The Cincinnati Reds fired manager Ray Knight today and gave his job on an interim basis to Jack McKeon, senior adviser for player personnel, who has managed three big league teams.
Knight, 44, was in the second and final year of his contract. He failed to win during his brief tenure and alienated most of his players with his indecisiveness and with what they saw as his overly aggressive style.The Reds were 43-56 and 9 1/2 games behind Houston in the NL Central, a division they expected to contend in. Last year, the Reds finished 81-81 under Knight.
"We just thought a more laid-back approach would be better for our kids at this point," general manager Jim Bowden said.
McKeon became the Reds' fifth manager in six years and the fourth since Bowden took over following the 1992 season. He fired Tony Perez, the first manager he hired, 44 games into the 1993 season.
The two firings have parallels. Both men were popular former Reds players and coaches and neither had managed at any level before Bowden promoted them, and both firings occurred while owner Marge Schott was serving a punishment for her controversial statements. She was suspended for one-season in 1993 when Bowden, running the team in her absence, decided to fire Perez, and hire Davey Johnson as his successor.
Schott stepped aside as the team's chief executive last year, leaving her no say in the hiring and firing of managers. Managing executive John Allen has left personnel decisions up to Bowden.
Schott liked Knight's bubbly personality and his wife, golfer Nancy Lopez. Johnson has the best winning percentage among active managers and led the Reds to the 1995 NL championship series, but never won Schott's favor.
Bowden said Knight has been offered a job as a consultant.
He said Knight was not being fired because of the club's record, but rather because the team felt another manager would better fit in with the Reds' youth movement.
"We felt at this time that we needed to change directions in leadership style with the youth movement we have here," Bowden said.
McKeon, who managed Kansas City, Oakland and San Diego, brings a more easy-going style to a clubhouse miffed by Knight's abrasive style. Knight took over coaching third base for a while this season and feuded with pitcher Mike Morgan, who said none of the players respected their manager.
McKeon is not sure whether he will try to stay on beyond this season. The difference in style became apparent when he was introduced today as the interim manager.
"The big thing is, I want to have fun," McKeon said. "I didn't take this job to go to the crazy house. I want to have fun. I want these guys to come to the park every day and have fun."
Knight took over after the 1995 season and caused a stir by second-guessing Johnson's decisions during his introductory news conference and playing up to the owner's fondness for dogs by referring to his team as the "Big Dog Machine."
He also was cocky about his ability to succeed, saying it's not difficult to manage a game. He found quickly that there's much more to the job than double-switches.
The defending NL Central champions slid to 81-81 last season. Injuries and budget constraints contributed, but Knight also made several rookie mistakes. After an early slump, he called a game in April a "must-win deal." He also changed his lineup on a daily basis, resulting in 147 variations and irritated players.
He alienated some players by promising roles, then reneging when they hit a slump.
Knight promised to be more consistent this season and change his penchant for saying one thing and doing another. He did far less experimenting with his lineup in spring training, but fell back into the daily-change habit when the season began.
He also angered players by taking credit when things went right and blaming them by name when they failed.