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Thursday, April 24, 2008

TSN: Justice: Walt Jocketty should bring October baseball back to Cincinnati

“It is not a Justice System. It is just a system”

Wednesday was a good day for the Cincinnati Reds. They didn’t just hire a new general manager. They hired one of baseball’s most successful general managers.

Walt Jocketty has both credibility and a terrific track record. Years from now, that’s the part of the story people will remember. Departing GM Wayne Krivsky might have had his feelings hurt, but that’s going to happen when franchises are rebuilt.

Mark it on your calendar. This is going to be remembered as the day the Reds began their climb back to prominence.

The Reds desperately needed stability, and now with Bob Castellini as CEO, Dusty Baker as manager and Jocketty as GM, they’ve got it.

Repoz Posted: April 24, 2008 at 12:43 AM | 9 comment(s)
Related News: General, Cincinnati

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1. Justin Zeth Posted: April 24, 2008 at 12:50 AM (#2757033)

The Pirates have been one of baseball's most stable organizations the past decade-plus. Stability is not automatically a Good Thing.

2. SouthSideRyan Posted: April 24, 2008 at 01:17 AM (#2757039)

Weird to think the only teams that have longer playoff droughts than the Reds: Blue Jays, Rays, Royals, Nats, Brewers, Pirates.

3. scareduck Posted: April 24, 2008 at 01:20 AM (#2757040)

What is he whining about? The scheduler brought Cincinnati October baseball two years ago.

4. Guts Posted: April 24, 2008 at 01:20 AM (#2757041)

Jocketty hasn't done much of note since the 2004 Walker trade. Before that, he had a great record, with such transactions as the Rolen, Edmonds, Renteria, and McGwire trades, all unqualified successes. Since then, the most notable deal was Mulder-Haren+Calero+Barton, clearly a failure. As far as recent FA signings go, for every Eckstein, there's a Ponson or Preston Wilson...

It was pretty lousy that the Cards ownership allowed Luhnow to dictate Walt's dismissal, but that's not to say a change in GM wasn't warranted.

5. Justin Zeth Posted: April 24, 2008 at 01:21 AM (#2757042)

What is he whining about? The scheduler brought Cincinnati October baseball two years ago.

Good point. The Old Guard is going to take another decade or so to change their custom to refer to deep playoff drives as "November baseball" as it now is.

6. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: April 24, 2008 at 01:24 AM (#2757044)

Weird to think the only teams that have longer playoff droughts than the Reds: Blue Jays, Rays, Royals, Nats, Brewers, Pirates.

I don't think the Rays belong. I'm sure if they had been founded in 1994 they'd be working on a 14-year drought, but as it is, they're only at 10 entering 2008.

7. Suff Posted: April 24, 2008 at 08:57 AM (#2757103)

But the Reds had a sorta postseason game in '99.

8. Sydney_dave Posted: April 24, 2008 at 10:45 AM (#2757175)

Lunhow didn't dictate Walt's dismissal; Walt did. He didn't like the direction the organization was taking.

Seven posts up on the main page is an article on the Cardinals Sig Mejdal and the mathematical approach to help scouting. DeWitt definitely thinks this is the right way to go, but Walt couldn't play well with others, and resented the change.

On the last day of the season there was a Post-Dispatch article on the discord in the front office, with a quote from an unnamed coach who said you had to worry about seeing who you were talking to. I'm not sure that was the straw that broke the camel's back, but Jocketty was dismissed a couple of days later.

DeWitt decided he needed everyone on the same page, and when Walt couldn't do it, DeWitt fired Jocketty.

Dave

9. Justin T Posted: April 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM (#2757182)

BBTF: WXRL: Justice should be a dishwasher at an IHOP

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

TSN: Justice: Walt Jocketty should bring October baseball back to Cincinnati

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