Jack McKeon's Handicap Turns Into An Advantage With Florida Marlins Loudmouth Owner

Jack McKeon's hearing problems may be a blessing and no one knows better than Joe Girardi.

Girardi now is gainfully employed with the New York Yankees.  He cut his managerial teeth with the Florida Marlins.  The standup former major league player, who also attended academically, prestigious Northwestern University, left after one season.

Joe Girardi 2006

Girardi chastised Florida owner, Jeff Loria, for yelling at umpires during a game.  Loria, who attended Yale University, should own better behavior than that.  An art dealer by trade, the Marlins media guide generously, credit Loria with the teams 2003 World Championship.  If money can't buy brains, it can at least purchase good publicity, no matter how fictitious.                                    

Loria and Freddie Gonzalez

  The rift erupted at a game Aug. 6, when Loria berated an umpire while sitting behind the plate. From the dugout, Girardi told or asked the owner to stop, witnesses said. Loria angrily left his seat and confronted Girardi after the game during a 90-minute clubhouse meeting.
From an Associate Press Story August 27, 2006

Trader Jack McKeon

Florida won in 2003 because a good baseball man in Jack McKeon.  McKeon is 80-years old and has the advantage of being hard of hearing.  That will prove crucial when his loudmouth, cocky owner is yelling baseball strategy from the stands.  Several former players have anecdotes about how Loria is an obnoxious fan, who yells baseball strategy about which he knows nothing from his seats close to the dugout.

That behavior is the main reason Girardi went into broadcasting for two years before surfacing as the Yankees' skipper.

Edwin Rodriguez

More recently Edwin Rodriguez resigned as Florida manager.  Rodriguez took over for Freddi Gonzalez, who got little backing from his classless owner, when he needed it.  Rodriguez paid his dues.  He managed in Tampa Bay's minor league system, helping them develop into World Series participants.

The Marlins finished last season strong and were just one game behind Philadelphia, 10-games over .500, just three weeks ago.  Rodriguez lost the services of Josh Johnson, who is one of the most coveted pitchers in baseball.  Florida fell on hard times, losing 17 of 18 games.

Loria is so quick to take credit for Florida's World Series victory over the Yankees in 2003 but do you think he would take any blame for a losing streak?  Not a chance, he won't.

"Rodriguez is a great guy and manager,"  Jonny Gomes said.  "He was the first manager I had as a professional in rookie ball.  He had a way of communicating with players of all types and backgrounds."

Rodriguez had patience with younger players and given the chance could have turned the losing streak around. Unfortunately an owner who thinks he knows baseball better than someone who has spent a lifetime in the game, was too tough to ignore and overcome.

McKeon won't have that problem.  McKeon has worked for people who had no business being involved with on-the-field baseball before, including Loria.  As a younger manager he had to put up with Charlie Finley, who owned the Oakland Athletics when "Trader Jack" was the skipper.

While McKeon, who was the Reds last manager to have a winning season until Dusty Baker, was in Cincinnati, he would tell stories about Finley.

According to McKeon, Finley would call him around seven o'clock am from Chicago, waking Trader Jack at five o'clock am Pacific Time.  "McKeon are you still in bed," Finley would ask.  "Only whores make money in bed."  Finley would tell McKeon to play one shortstop, who had six home runs over another who had two.  "I think we should go with more power tonight," Finley would say.  

McKeon had similar problems with Jim Bowden with the Reds.  Bowden, who conned and played politics to become a general manager, was more suited to running a fantasy baseball team than a flesh and blood major league team.  Bowden was enamored with power hitters and radar gun readings.  McKeon tried to educate the "Boy Wonder" but Bowden knew better.  McKeon got enough out of these big, slow power hitters to win for a couple years but the Reds were awful at developing talent under Bowden.

McKeon took over for Jeff Torborg in 2003 and managed to get into the playoffs as a wild card.  His team upset Baker and the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS that year.  The Marlins continued by shocking the Yankees in the World Series behind the young arms of Josh Beckett and Dontrelle Willis.  McKeon brought Willis up soon after taking over the Marlins.

Now the cigar smoking octogenarian is back as a big league manager.

"God bless him," Girardi said before the Yankees opened a three-game series against the Reds on Monday. "At 80 years old, I just hope, I'm able to move around."

Who knows, if Girardi's hearing wasn't so good, he might still be managing in Florida.