Tale of two seasons for rebuilding Reds in ’16

CINCINNATI — When rebuilds commence in earnest for a club like it did for the Reds in 2016, it often seems like an abstract idea that a team will sacrifice wins in the present to get better and stronger to contend in the future.

When it actually is happening, however, the highs are less frequent and the lows are extended while the resolve of the fans is tested. It’s not always easy for the players on the field as well.

Cincinnati’s troubles at the start of the season were exasperated by a rash of Spring Training injuries. Much of the expected rotation opened the year on the disabled list — including Anthony DeSclafani, Michael Lorenzen and a little later, Raisel Iglesias. The depth of the bullpen was thin and its inability to find any traction made defining roles nearly impossible for manager Bryan Price.

• Reds gain experience, seek consistency in 2017

It all culminated in the pitching staff setting a new single-season record in home runs allowed while leading the league in walks.

“I thought we would really prove a lot of doubters wrong,” second baseman Brandon Phillips said. “We had a lot of people hurt at the beginning — Lorenzen, Iglesias, Disco and those guys. It would have been nice to have those guys at the beginning of the season. I think the season would have been totally different. It happened. It’s just one of those tough years again. The last three years we’ve had a losing record. It’s been real tough.

“I know it’s been really hard on Reds fans. I feel like we let our city down, but I feel like the second half when we got those guys back, the organization is moving in the right direction as far as getting back to the winning side of baseball.”

The Reds played above .500 for much of the second half and provided an optimistic glimpse of the results the Reds hope this rebuild will bring.

Most importantly for the future, several of the younger players gained big league experience that the Reds hope will make everybody better.

“I’ve always had the mindset of win or learn,” Lorenzen said. “When you’re going through trials or times when everything isn’t going your way, the best thing you can is learn from it. … It’s all perspective and how you want to take it. Do you want to take it as a losing season because we didn’t win? Or, do you want to take it as a season that taught us a lot about ourselves individually and as a team? If we take it that way, we can do some very good things.”

Record: 68-94, fifth place in NL Central.

Defining moment: Plagued by the long ball and walks throughout 2016, the Reds’ pitching staff set the single-season record for home runs allowed vs. the Cubs on Sept. 19. But, no one game defined the season more than an 11-8 loss to Chicago on June 27 at Great American Ball Park. Kris Bryant went 5-for-5 and became the first modern player with three home runs and …

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