Beginning Of The End For Bowden?

[windycitybuck]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/11412768

[TheNext44]

If Bowden is fired, where will Taveras, Weathers, Lincoln, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Hairston and Hopper play in next few years?

[will5979]

If Bowden is fired, where will Taveras, Weathers, Lincoln, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Hairston and Hopper play in next few years?

Sorry only Weathers will fit in that category cause he is only one of those players that has played under Bowden in Cincy.

[EdSqaubensee]

The REds were better under jim bowden, than they have been since he left. If jim bowden was/is such a terrible GM....why havnt the reds been able to correct and do better than JB did in CIncy? The reds, as a whole (Not just the GM) are an absolute joke of a franchise. BOwden is just a scapegoat... Cincy was a better team under bowden, and that is scary to think they have fallen even further.

[fourrunhomer]

I always wondered why they dropped the relationship with Rijo's project so quickly. I hope he doesn't become any more of a player in this investigation. It also concerns me that they are investigating Bowden all the way back to his days in Cincy.

[ChatterRed]

The REds were better under jim bowden, than they have been since he left. If jim bowden was/is such a terrible GM....why havnt the reds been able to correct and do better than JB did in CIncy? The reds, as a whole (Not just the GM) are an absolute joke of a franchise. BOwden is just a scapegoat... Cincy was a better team under bowden, and that is scary to think they have fallen even further.

Did they ever make the playoffs under Bowden?

I don't remember them being much better than they are now.

And he made the deal of the century to bring back Junior. We all know how that turned out.

Bowden has always been a rat.

[big boy]

Did they ever make the playoffs under Bowden?

Yes...1995. He also had a playoff-bound team in 1994 but there was a strike.

[redsfandan]

The REds were better under jim bowden, than they have been since he left. If jim bowden was/is such a terrible GM....why havnt the reds been able to correct and do better than JB did in CIncy? The reds, as a whole (Not just the GM) are an absolute joke of a franchise. BOwden is just a scapegoat... Cincy was a better team under bowden, and that is scary to think they have fallen even further.


Controversy
As a general manager, Bowden is known for his frequent roster moves, accessibility to the media, willingness to sign players with track records for personal problems, and affection for athletic outfielders. In his 16 years as an MLB general manager, his teams have made the playoffs just once (the aforementioned '99 Reds did play in a one-game playoff).

Bowden has been involved in several other controversies:

- In 1993, he fired Reds manager and former star player Tony Perez after just 44 games. Coming on the heels of racially charged comments by Reds owner Marge Schott, the firing prompted criticism of Bowden and the team for treating Perez, one of the league's few minority managers, unfairly.

-In 1998, he traded All-Star reliever and Cincinnati native Jeff Shaw to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shaw claimed at the time that Bowden had agreed not to trade him as part of a contract that involved Shaw taking less money from the Reds than he could have gotten elsewhere. “We had a handshake deal that he wasn't going to trade me,” Shaw said. “Three months later, he traded me. ... If I had been in the room with him, I would have killed him.”

-In 2000, Reds coach Ron Oester reportedly was offered the job of manager by Bowden, but that when Oester didn't accept immediately, Bowden offered the job to Bob Boone without contacting Oester.

-In 2003, he was fired as general manager of the Reds following comments comparing the MLB players union to the terrorist organization al Qaeda. Commenting on the possibility of a strike by the players, he said, “If they (the players) do walk out ... I encourage all of them, "Make sure it's Sept. 11th. Be symbolic about it. Let (union head) Donald Fehr drive the plane right into the building, if that's what they want him to do,'" Bowden later apologized for the remarks.

Add the deal with the Reds in mid-season 2006 involving Gary Majewski, the NINE year deal to Jr, overpaying for players like Eric Milton, the constant additions of journeymen pitchers for the rotation, plus how much he "helped" the farm system when he was here and I don't see how someone would want him as a gm. They stuck with him more than most teams would have. (how many gms last that long with one team?) He was here for almost 12 full seasons and we were only in the playoffs ONCE. You can say that he had obstacles to deal with, like Marge, but he knew what he was getting into when he took the job. He wasn't the only problem but he WAS part of the problem.

Imo, the Reds are in much better shape now compared to when leatherpants was here. We are on the verge of having a realistic shot to contend within a year (probably in 2010) and the farm system is in MUCH better shape which will help us keep a winning team on the field in the future. If you can't tell I for one don't exactly miss him.

[bounty37h]

The REds were better under jim bowden, than they have been since he left. If jim bowden was/is such a terrible GM....why havnt the reds been able to correct and do better than JB did in CIncy? The reds, as a whole (Not just the GM) are an absolute joke of a franchise. BOwden is just a scapegoat... Cincy was a better team under bowden, and that is scary to think they have fallen even further.

Edsquab, I gotta pick on ya here. Wanna back that statement up with why you feel that way? I only ask cause I have only read a few of your posts, havent seen anything factual, and mostly just junk that has made me question you and your allegiance as well as baseball knowledge, mostly just bitter sounding angry posts trying to clamor for attention (or is that it and I just fell for it?)

[redsfandan]

By the way, a fair argument could also be made that what success he did have while he was here was at least partly because of the people that came before him. For example, how many players on the '94/'95 teams were leftover from the '90 world series winner?

[big boy]

overpaying for players like Eric Milton, the constant additions of journeymen pitchers for the rotation

Milton was signed by O'Brien. To be fair, guys like Harnisch, Schourek, and Dessens were good moves.

[Ghosts of 1990]

If Bowden is fired, where will Taveras, Weathers, Lincoln, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Hairston and Hopper play in next few years?

ROFLMAO!

I gotta say. If Jim hasn't been fired yet.... the leash is longer then we may know! :confused:

[windycitybuck]

The guy was not afraid to make deals, I'll give him that much. Someone above posted about Griffey, that we know how that turned out. Well, how many of you said "bad deal" when it happened? None of you did.

[redsfan1966]

Hey, I'll give Jimbo some credit, he did make some good moves and yes, the 94/95 and 99 teams were good squads under his tenure. But I have yet to hear anything good from anyone who has dealt with him personally---comments like "sleazy" and "snake oil salesman" come to mind. I do think our organization is a lot better now than under his leadership. Bowden and GMs like Doug MacLean who once led my hometown Blue Jackets always leave bad tastes in people's mouths---they want to be the focus of attention instead of the players....give me a GM who likes to keep the focal point off himself...

[redsfandan]

... Someone above posted about Griffey, that we know how that turned out. Well, how many of you said "bad deal" when it happened? None of you did.

We didn't need a gm for that trade cuz Jr insisted on being moved here and only here. So, we didn't have to give up as much as we should have. But Bowden was the one that had to hand him a NINE year contract. Of course all Reds fans liked the trade itself but I didn't like the contact even back then. Yep, nice job jimbo. :clap: