For starters, blame Bowden

Sporting News, The, July 28, 2003 by Ken Rosenthal

Get ready for a major housecleaning in Cincinnati. General manager Jim Bowden and manager Bob Boone are in the final years of their contracts. The debut season in Great American Ball Park was a disappointment even before Ken Griffey Jr. suffered a season-ending ruptured ankle tendon, And owner Carl Lindner, 83, will risk alienating fans if he fails to make significant changes.

The Reds are a poor team fundamentally, but Boone isn't solely responsible for the team's minus-118 run differential, the worst in the National League. It's too late to replace Boone with the most attractive internal option, Class AAA Louisville manager Dave Miley. The next G.M. likely will hire the next manager.

"If you want to put the blame somewhere, I think the blame goes to the general manager for not having enough starting Ditching," Bowden says.

The Reds' 6.34 rotation ERA at the start of the week ranked last in the N.L. by nearly a run per game. The foam also led the league with 90 errors, 12 more than the next-highest team.

The $59 million payroll ranks 17th, but other clubs win on low budgets. One solution is to start trading off parts, but ownership might not grant Bowden the authority to dismantle the team. Outfielder Jose Guillen and reliever Scott Williamson have value, as does All-Star third baseman Aaron Boone. But to obtain top-caliber pitching, the Reds might need to trade Adam Dunn or Austin Kearns, outfielders whom Bowden considers untouchable.

New ideas should be welcome. The old ones are stale.