CINCINNATI — 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 running the Oakland Athletics and 13 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
"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 a half-century.
A-ROD NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY UNTIL WEEKEND: New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez probably won't play until this weekend's series at Cleveland, even though he's scheduled to rejoin the team in Chicago on Thursday.
A-Rod missed his second straight game Wednesday because of a strained quadriceps, and manager Joe Girardi said he would be "shocked" if Rodriguez played in the series finale against the White Sox, although he didn't completely rule out the possibility.
"If he comes in and says he's ready to play, I'm putting him in there," said Girardi, adding his "hope" is Rodriguez will be ready to play sometime this weekend.
MATSUZAKA SCRATCHED FROM START: The flu that spread through the Red Sox clubhouse is bringing daily changes to their pitching staff.
And their best two starters, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka, were scratched before their scheduled outings Tuesday and Wednesday nights against the Los Angeles Angels.
Silva leaves with thigh injury
SEATTLE (AP) — Mariners starter Carlos Silva went from cruising to suddenly out of Wednesday night's game against the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh inning with tightness in his right thigh.
With the score tied at 2, Silva walked Aubrey Huff to begin the seventh, his second walk of the game. After a called strike to Adam Jones, Silva looked into the Mariners' dugout. Trainer Rick Griffin came to the mound and chatted with the burly right-hander for a moment. Manager John McLaren then came out, talked to his new No. 3 starter briefly and signaled to the bullpen for reliever Sean Green, who hadn't been warming up.
Seattle OF Morse to miss rest of season following surgery
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Mariners outfielder Mike Morse will miss the remainder of the season after reconstructive shoulder surgery.
Morse, one of the last players to make the Mariners as a reserve after a stellar spring, landed on his left, non-throwing shoulder while attempting a diving catch with his arm outstretched April 13 in a game against the Los Angeles Angels. The converted shortstop waved off a trainer and finished the inning before leaving the game. Later tests revealed a dislocated shoulder, and team medical director Dr. Edward Khalfayan found a torn labrum and performed a shoulder reconstruction Tuesday.