Ultimate Standings: Reds' poor play causes rankings slide

What's good

The Reds' average ticket price of $22.01 is the fourth-lowest in the game, behind that of only Arizona, Atlanta and Tampa Bay, so they continue to rank high in affordability (43rd overall) and bang for the buck (27th). They also fare relatively well in stadium experience, even though the Great American Ball Park experience dropped from 37th to 60th this season, amidst all those bullpen implosions. No matter the final score, Reds fans are privileged to enjoy the hitting artistry of first baseman Joey Votto, who logged a ridiculous .408/.490/.668 slash line after the All-Star break. When Votto is locked in at the plate, it's easier for Reds fans to forget that he has a guaranteed $179 million left on his contract.

What's bad

The Reds' biggest obstacle to success is the stacked field in the NL Central. The Cubs are a juggernaut, St. Louis isn't going anywhere, Pittsburgh has one of the best-run operations in the game, and Milwaukee is building a killer farm system. As such, it's hard to see a return to success in Cincinnati without some serious short-term pain. And where's the stability? The Reds signed manager Bryan Price -- who was ranked the second-worst manager in all of sports by fans -- to a one-year deal with an option for a second year, but the rumblings about his job security are likely to resume if the team gets off to another slow start next season. GM Dick Williams is trying to make his mark, but president of baseball ops Walt Jocketty continues to run the show, and owner Bob Castellini (ranked 106th overall) is no wallflower.

What's new

Since the Reds won two NL Central titles in three years in 2010 and 2012, the residual warmth fans had for owner Bob Castellini has faded. He's down 45 spots this year to 106th. Now, Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake are gone, and Brandon Phillips has one year left on his contract. It's a full-scale transition for the Reds, who have to hope Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall and the young pitchers can perform well enough to inspire faith among the fan base. Cincinnati's attendance dropped from 2.4 million in 2015 to a tick under 1.9 million this season, and Reds die-hards will buy in only if they see a vision for contention moving forward. The scouting and player development route is the only way for the franchise to return to relevance, but no one ever said it was easy.

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