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

3. The Reds were right to avoid additions at the trade deadline.

A major sticking point for some individuals throughout the Cincinnati Reds fanbase was the fact that the front office made virtually no additions at this year's trade deadline. Outside of reliever Sam Moll, the Reds stood pat at the trade deadline.

With Cincinnati looking like a playoff contender, the entire month of July was spent analyzing which players the Reds should target prior to the August 1st deadline. In the end, nothing really materialized.

There were whispers that Cincinnati was looking to trade for a starting pitcher. Jonathan India's name was tossed about as a possible trade chip, and fans were eager to move on from Nick Senzel and Jose Barrero. But after the deadline passed, the Reds roster looked almost exactly the same.

This goes back to the fact that this season has always been about developing the young talent. That's rather difficult to do when some high-priced veteran is taking aways at-bats or starts from a young prospect who could be part of the team's future.

There are those who claim that, "you never know when you're going to be in contention again," and "next year is not guaranteed." And while those are true statements, the Cincinnati Reds are following the model set forth by the Baltimore Orioles.

The O's underwent a full-on rebuild and now occupy the top spot in the American League with a roster made up of mostly homegrown, young major league talent. The Reds are hoping to do the same, and that's not possible if you sacrifice too much of your young talent on the one-off chance that you'll make the playoffs.