http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/32456B7DBB9EEC44862573690069E6D7?OpenDocument
Sounds like he was basically fired by DeWitt.
Wow.
I'm verrrry nervous about this off-season now.
Jocketty Out as GM
Jocketty Out as GM
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mizzoupacers
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It's interesting, at least to me, to see how differently Jocketty's ouster is being viewed by the national vs. the local sports media.
The national media has been highly critical: how can the Cardinals get rid of a GM as successful as Jocketty? How can they be so ungrateful as to give him the axe just a year after a world championship? Who do they think they can get who will do better than seven trips to the postseason, two pennants and a championship? Boy, is Bill DeWitt a stupid jerk!
I find that viewpoint irritating, superficial, and condescending. I think it takes some gall for espn.com columnists and etc. to parachute into a situation they know little about and appoint themselves judge, jury and executioner. But I have to concede that in the end they could be proved right in thinking getting rid of Jocketty is a mistake. The guy has, after all, been awfully successful in St. Louis.
In contrast, the local media has by and large been much more measured in its commentary. They know all about the rift in the front office between Jocketty and Luhnow, which is basically also a rift between Jocketty and DeWitt, since DeWitt appointed Luhnow. They recognize that DeWitt saw a farm system that was performing poorly and tried to do something about it. And that Jocketty refused to go along. They suggest that no one, not even someone with the track record of Jocketty, is bigger than the organization itself. They consider that all good things must come to an end, and perhaps the time has come to part ways with Jocketty.
That's probably closer to how I feel about it. The Cardinals need to get everyone on the same page, find talented people to run both the big-league and minor-league operations without fighting turf wars against each other. Turf wars are just no way to succeed. I am going to miss Jocketty though; other than a few clunkers like the Haren-for-Mulder trade, he did phenomenal job for us. I sure hope the Cardinals find somebody good to replace him.
The national media has been highly critical: how can the Cardinals get rid of a GM as successful as Jocketty? How can they be so ungrateful as to give him the axe just a year after a world championship? Who do they think they can get who will do better than seven trips to the postseason, two pennants and a championship? Boy, is Bill DeWitt a stupid jerk!
I find that viewpoint irritating, superficial, and condescending. I think it takes some gall for espn.com columnists and etc. to parachute into a situation they know little about and appoint themselves judge, jury and executioner. But I have to concede that in the end they could be proved right in thinking getting rid of Jocketty is a mistake. The guy has, after all, been awfully successful in St. Louis.
In contrast, the local media has by and large been much more measured in its commentary. They know all about the rift in the front office between Jocketty and Luhnow, which is basically also a rift between Jocketty and DeWitt, since DeWitt appointed Luhnow. They recognize that DeWitt saw a farm system that was performing poorly and tried to do something about it. And that Jocketty refused to go along. They suggest that no one, not even someone with the track record of Jocketty, is bigger than the organization itself. They consider that all good things must come to an end, and perhaps the time has come to part ways with Jocketty.
That's probably closer to how I feel about it. The Cardinals need to get everyone on the same page, find talented people to run both the big-league and minor-league operations without fighting turf wars against each other. Turf wars are just no way to succeed. I am going to miss Jocketty though; other than a few clunkers like the Haren-for-Mulder trade, he did phenomenal job for us. I sure hope the Cardinals find somebody good to replace him.
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Was this move talked about before the firing or did it take the locals by surprise.
I don't fault Jocketty for the Mulder trade. Most baseball people were fine with that move when it was made, and hindsight is a safe place from which to heave grenades, but not very sporting. But the wisdom of letting so many free agent pitchers leave without solid replacements this past year was curious.
I also wonder if the ouster of Jocketty is tied in any way to the possible return or departure of LaRussa. That, I think, is the bigger issue. LaRussa and Duncan are a prize team that is not easily replaced.
oLd sKool
I don't fault Jocketty for the Mulder trade. Most baseball people were fine with that move when it was made, and hindsight is a safe place from which to heave grenades, but not very sporting. But the wisdom of letting so many free agent pitchers leave without solid replacements this past year was curious.
I also wonder if the ouster of Jocketty is tied in any way to the possible return or departure of LaRussa. That, I think, is the bigger issue. LaRussa and Duncan are a prize team that is not easily replaced.
oLd sKool
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mizzoupacers
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The infighting in the front office was well-reported locally, and it led to quite a bit of speculation that Jocketty might quit. But I think it was a shock that he got fired (which is basically what happened). So, not a complete shock that he is gone, but the way it happened was pretty unexpected.
BTW, I don't blame the Cardinals at all for letting Suppan, Marquis, and Weaver leave last winter. Those guys are all now overpaid mediocrities and the teams that signed them are going to end up regretting it if they don't already. (Well Weaver only got a one-year deal so he's already done, but I doubt Seattle was very happy with his performance this season.) We were lucky to win a championship with them; it wasn't likely to happen again.
My gut feeling is that La Russa is gone, but I guess we'll wait and see. I hope he comes back. He's not particularly likeable, but he's a really good manager.
BTW, I don't blame the Cardinals at all for letting Suppan, Marquis, and Weaver leave last winter. Those guys are all now overpaid mediocrities and the teams that signed them are going to end up regretting it if they don't already. (Well Weaver only got a one-year deal so he's already done, but I doubt Seattle was very happy with his performance this season.) We were lucky to win a championship with them; it wasn't likely to happen again.
My gut feeling is that La Russa is gone, but I guess we'll wait and see. I hope he comes back. He's not particularly likeable, but he's a really good manager.
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mizzoupacers
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This is probably the best explanation we are going to receive as to why Jocketty was dismissed:
link
Written by a respected Post-Dispatch staffer who knows the Cardinals well.
link
Written by a respected Post-Dispatch staffer who knows the Cardinals well.