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The Cincinnati Reds, Jonathan India, and service time manipulation

Kris Bryant showed up to Mesa, Arizona in 2015 and promptly swatted nine dingers in 14 games for the Chicago Cubs in Cactus League play. Then 23 years of age, the former top five pick showed he was ready for the challenge of mauling big league pitching and, as a result, the Cubs rewarded him with that opportunity.

Of course, they waited until April 17th of that year to do so, giving Bryant his big league debut on a 5-4 club that was playing host to the San Diego Padres in their fourth series of the year. In fact, those Cubs had dropped two of three to the Cincinnati Reds in the prior series, and I suppose all the banners hung by those 2015 Reds owe thanks to Theo Epstein for his roster management that year.