A Little Cheesed Off

For those of you who don't know, or don't care, Reds' GM Wayne Krivsky was fired today. I've blogged about this move extensively on thebuckeyebunch.com. I felt the need to vent...

I’ve made it obvious that I not only don’t understand why Wayne Krivsky got fired so suddenly, but I’m not a fan of the move at all.

Bob Castellini unjustly fired him without warning and without justification. When asked why he canned Krivsky, Castellini simply said, “We’ve come to the point where we just aren’t going to lose anymore.”

I agree, Bob. I’m tired of the Reds losing, too. But you know what? They were losing before Krivsky got here. They were in a bad, bad way when Krivsky got here. You hired Krivsky. You hand picked him to turn around the organization. Turning around an organization that had been run into the ground by boneheads like Jim Bowden and Dan O’Brien takes a while to do. A lot longer than two and a half years.

How can Castellini, on any level, put the blame on Krivsky for the 9-12 start?

I’m so glad that one of the reporters asked Castellini at the press conference if continuity to the organization was important. After all, there have been six GM’s and five managers in six years.

The following excerpt is pulled from Hal McCoy’s blog…

Castellini was testy when asked about continuity - five managers and six general managers (two were co-GMs on an interim basis in the last six seasons.

“We haven’t had six, we’ve had two,” he said, using semantics. The organization has had six GMs since 2002 - Jim Bowden, co-interims Brad Kullman and Leland Maddox, Dan O’Brien, Krivsky and Jocketty. “The franchise has…yes.”

So is he concerned about continuity? “Absolutely I am. Absolutely. I respect the question, but this has been a very tough decision. Krivsky did a whale of a job in some areas.”

Jocketty jumped to Castellini’s rescue.

“I believe in continuity,” he said. “Very much so. But sometime it takes a little time to get thins the way you want. There are a lot of quality people and quite a few quality players here and now we have to find a way to make it work.”

Jocketty says he is impressed with the staff, on the field and in the front office, and doesn’t anticipate any changes.

Manager Dusty Baker, the fifth manager in six years (Bob Boone, Dave Miley, Jerry Narron, interim Pete Mackanin, Baker) addressed the continuity issue, too. Asked about the importance of continuity, he said, “I think it is very important. Wayne did some great things here. He built our farm system. It is very important to keep some consistency, which is one reason I kept the coaching staff.

“I mean, you listen to quarterbacks complain about four offensive co-ordinators in four years. Doesn’t work. Good organizations keep a lot of the same people for a long period of time,” Baker added.

So management is concerned about continuity, and it’s important to have continuity, but yet you are axing a GM after less than three years in the position and are now unwilling to even wait out the third season or wait out the possibility of your two most heralded prospects (Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey) reaching the majors and making a significant contribution. One of the most important jobs of a general manager is building the farm system and Krivsky stated that since he arrived the Reds moved from near dead last to third in the Baseball America rankings. The turnaround has been unbelievable in the minors and I don’t think any one can argue with that. When he took the job, he was told to build from the inside because the Reds were a “small market” team. Building processes take three to five years. He hasn’t even made it to three.

I love that Baker said good organizations keep the same people for a long time. Maybe he was drawing on his experience in baseball and thinks Krivsky should still have his job. Maybe he’s making a plea for his own job. Notice that Castellini said “which is one reason I kept the coaching staff.”

WHAT? Firing the coaching staff after 21 games was a consideration? Talk about your snap judgments. I’m an impatient fellow, but really, Bob, get a grip.

So firing Wayne Krivsky will help the Reds win this year? Only a few hours after the announcement was made, the Reds lost 9-3 at home to the Dodgers.

Look out Walt Jocketty. Another outing like that and your next.

Rob Neyer of ESPN.com is puzzled, as well.

“Yes, the timing is strange. If Krivsky’s bosses preferred Jocketty, didn’t they know before now? The Reds are 9-12. If they were 12-9, would he still have his job? And if so, isn’t a three-game difference a thin reed from which to hang a key decision like this?

“The danger here isn’t that the Reds may have lost a great GM, or have replaced him with an incompetent one. The danger is that people in the organization may wonder if the people at the top have any idea what they’re doing.”