The above picture is pretty much a microcosm of Mark Payton’s tenure with the Cincinnati Reds - he was a Red, but as a Rule V pick from the Oakland A’s, there was still a pretty good chance he’d end up wearing green.
Despite showing some promise in Reds camp, Payton was returned to Oakland today, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reported.
The glut of good options currently on the Reds roster surely contributed to this move, as there were certainly several recent years where Payton would’ve been a natural fit in the Reds OF.