Krivsky Fired

[Slyder]

Why would they let this guy go out and get Dusty, and all that crap? I think something else had to happen, April is way to early to judge a season. The Cubs won 10 games in April 07' and wound up winning the division. The Reds have a week to win a game, and match that pace.

Because Baker wasn't Krivsky call. It was Cast's.

[love_that_reefer]

How in the hell is anyone shocked by this? You knew this was going to happen the day they signed Jocketty and to be honest, I thought this happened months ago. And I don't see how Baker has a reputation of favoring veterans. I followed Dusty his whole time in SF and never once did I get this impression. Dusty loves winning and does whatever it takes. If Dusty favored veterans, he wouldn't have left Prior in in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS.

[redsfan28]

Wow, I come back and Kriv gets clipped. Looks like I picked the right day.

I doubt this was a spur of the moment firing. I'd imagine that Wayne and BCast did probably had a conversation sprinkled with "sentence enhancers." BCast probably said something alongs the line of "Why the #@!* did you sign Stanton, Clayton, and Castro and make me eat the money when they decided to suck." Kriv probably responded with "Why the #@!* won't you let me do my job? Why the #@!* did you hire Jocketty to look over my shoulder?"

Anywho, this move pretty much surprised no one, except for the timing of it. What probably happened is BCast talked to Jocketty and asked him what he would have done different. Apparently BCast liked Jocketty's answer and decided to tell Kriv to exit stage left.

Good call by BCast!

[brewersfan19]

Congrats to you Reds' fans. Jocketty is a proven GM and can and probably will get the job done for the Reds.

[redsrbetter]

Welcome back redsfan28! I will read your thread here later on. Right now I am still all over the place with this.

Man, things could get real exciting or real bad quick. I think Jocketty's first line of business will be to establish what kind of club this team is right now. Are they a contender or pretender? Does he let go of some of the young talent to get something in return to help now?

Many questions looming...

[CincyRedsFan30]

I know if not this season (I expect some big decisions very soon), but over the offseason, Jocketty will make some moves. I doubt we'll have to worry about standing pat with him. I expect he'll add a couple of his "unhearlded" offensive players who might not seem to have the best stats. but can mesh into a solid, clutch force in the lineup. Also expect some bullpen movement.

We might even trade for some established players, even if it costs us some of the supposedly "great" but unproven farm team. Big deal. I want to win and keep winning.

I also get the feeling that Jocketty will be able to convince Castellini to get pretty much any talent he wants in the offseason. Spend the money and show us you mean business, Bob.

By the way, maybe it's just because I have a big heart, but I actually felt really bad for Krivsky after reading his comments today. He REALLY cares about the team and says he'll keep watching them and rooting them along. And he did make some good moves. He was just too slow for a franchise starved to smell the good stuff again.

[redsrbetter]

I think Jocketty is known for big trade deadline moves. Perhaps something with Dunn or Griffey involved?

I like your thoughts on how he may get BCast to spend money as well. The Cards had a high payroll during Jocketty's tenure and I don't think he would expect it to be much different here. All signs point to more spending from the big man.

Also, the thought of getting players at the price of the farm is entertaining, but we will have to take a closer look if/when that happens. I think everyone would agree here, if it were the right move, it could be a welcome part of a new regime.

[CrazyEights]

I think Jocketty is known for big trade deadline moves. Perhaps something with Dunn or Griffey involved?

I like your thoughts on how he may get BCast to spend money as well. The Cards had a high payroll during Jocketty's tenure and I don't think he would expect it to be much different here. All signs point to more spending from the big man.

Also, the thought of getting players at the price of the farm is entertaining, but we will have to take a closer look if/when that happens. I think everyone would agree here, if it were the right move, it could be a welcome part of a new regime.

Well...Jocketty was loved by Cardinals fans for about 10 years. The last couple of years have been a little rocky though. When Jocketty came ot St. Louis, he took a horrible team that had a payroll lower than the Reds payroll. Fans refused to go to the games. Jocketty had a lot of work to do. He fired manager Joe Torre, and brought in his guy... Tony LaRussa. Then the magic began... he traded for players like Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Edgar Renteria, and Scott Rolen. Walt Jocketty seemed to have the golden touch with trades, every trade he made seemed to turn into gold.... or even better... he had the platinum touch. He turned St. Louis into "Baseball Heaven" with the help of owners that were willing to spend money. Mark McGwire hit home runs, and the fans came. After McGwire left, the team won, and the fans came. Everything was going great... until it happened. The trade that sent Walt Jocketty's career as Cardinal GM into a spiral that ended in a mutal split. What was so bad that it ended this beautiful relationship. Walt Jocketty met Billy Beane... that is what happened. Walt Jocketty was schooled by the man who replaced him as GM in Oakland. The Cardinals needed pitching, so Jocketty did what he always did, he traded prospects for well known All Star players. He called up Billy Beane and made a deal for Mark Mulder. The problem was Mulder was in decline and possible injured at the time of the trade. The cost? Jocketty gave away the Cardinals top hitting prospect... Daric Barton. That's not all though.... he threw in Danny Haren. Danny Haren was already in the Cardinals major league rotation, but Jocketty felt he would never be good enough, so he decided to upgrade Haren.... with Mark Mulder. He only made one bad trade in 12 years. That's not bad for a GM, but it was the trade that killed his Cardinal career. As a Cardinal fan, I appreciate everything Walt Jocketty did for Cardinal Nation. He really did more than anyone could have imagined, but it's hard to forget about his one bad trade.

I hope he does as well for the Reds as he did with the Cardinals. Afterall, St. Louis and Cincinnati both are rich in baseball tradition. All I can say is that I hope Bruce and Cueto don't end up being your Barton and Haren.

[love_that_reefer]

Barton had no place in St. Louis's plans.

[CrazyEights]

Barton had no place in St. Louis's plans.

That's true, but Jocketty knew that when he drafted him. That's no reason to just give away your best prospect.

[Doppelgänger]

I swear Beane can see the future. Every player he trades goes downhill, every player he acquires gets better. Stay away from Beane!

[NYgiantsfan5689]

Ready, Aim, Fire Dept.: for Jeff Stevens, or Reds owner Bob Castellini has no idea how many people in baseball he alienated by firing his GM, Wayne Krivsky -- as well-liked and highly respected a man as you'll find in the business. "They just went from a team you root for to a team you root against," is the way one veteran baseball man put it Wednesday. Sure, Krivsky made his share of mistakes. Goes with the turf. But have there been three bigger steals in the past two years than Bronson Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena, Brandon Phillips for Jeff Stevens, or Josh Hamilton for 50,000 bucks? And Jeff Keppinger for Russ Haltiwanger is right up there, too.

So why was this guy fired again? Because this team came out of spring training with a little promise and then started 9-12? Ridiculous. The Yankees, Phillies, Cubs and Rockies were all 9-12 or worse last year this time -- and made the playoffs. "There's nothing worse than these owners who treat the national pastime like it's the frigging stock market," said an official of one team. "They think it's got to keep going up, up, up, every day. But that's just not the way of works. This is a game of human beings."

an interesting comment on the firing by Jayson Stark of ESPN.com

here's the whole story:
Stark's Take

[missionhockey21]

I swear Beane can see the future. Every player he trades goes downhill, every player he acquires gets better. Stay away from Beane!

Jose Guillen or Aaron Harang? I'm certainly glad we risked it there.
(For the most part, I certainly agree with you on Beane... I just know that is one I am sure he regrets, obviously.)

[CrazyEights]

I swear Beane can see the future. Every player he trades goes downhill, every player he acquires gets better. Stay away from Beane!

That isn't the case in the Mulder trade though. Mulder was going downhill before Beane traded him. Danny Haren and Daric Barton were two of the Cardinals best prospects. Jocketty knew what he was giving up, as did most Cardinals fans.

[missionhockey21]

an interesting comment on the firing by Jayson Stark of ESPN.com

here's the whole story:
Stark's Take

I like Krivsky myself, but there are numerous publicized incidents Krivsky has had with ex-Reds staff and others (but more so coming from the insider grapevine.)