Former Cincinnati Managers Come Back in National League East

There is a Cincinnati flavor in the National League East as of Monday.

Davey Johnson 1995

Davey Johnson took the Washington Nationals after Jim Riggleman resigned after a contract dispute.  Riggleman was named interim manager two seasons ago when current Cleveland manager, Manny Acta, was fired.

Riggleman walked after the Nationals refused to ink him to a two-year contract.  Monday morning the team signed Johnson to a two-year deal.

Johnson took over the Reds in 1993, when "Boy Blunder" general manager, Jim Bowden III fired Tony Perez after just 44 games.  Johnson took the team the top of the Central Division in 1994 before a player's strike that canceled the season in August.  He led the Reds to the 1995 division title and a Division Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers before losing to the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS.

Jack McKeon 1997

Cincinnaiti owner, Marge Schott, ordered Johnson fired because he was living with his current wife before they were married.  The Reds wouldn't make the playoffs for the next 15 seasons.

Earlier the colorful, octogenarian manager of the Reds 1999 team, Jack McKeon took over the Florida Marlins after Edwin Rodriguez resigned the post.

McKeon took over for Johnson's successor, Ray Knight.  McKeon finished the 1997 season for the Reds, and posted a 33-30 record.  After a 77-85 campaign in 1998, the Reds won 96 games in 1999, finishing 1 1/2 games behind Houston but tied the New York Mets for the Wild Card.  The Mets defeated the Reds in a one-game playoff.  The 2000 Reds finished 10 games behind St. Louis and Jim Bowden, who traded for Ken Griffey Jr before the season, fired McKeon.

The Reds didn't have a winning season again until Dusty Baker led the team to the division title in 2010.