by DRAGONS INSIDER MARC KATZ , Dayton Daily News

"We stayed together as a group," said Dascenzo, now manager of the Midwest League Fort Wayne TinCaps. "And when we got to Chicago in 1989, we won the division."

Then Dascenzo began "perfect world" talk, and it was obvious he wasn't going to put a stamp on a right way and a wrong way.

Observe this, though. The San Diego Padres, proud parents of the TinCaps, moved up four players only after Fort Wayne won the first-half Eastern Division championship last week.

What do you think the Cincinnati Reds would have done with similar players? I'm guessing they would have moved them up before the first half was over and watched the Dragons deteriorate, favoring individual development over learning how to win as a team.

Three of the TinCaps moved - first baseman Matt Clark, third baseman James Darnell and outfielder Sawyer Carroll - represented the bulk of Fort Wayne's offense, but it hasn't seemed to matter that they're gone. In the TinCaps' first four games of the second half, they scored 33 runs.

Of course, that was against South Bend, which is having its own problems.

Game 5 came Tuesday night, against the Dragons, which went 0-11 against Fort Wayne in the first half. Yet Dayton won 5-3.

Dayton has augmented its lineup along the way with contributing players, but no high draft choices or highly touted prospects.

That's both good and bad. While the team finished out of the playoffs in the first half, no significant players were lost to promotions (well, maybe pitcher Mace Thurman), as has happened in the past. They can improve as a team.

Entering Wednesday's July 1 game with Fort Wayne, the Dragons were 3-2 and feeling good about themselves.

Dragons manager Todd Benzinger said he wants the Reds to be known as a winning organization.

"Back in my day, if you faced the Tigers or Pirates (in the minors), you knew they weren't going to beat you," said Benzinger, who enjoyed a nine-year major-league career after playing parts of seven seasons in the minors. "If you played the Yankees, that was something different."

As of today, five of Cincinnati's six minor-league teams have a losing record, with only Class AAA Louisville on the winning side.

Somehow, the Reds have got to make winning more important.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2157 or mkatz@DaytonDailyNews.com

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