If you're the Reds' owner, what would you do?

If you're Bob Castellini, what do you do?

Conventional wisdom says trade Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake and Aroldis Chapman, and listen to offers on any other players on the roster.

I listened to some sports talk the other day. I don't do that a lot. I get enough of that kind of stuff on Twitter. Lance McAlister's take was that the Reds had to get beyond emotion and make tough calls.

That's easy when you're sitting behind a microphone as Lance is, or a keyboard as I am.

But when you own the club, you get a little emotional. As Lance pointed out — correctly I might add — emotion had a lot to do with the signings of Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Homer Bailey.

But that emotion doesn't go away. So if I'm Bob Castellini, I'm thinking this team, the 2015 team, can do it. When Jay Bruce hits, Marlon Byrd's healthy, Todd Frazier is looking like an MVP and Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto are being their previous selves, it's easy to believe.

The bullpen has been excellent since J.J. Hoover moved into the eighth-inning role. The rotation is good enough with Cueto, Leake, Anthony DeSclafani, Michael Lorenzen and whoever else they run out there as the fifth starter.

Can they make a run and get in the postseason? The math says no.

But, again, if you're Bob Castellini, what do you do?

Do you make moves to ensure future success, or do you roll the dice on 2015?

I own some horses — or, more correctly, I own a 10 percent share of some horses. When I'm at the track and my horses are running, I bet them. Emotionally.

But what I've found is the joy of seeing your horse win is why you're in the game.

That's what Castellini wants. He wants to see the Reds in baseball's winner's circle. If you're in your 70s — as he is — you want the quickest route.

The San Francisco Giants won the World Series last year after going 87-75 in the regular season and winning the second National League Wild Card spot.

The Giants did it with a middle-of-the-road lineup and one dominant starting pitcher. The Reds have a middle-of-the-road lineup and one dominant starting pitcher in Johnny Cueto.

The Reds would have to go 56-40 (going into Saturday's game) the rest of the way to get to 87 wins.

Is it likely? Certainly not. Is it possible? Certainly.

But back to the beginning: What would you do if you were Bob Castellini?

That's what it all comes down to. General manager Walt Jocketty will make the trades if the Big Man says to. But it's Castellini's call.

There are people in the organization in favor of blowing it up. But ultimately it's Castellini's call. He's an optimistic guy. The offers for Cueto in the offseason weren't overwhelming.

So unless someone blows the Reds away with an offer, I could see them rolling the dice, semi staying pat and hoping for a really good run.

Castellini's a smart man and a good owner. But no one in his seat runs a club completely without emotion.