At least someone thinks they've done a good job:
They may not be the Big Red Machine reincarnate yet. But this team is better, after acquiring Eric Milton, Ramon Ortiz, Joe Randa, Kent Mercker and Rich Aurilia -- even if the Great American Ballpark isn't exactly a perfect fit for Milton and Ortiz, two of the five active pitchers who have served up 40 gopherballs in a season.
I have to agree with him. The Reds will be a better team in 2005 than they were in 2004. But I just can't see the improvements they've made being enough to get them over the hump.