McKeon Expected to Manage Marlins

Buster Olney is reporting that Jack McKeon is expected to take over as the Florida Marlins’ interim manager.  The job became available earlier today when Edwin Rodriguez stepped down.

McKeon led the Marlins to their last World Series victory in 2003, his first year with the team.  He managed the club for 3 seasons, holding an overall record of 448-241.

Kansas City gave McKeon his first shot as manager in 1973.  The Royals also became the first of 3 clubs to fire McKeon, as the skipper was also relieved of his duties by the Oakland A’s and San Diego Padres.

However, McKeon would not go away.  He became the manager of the Reds in 1997 and was voted Manager of the Year in 1999 after leading the team to a mark of 96-67, a 19 game improvement from their 1998 season.

McKeon left Cincinnati in 2000 but couldn’t stay away from the game he loved for long.  He picked right back up with the Marlins in 2003.  McKeon was again voted Manager of the Year as he was able to lead Florida to a World Series victory against the New York Yankees, the very team he rooted for growing up as a child in New Jersey.

After stepping down as manger in 2005, McKeon has remained with the Marlins organization as ‘special assistant to the owner’.

It was reported earlier that the 80 year old was Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria’s top choice to lead the team in the wake of Rodriquez’s resignation.