Reds fire GM Krivsky after 9-12 start

CINCINNATI – With Walt Jocketty, the question was when.\nWhen would the Cincinnati Reds decide to switch general managers and give Jocketty the chance to turn them \ninto winners?\nThe answer: 21 games into the season.\nOff 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 running the Oakland Athletics and 13 with the St. Louis Cardinals.\n“We’ve just come to a point where we’re not going to lose anymore,” Reds owner Bob Castellini said emphatically.\nJocketty 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 a half-century.\nJocketty’s job is to provide direction. He’ll likely get more of a chance than Krivsky, who walked into Castellini’s office Wednesday morning anticipating a regular baseball meeting.\nHe was shocked when told he was fired.\n“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.”\nCastellini said a 9-12 start was the main reason he turned to Jocketty, a move that was expected at some point. Krivsky, who was hired before the 2006 season, was in the final year of his contract. Jocketty was hired as a special consultant in January. The two were friends from Castellini’s days as part of the Cardinals’ ownership group.\nWhen he brought him in as a special assistant in January, Castellini insisted it was no threat to Krivsky’s job. However, he talked to Jocketty about becoming director of baseball operations after this season, giving him time to ease into a major role.\nJocketty was surprised when Castellini asked him to become general manager on Wednesday.\n“I knew this was important to Bob,” Jocketty said. “I’m charged up and ready to go. I think this organization is going in the right direction.”\nThe move marked a significant change.\nWhen Castellini hired Dusty Baker in the offseason, it was the first time the Reds had gone outside the organization for a manager since Lou Piniella came aboard for the 1990 season. The days of trying unproven managers were done.\nSame now with the general manager’s job.\nThe last three general managers – Jim Bowden, Dan O’Brien and Krivsky – were new to the job. Krivsky was the only one of the three hired by Castellini. Jocketty comes with a lot of experience at turning a struggling franchise into a winner.\n“I think this organization is a little further along than St. Louis was when I took over in ’95,” Jocketty said. “This organization has a lot better base to work from.”\nJocketty left the Cardinals last year, only one year removed from winning the World Series. Front-office friction left him out of a job even though he’d helped the Cardinals get to the playoffs seven times in 12 seasons.\nThe Reds haven’t been since 1995.\nBefore going to St. Louis, Jocketty spent 14 years with Oakland overhauling the A’s farm system and working in baseball administration. He also was an assistant general manager in Colorado.