5 truths about the Cincinnati Reds that fans do not want to hear

It's getting more and more difficult to discern truth from error nowadays. But one truth that every Reds fan can agree on is that no one, not even the most diehard follower, thought that Cincinnati would be in the playoff hunt in September.

Oftentimes, fans live on emotion. Let's face it, fan is short for fanatic, and the folks throughout Reds Country can get a bit fanatical at times. At its core, no matter how good the Bengals may be, Cincinnati is a baseball town.

With that comes certain expectations for the Cincinnati Reds. As the birthplace of professional baseball, fans in the Queen City demand the best from their team. But sometimes the truth must outweigh the passion of the moment. What are five truths about the Reds that fans do not want to hear?

1. The 2023 season is a success no matter what the Reds win-loss record is at the end.

Let's start out with a bang, shall we? Fans throughout Reds Country don't want to hear this, but it's the truth. The 2023 season, even if the Cincinnati Reds lose every game remaining on the schedule, has been a success.

If you go back to the beginning of the season and look at most prognosticator's predictions, even the most optimistic baseball analyst probably had the Reds losing at least 90 games this season. Cincinnati eliminated that possibility this past week after notching victory No. 73 in walk-off fashion against the Seattle Mariners.

The 2023 season has always been about development. Heading into the season, the Reds' brass had big plans for Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, and others. They've also received rather unexpected contributions from Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Andrew Abbott, and Connor Phillips.

The goal of this season was to get these young players ready to compete in 2024, 2025, and beyond. It just so happens that the rebuild has been fast-tracked and the Reds are actually in contention for a spot in the postseason. This experience will be invaluable for these young players moving forward.

Reds fans are dying to see a return to the MLB Playoffs, and it's certainly in the cards. But win, lose, or draw, the Cincinnati faithful should be excited about the future of Reds baseball.