They literally kicked up their feet, picked their teeth and made no moves of any real significance. Cincy's brain trust, perhaps a bit smug or overestimating its ball club's resiliency, seemed satisfied with the status quo. General manager Walt Jocketty gave the impression he was very confident with the cards he was holding.

But what about the time-tested axiom that warns that if you're not evolving or moving forward, you're most likely going nowhere. That idling by the side of the road generally spells trouble.

Well, sure enough, Cincy's inaction came back to bite it in the behind. When a confluence of injuries and subpar performances hit them, the Reds, not having upgraded the team to compensate for such misfortune, just couldn't hang and compete.

To their everlasting aggravation and chagrin, the Reds were easily overtaken by the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals, each of whom made major improvements to their teams during the offseason.

The Brew Crew and the Cards acted decisively and were rewarded. Meanwhile, the passive Reds paid a heavy price for their inertia.

Walt Jocketty, a seasoned and accomplished executive, wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. Playing it close to the vest was no longer an option. Jocketty had to start pushing some buttons. A makeover was definitely in order. The Reds needed to go into full proactive mode.

So let's give Jocketty his due. Once he elects to move, he doesn't do things in a half-ass fashion. Presented with multiple chances to make a bold stroke, Jocketty didn't hesitate whatsoever.

Though what he has done has opened him up to some legitimate second-guessing, his resolve must be admired. When asked to take a risk, Jocketty refused to flinch. He was all in with the maneuvers he engineered. Only time will tell the wisdom of his decision making.

Jocketty's full-speed-ahead approach was predicated on two key factors. The first being that the Reds, with obvious shortcomings, were compelled to shore up some suspect areas.

The other impetus for Jocketty's aggression was the knowledge that a window of opportunity had opened up for his team. Cincy's most challenging foes in the National League Central Division were suddenly reeling.

Both St. Louis and Milwaukee had clearly been diminished by significant personnel losses. The Cards were gut-shot by the departure of Superman Albert Pujols and the retirement of manager Tony LaRussa. Milwaukee's woes were no less traumatic. Massive masher Prince Fielder is headed elsewhere via free agency while reigning MVP Ryan Braun is almost certain to be sidelined for 50 games because of a failed drug test.

With these division rivals clearly weakened, Jocketty was of a mind to pounce. Like a shark smelling blood, Jocketty wanted to attack while the opposition was susceptible. There's no better time to fortify your position than when those you're chasing have been crippled.

It came as no surprise that Jocketty's initial intrepid deed involved the acquisition of a frontline hurler. The Reds starting staff was crying out for another pitcher with stones and gravitas.

But what left many onlookers raising their eyebrows was the magnitude of the deal that brought Cincy a potential stopper.

Searching for a power arm with impressive stuff, a possible stud who was both young and contract friendly, Jocketty eventually settled on San Diego's Mat Latos. A right-hander with immense upside who many insiders feel could blossom into being an ace, Latos fit nearly every criteria that Jocketty was looking for.

And the thought of coupling Latos with the Reds own emerging pitching star Johnny Cueto had to have the G.M. giddy to the point of almost wetting his pants. To have a pair of seed-throwing turks of that caliber at the top of your rotation proved a temptation Jocketty just couldn't resist. He grabbed the gun and pulled the trigger.

But Latos came at great expense. The Reds had to cough up plenty to secure the rights to the 24-year-old fireballer. It took four bodies going the other way to get the Padres to sign off on the deal. And this wasn't chicken feed being exchanged. This was prime stuff heading back to San Diego.

The centerpiece of the deal from SD's perspective was first baseman Yonder Alonso. Undeniably, the Reds most promising young stick, Alonso showed plenty after his call up last season. Blessed with a keen eye and a sweet stroke, Alonso could develop into a fixture at Petco Park. Because he was blocked at his position by the estimable Joey Votto, Alonso's options with the Reds were limited. But it pained Cincy to have to say goodbye to his educated bat. Few will be surprised if Alonso becomes a major cog for the Pads.

Edison Volquez will also be moving over to the Left Coast. Though sometimes emotional and quirky, Volquez has a load of talent. The question is can he consistently harness it? Occasionally spectacular, often maddening, Volquez can be a solid starter if he can demonstrate control. In a bigger ballpark, with a change in scenery and with another year removed from major arm surgery, Volquez has the goods to make the Reds look bad if he can find himself.

All-around catchers are hard to find but the Padres might eventually strike gold with another puzzle piece they acquired. Yasmani Grandel was a Cincy first-round draft choice out of Miami and the Reds were excited about his overall game. A solid receiver and good hitter, Grandel is predicted by many to be wearing a major league uniform sometime soon. This youngster is quite capable of making the Reds regret the day they parted with him.

Right-hander Brad Boxberger was a critical component of this transaction and, according to reports, no deal would have been consummated without him. Again, the Reds are running a risk here because Boxberger is well-regarded. In fact, there was talk within the Cincy organization that Boxberger loomed as a potential closer. Now, we'll never know. Boxberger has good stuff and he's got the requisite grit to succeed. He could be a young gun who comes back to haunt the Reds.

But even if most, if not all the players the Reds dealt turn out to be contributors for the Friars, the Reds still come out ahead if Latos manages to max out his talent. The 6'6", 225-pounder has the wherewithal to be a beast on the mound. Equipped with a bona fide heater and an array of other effective pitches, Latos is poised for a huge breakout. No one that's seen him up close and personal doubts his physical gifts. When Latos won 14 games in 2010, sometimes in dominating fashion, he might have been just scratching the surface.

Questions about some immaturity issues and a low threshold for frustration have been raised about the blond bomber. However, being with a more formidable club that can provide him with reliable run support, should greatly ease Latos's mind. Ready to begin his fourth big league season and seemingly buoyed by the challenge of pitching in a different environment, Latos is determined to be a force in Cincinnati.

As long as Latos shines as the Reds are convinced he will and if he helps deliver them to a postseason berth or two, then this trade is a master stroke that will further burnish Jocketty's reputation.

But should Latos not live up to the hype and should the Padres hit the mother lode with what the Reds sacrificed, then Jocketty's tenure in the Queen City will be forever stained.

Still, Jocketty must be complimented for orchestrating such a high profile deal. The Reds had to pull off an audacious gambit and Jocketty got the job done. Yes, it's a risky venture but the fact that the G.M. is out there gambling means the Reds are again seeking to become something special.

Having acquired Latos, Jocketty was hardly finished. Indeed, Walt was just getting unlimbered. The bullpen was another vital area that required renovation. Lickety-split, Jocketty constructed a nifty rebuild.

First, the Red exec haggled with the Cubs and landed one of baseball's best setup men in lefty Sean Marshall. The 6'7", 220-pounder is reliability personified and is a pox to right-handed hitters. Moreover, Marshall carries with him an enviable ERA and a dandy strikeout ratio. He is a rock upon which the Reds can rely and his presence alone makes Cincy's bullpen imminently better.

The lone downside is that Marshall can walk away as a free agent in 2013. To make this trade a real winner, Cincy must get Marshall to stay beyond the coming year.

As one would naturally expect, Marshall didn't come free. The Cubs picked up serviceable pitcher Travis Wood, outfielder Dave Sappelt and infielder Ronald Torreyes. Wood has shown flashes at the big league level and could become a solid fourth or fifth starter. Sappelt can motor and is considered a potential good average hitter in the bigs. Torreyes is rated a legitimate prospect.

What the Reds have relinquished for a pitcher of Marshall's stature is not excessive. But having him in the fold for only one year would be a downer and probably skew the evaluation of this swap in a much less favorable light. Again, Jocketty is striking while the iron is hot in search of immediate and instantaneous results. Bringing Marshall onboard is another example of Jocketty ceding some worthwhile chips in hopes that it positions the Reds to win now.

Keeping with his apparent no-time-like-the-present philosophy, Jocketty rolled the dice on another short-term acquisition. And in its own way, this maneuver generated every bit the stir that the Latos trade did.

After failing to re-up Francisco Cordero, the closer role in Cincy was vacant. Though there were discussions about an in-house option, such as Marshall or perhaps Bill Bray, there wasn't strong sentiment to go in that direction. What to do? How about another Jocketty head first dive into the deep end.

Because of an unexpected set of circumstances, an elite closer was still available. Jocketty was somewhat emboldened by such a development so he decided to go for broke. He went big-game fishing and to almost everyone's shock, he landed a whopper.

Who could have envisioned that it would be the Reds who would secure the services of the towering Ryan Madson? As Philadelphia's closer last season, the 31-year-old Madson emerged as a revelation, converting on an impressive 32 of 34 save attempts. His 62 strikeouts to 16 walks and glossy 2.37 ERA were other pieces of evidence that Madson was operating at the top of his game.

When the Phillies elected to sign the more celebrated Jonathan Papelbon, Madson hit the open market. As alluded to before, strange happenings took place thereby allowing the 6'6" right-hander to fall into the Reds lap. Jocketty was quick to make sure he didn't get away.

Like Marshall, however, the Reds are only guaranteed to have Madson around for one year at the reasonable rate of 8.5 million. After that, a mutual option kicks in which basically means Madson can hunt a bigger payday in a larger market if he so desires.

On the face of it, this looks to be a brief rental and probably nothing more. But, for the here and now, this is a coup for the Reds.

Madson can bring it and his clutch gene is front and center. Plus, he's unarguably an upgrade over Cordero when it comes to consistency, control and toughness. Having Madson at the back end makes the Reds all the more difficult to beat. He'll shut the door virtually every time out.

To say that Jocketty's machinations have Reds Nation fired up would be a gross understatement. Baby, there's some serious excitement in the air.

Not content with a dalliance here or a modest move there, the Reds G.M. went whole hog. He has greatly enhanced Cincy's stock, if only for the present and immediate future. Jocketty thought big and scored big, both literally and figuratively. Messieurs Latos, Marshall and Madson each top out at 6'6" or taller, forming a sort of Paul Bunyan brigade on the hill that's capable of producing some mythology of their own.

Last year at this time, the Reds, as driven by Walt Jocketty, were off to the side of the road. They were simply idling, seemingly content with their lot and not in any great hurry to get anywhere.

What a difference 12 months can make. Now, the Reds have not only merged back into traffic, they've upped the ante by jumping onto the Autobahn.

Jocketty's manipulations have the Reds traveling at breakneck speed. Whether that takes them to a championship remains to be seen.

But remember one thing. Letting it out and opening it up might get you there faster but it also increases the chances of a wreck.