5 MLB front office shakeups that could happen in 2022
By Bill Felber
4. Cincinnati Reds
When Dick Williams was promoted to team president following the end of the 2017 season, Nick Krall was named general manager in his place. Krall’s responsibilities were expanded to encompass Williams’ duties when Williams retired in 2020.
Krall’s tenure has not been an especially rewarding period for Reds fans. The team has played two postseason games in that time, both in 2020 under the COVID-driven expanded format. The Reds lost both games.
They are 304-364, a .442 percentage under Williams/Krall or Krall alone, and sit at 48-74 this season on a course to finish dead last in the NL Central, a consensus pick as baseball’s worst division.
If it holds up, their current .393 winning percentage would be the franchise’s worst since 1982. Beyond that, Krall — like Beane in Oakland — is working on an open-ended contract meaning he can be jettisoned at almost any point.
At fewer than 19,000 fans per game, the Reds’ fan situation isn’t as bad as the A’s — nobody’s is — but it’s also far from sufficient.
Beyond that, team owner Bob Castellini does not have a reputation for patience with his front office team. He’s already swapped out four front office leaders in 16 seasons, so he’s right on schedule for another change at the top. Until Krall, only Walt Jocketty managed to last more than three seasons as a GM for Castellini. Krall is completing his fifth season.
It would be surprising if there was a sixth in his future.