Reds’ decision to keep Nick Krall could exonerate the Castellinis no matter what

If you're the Castellini family, you had no choice but to keep Nick Krall after the article from The Athletic was published last week, right? If the Cincinnati Reds ownership group fired Krall after last week's exposé, they'd be immediately labeled as the the bad guys.

The article itself revealed the behind-the-scenes workings of the Reds' leadership, and painted Bob Castellini as a meddlesome owner who didn't allow Krall and Co. to run the baseball operations the way they wanted to. That sentiment has been felt throughout the fanbase for years, but this was the first time unnamed sources spoke up and aired the Reds' dirty laundry.

So, if the Castellinis decided to terminate Krall and inserted a new president of baseball operations, Reds fans would immediately see such action as ownership passing the buck. Because Castellini reportedly vetoed a 'laundry list' of would-be trades, Krall would be viewed as the scapegoat, and ownership's intrusion into the baseball ops would be yet another black mark on their record.

Furthermore, if Krall was terminated and a new front office staff was installed, wouldn't the assumption be that the Castellini family would just micro-manage them too? Even if they claimed otherwise, would you believe them? Of course not.

In other words, after The Athletic exposed the Castellinis as intrusive owners, Krall gained the upper hand. And after Thursday's press event, it now appears that he'll finally receive the autonomy he's been looking for.

“It’s incumbent on me to create as many resources as possible for these guys to deploy against the strategy to improve this team,” Phil Castellini said on Thursday. “The baseball things need to happen with the baseball guys. That’s the key focus.”

That statement from Castellini would seem to indicate that any involvement on the baseball operations-side of things will be handled by Krall, GM Brad Meador, and manager Terry Francona going forward. Castellini also said ownership is, "100% behind these guys (Krall and Meador)."

You're free to dismiss Castellini's commitments in regards to letting Krall and Meador run the Reds' baseball operations, but he's given you no reason to doubt what he said. That stated, everyone has a boss, and Reds fans must understand that the Castellinis will be involved in the decision-making process. After all, it's their money that's being spent.

Reds exposé might've accidentally protected Nick Krall from the firing he deserves

But if Castellini is to be believed, the focus now shifts back to Krall and Meador. If the Reds' ownership group is truly taking more of a hands-off approach going forward, it's up to the front office to prove that they're up to the task.

Furthermore, no matter which way you slice it, the Castellinis come out as the winners. Think about it. If Krall fails to deliver a contender and the list of horrendous trades and boneheaded free-agent signings continue, he'll have to take all the blame. The Reds ownership can then claim they gave Krall a chance, he failed to deliver, and then hire a new team president.

On the flip side, if Krall and Meador are able to bring a contender back to Cincinnati — presumably unencumbered by ownership — they'll be hailed as victors. But in that scenario, the Castellinis are winners too.

A contender brings with it increased revenue through ticket sales, concessions, sponsorships, and playoff appearances. It also gives the Castellinis a chance to fulfill their pledge upon purchasing the Reds 20 years ago — “We will bring championship baseball to Cincinnati.”

Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown was vilified for years. But after the Bengals went to the Super Bowl in 2021, he was off the hook (sort of). While Brown isn't immune from criticism even today, a lot of the fan angst from Who Dey Nation is directed at Duke Tobin (front office) and Zac Taylor (head coach).

The Reds are never going to spend money like the New York Yankees or the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and Cleveland Guardians have dispatched of the small-market excuse.

If the Castellinis provide the same type of monetary resources allocated to the Brewers, Rays, and Guardians, they can no longer be held liable for the team's shortcomings. In other words, it's not about how much money is spent, but who it's spent on — which falls on the shoulders of the front office, not ownership.

To sum it all up, if you're the Castellinis you had no choice but to keep Krall. Not only would you have looked like the villain, but there's no assurance a new GM is going to perform any better — whether you micro-manage them or not. For now, at least, you've put the ball back in Krall's court. Now it's time to see if he can deliver.

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