Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the offseason of every MLB team before spring training begins in mid-February. Our series continues with the Cincinnati Reds.





MLB Springboards: No. 30 Astros | No. 29 Marlins | No. 28 Mets | No. 27 Rockies | No. 26 Twins | No. 25 Pirates | No. 24 Indians | No. 23 Mariners | No. 22 Padres | No. 21 Cubs | No. 20 Brewers | No. 19 Red Sox | No. 18 White Sox | No. 17 Royals | No. 16 Orioles | No. 15 Phillies | No. 14 Diamondbacks | No. 13 Athletics | No. 12 Rangers | No. 11 Yankees | No. 10 Rays | No. 9 Cardinals | No. 8 Giants | No. 7 Tigers | No. 6 Braves | No. 5 Angels





2012 record: 97-65

Finish: First, NL Central

2012 final payroll: $88.1 million

Estimated 2013 opening day payroll: $107 million

Yahoo! Sports offseason rank: 4th

Hashtags: #97wins #datdudebp #up2oh #allstar15 #cubanmissile #dustygets2 #vottosknee #leadoffchoo #wheresrolen #homersodyssey #swipingbilly











OFFSEASON ACTION

Having spent three years turning Aroldis Chapman into a high-end closer, a left-hander so dominant he would strike out 122 batters in 71 2/3 innings, the Reds are committed to having Chapman become a starter again.

You know, in that we'll-see-how-it-goes kind of way.

The Reds can hardly lose. As Dusty Baker is fond of saying, Chapman may be the team's best closer and best starter. GM Walt Jocketty appears to have decided a lot of innings out of Chapman is better than a few, though there have been no clues about what might constitute "a lot." More than 71 2/3. Probably not 200. Chapman pitched 118 2/3 innings in 2009 while still in Cuba. As a Red in 2010, he threw 109 (including his time in the minors).

Jocketty could employ Chapman carefully, the way the Chicago White Sox did Chris Sale last season, though Sale pitched so well he reached 192 innings anyway. Perhaps they go the Kris Medlen route. The Atlanta Braves pitched him out of the bullpen until midsummer, put him into the rotation and watched him go 9-0 with a 0.97 ERA over 12 starts.

View photos

Either way, the notion Chapman would come out of the ninth inning – immediately or eventually – meant somebody would have to go in. The Reds signed Jonathan Broxton to a three-year, $21 million contract. He did a nice job setting up for Chapman following a trade-deadline deal with the Kansas City Royals. Of course, the Reds seemed to be leaning toward starting Chapman a year ago, then lost Ryan Madson, Nick Masset and Bill Bray to springtime injuries. It worked out – Chapman saved 38 games, the Reds won 97 games and everybody was happy until the fifth game of the division series.





[Yahoo! Sports Radio: Tim Brown on Ryan Braun case]

* More

That success seemed to convince Jocketty not to tamper too much with his roster. He traded away center fielder Drew Stubbs and shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius and got back outfielder and leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo and infielder Jason Donald. He re-signed left fielder Ryan Ludwick. As Scott Rolen was likely to retire, he signed third baseman Jack Hannahan to back up Todd Frazier.

While some discussion ensued over whether Choo or Jay Bruce would play center field, Jocketty has said the job is Choo's.

REALITY CHECK

What sticks with a team, sticks like a stubborn doughnut near the barrel of its Louisville Slugger, is a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series, three home games ahead, and an early bounce from the postseason. What sticks is watching the ballclub that limped in and danced out go on and win a World Series. What sticks with a team is winning an organization's first two postseason games in 17 years and following that up with its first three-game losing streak at home all year.

Story continues