From the AP’s Joe Kay :

The Cincinnati Reds have fired general manager Wayne Krivsky and replaced him with former St. Louis GM Walt Jocketty.

The Reds are off to their worst start in five years. The firing wasn’t as much a surprise as the timing.

Krivsky knew his job was in jeopardy when owner Bob Castellini hired Jocketty as a special consultant in January. The two were friends from Castellini’s days in the Cardinals’ ownership group.

Krivsky showed a fondness for signing older pitchers and making a flurry of trades. One of his most expensive decisions was giving left-handed reliever Mike Stanton a two-year, $5.5 million deal, far more than anyone else was offering. The tight-budget Reds got rid of him during spring training even though he was still owed $3.5 million.

Krivsky also pulled off an eight-player deal with Washington in 2006 that sent outfielder Austin Kearns and shortstop Felipe Lopez to the Nationals for relievers Gary Majewski and Bill Bray. The deal hasn’t made much of an impact for either team.

Cutting and pasting the above story was harder than you’d think. I can’t get much work done with the sound of Jim Bowden giggling like a hyena.