The verbal punches Jack McKeon threw at Reds management were subtle. McKeon, 69, fired Monday as Cincinnati's manager, tweaked the club's nose and even bloodied it without appearing the least bit hostile.

        “There's no need to rip or downgrade people,” said McKeon, whose son, Kasey, recently was named the team's scouting director. “I appreciated the opportunity I was given by the Reds.”

        But after saying his termination didn't surprise him — “I kind of anticipated that with all of the speculation going on” — he said, almost under his breath, “... and everybody contesting for my job.”

        Citing two of his late ex-bosses, owners Ray Kroc of the San Diego Padres and Ewing Kauffman of the Kansas City Royals, McKeon said, “I'll say one thing about Ray Kroc and Ewing Kauff man: They always rewarded producers.”

        McKeon produced 181 victories in two seasons.

        On July 25, 1997, the Reds summoned McKeon to replace Ray Knight and restore order to a mostly young, confused team. “We really had a mess down there,” Reds general manager Jim Bowden said.

        Under McKeon's watch, the Reds became contenders.

        “It seems like I always get a job to help build something up,” he said, “and then it's goodbye.”

        That's the way many terminations unfold in baseball, which never has been known for fairness in hiring or firing. When it was pointed out to him that the news release of his dismissal included a quotation from Bowden saying the club wanted to “take a different direction,” McKeon, a former Padres GM, chuckled and said, “That's the common term to use. I probably used it myself.”

        McKeon's farewell included some pointed remarks. He had no trouble interpreting the contrast between the one-year contract extension he received after last season and the multi-year deals coaches Ken Griffey Sr., Don Gullett, Tom Hume and Ron Oester signed.

        “That was probably a telling tale right there. You can read between the lines,” McKeon said. “Maybe they didn't have that kind of faith in you then.”

        McKeon said Bowden told him “a couple or three months ago” that he was “working on” a contract extension. Bowden, speaking at a separate news conference, said the subject came up June 1.

        “We were in first place at the time,” Bowden said. “He and I had a discussion about his contract status. I told him at that time we were taking it under advisement.”

        McKeon hopes to stay in baseball, probably as a scout or consultant for another organization.

        “I've been on the road for 51 years. This is part of my life,” he said. “I'm too young to think about retiring ... Plus, I don't think my wife (Carol) could stand having me around the house for over two weeks.”

        His eyes glistening, McKeon reiterated his gratitude toward Reds fans, many of whom he encountered at favorite haunts such as Graeter's, Straus Tobacconist and the Montgomery Inn Boathouse. “I think the fans appreciated what we tried to do here,” he said.

        McKeon also said his best moment as Reds manager is yet to come.

        “I think the most enjoyable thing I'm going to get out of this is when they move into the new stadium and win,” he said. “Maybe I played a little part in giving some of these young guys an opportunity to develop into stars and successful players. There are a lot of good guys on this club. A lot of guys I probably wouldn't want to run into today. Because it would be very emotional.”

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