Reds front office loses another key face
Johnny Almaraz resigns, cites poor relationship with GM Krivsky.

By Hal McCoy

Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Another long-time member of the Cincinnati Reds front office is gone.

Johnny Almaraz, director of player development/international operations, turned in his resignation and the Reds are expected to announce it today.

At the end of last season, highly regarded senior special assistant Larry Barton Jr. quit after 39 years in the Reds' organization.

Both Barton and Almaraz were unhappy that their input with new General Manager Wayne Krivsky was minimal and they were out of the loop.

When Barton's resignation came to light during baseball winter meetings in Orlando last week, Almaraz indicated to the Dayton Daily News that he, too, was not happy and that he might follow Barton's lead.

"I'm not included in any of the discussions and, in fact, when I walked into the suite during the winter meetings Wayne and his people would lower their voices to a whisper or take their discussions into the bedroom," Almaraz said.

Almaraz began his baseball career as a pitcher in the Reds organization, but blew out his shoulder after two years and turned to scouting and had been with the Reds for 16 years.

He began with the Reds in player development in 2001 and was instrumental in signing outfielder Adam Dunn and catcher Jason LaRue and many Latino players.

He was instrumental in establishing the team's Latin American academies in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

Almaraz was working on establishing the Reds' international operations on a more global stage.

When Krivsky was hired in February as GM, Almaraz was one of the few people interviewed for the job and is highly regarded in the baseball industry, pegged by many as a future general manager.