After a sensational– but ultimately disappointing– 1995 season, the Cincinnati Reds were mired in three years of mediocrity.
They were 81-81 in 1996 and that was followed with a 76-86 record in 1997. The 1998 season showed a one-game improvement at 77-85 and the Reds had to win 8 of their last 10 to achieve that. At one point, they were 30-49.
1998 featured losing streaks of 11 and 8 games. The Reds were weak on pitching, weak in the bullpen and there wasn’t a lot of promise.
Then General Manager Jim Bowden liked to make headlines and was flashy.