crackdown in the capital. https://wapo.st/4qL8SKr
November 7, 2025 at 1:22 AM
I’ll give you my BLT when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.
Research shows bat speed correlates with xwOBA (overall run production) and power.
Reds hitters who *lost* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: De La Cruz, Marte, Hays, Benson, Steer, Stephenson, Friedl, McLain ('23), Lux
Reds hitters who *gained* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: none
Reds hitters who *lost* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: De La Cruz, Marte, Hays, Benson, Steer, Stephenson, Friedl, McLain ('23), Lux
Reds hitters who *gained* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: none
November 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Research shows bat speed correlates with xwOBA (overall run production) and power.
Reds hitters who *lost* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: De La Cruz, Marte, Hays, Benson, Steer, Stephenson, Friedl, McLain ('23), Lux
Reds hitters who *gained* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: none
Reds hitters who *lost* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: De La Cruz, Marte, Hays, Benson, Steer, Stephenson, Friedl, McLain ('23), Lux
Reds hitters who *gained* bat speed in '25 compared to '24: none
I like all three decisions.
Reds news:
The club declined the 2026 options on Austin Hays ($12 million mutual option), Scott Barlow ($6.5 million club option) and Brent Suter ($3 million club option)
All are free agents. The 40-man roster is now at 32 players.
The club declined the 2026 options on Austin Hays ($12 million mutual option), Scott Barlow ($6.5 million club option) and Brent Suter ($3 million club option)
All are free agents. The 40-man roster is now at 32 players.
November 5, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I like all three decisions.
❤️
This morning I woke up and saw that Mamdani ad about Vito Marcantonio and was so stunned and excited by it that I wrote my first newsletter in months about Zohran, voting, Maine, New York socialism and my late grandmother. substack.com/inbox/post/1...
It's been forever...and yet: today!
Maine, New York City, Murphy Brown, Zohran Mamdani and the first Rebecca Traister
substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:49 PM
❤️
This means the Reds will fall further behind in real terms as player salaries increase 7% a year.
Average MLB team payroll: $175 million
Average MLB postseason team payroll: $217 million
Reds 2025 payroll: $119 million
Average MLB team payroll: $175 million
Average MLB postseason team payroll: $217 million
Reds 2025 payroll: $119 million
Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall says the team’s budget “will be around the same as our payroll from 2025.”
November 4, 2025 at 7:49 PM
This means the Reds will fall further behind in real terms as player salaries increase 7% a year.
Average MLB team payroll: $175 million
Average MLB postseason team payroll: $217 million
Reds 2025 payroll: $119 million
Average MLB team payroll: $175 million
Average MLB postseason team payroll: $217 million
Reds 2025 payroll: $119 million
Reposted by Steve Mancuso
It was Hayes' second Gold Glove Award.
Reds 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes was named the winner of a NL Gold Glove Award. Story coming soon. Hayes won over fellow finalists Ryan McMahon and Matt Shaw.
November 3, 2025 at 1:52 AM
It was Hayes' second Gold Glove Award.
You would think John Smoltz would get tired of being wrong.
November 2, 2025 at 3:16 AM
You would think John Smoltz would get tired of being wrong.