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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cincinnati fires GM


Jocketty
 (The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

With Walt Jocketty, the question was when.

When would the Cincinnati Reds decide to switch general managers and give Jocketty the chance to turn them into winners?

The answer: 21 games into the season.

Off to their worst start in five years, the Reds fired Wayne Krivsky on Wednesday and replaced him with Jocketty, who built consistent winners during 10 seasons in Oakland and 13 in St. Louis.

“We’ve just come to a point where we’re not going to lose anymore,” Reds owner Bob Castellini said emphatically.

Jocketty is the fourth general manager in six years for a team that has gone through seven straight losing seasons. The Reds have been through four managers (plus an interim manager) and two owners since 2003, when they moved into Great American Ball Park. It’s their deepest slump in 50 years.

Jocketty’s job is to provide direction. He’ll likely get more of a chance than Krivsky, who walked into Castellini’s office on Wednesday morning anticipating a regular baseball meeting.

He was shocked when told he was fired.

“I fought for an hour to keep my job,” Krivsky said. “I did not see this coming at all. I still think it’s a gold mine. That’s what hurts so much, not to see the job through to the end and bring that winner to Cincinnati. I’ve had visions of being in the clubhouse with champagne being poured all over everybody.”

Royals drop Guillen from lineup

Jose Guillen, the $36 million off-season acquisition the Kansas City Royals had hoped would provide some pop to their woeful offense, was not in the lineup for a game rained out against Cleveland.

The former Seattle Mariner struck out four times Tuesday, dropping his batting average to .165 with one home run. He’s struck out 22 times in 79 at-bats.

Clearing the bases

New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, out since Sunday with a strained right quad, probably won’t play until this weekend’s series at Cleveland, even though he’s scheduled to rejoin the team today in Chicago. … Washington reliever Chad Cordero had an MRI exam on his right shoulder that showed tendonitis and weakness, but he will not need to return to the DL. … Slumping shortstop Troy Tulowitzki returned to the Colorado lineup but was bumped from second in the batting order to seventh. … Tampa Bay ace Scott Kazmir (strained elbow) pitched 42/3 innings in his second rehab start at Kissimmee, Fla., and remains on schedule to rejoin the rotation in about 10 days.