By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jack McKeon, the new manager of the Florida Marlins. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

Jack McKeon always knew that he'd manage again in the major leagues. He can't tell you exactly how he knew. You just have to take his word for it.

"I just had that feeling," McKeon said Monday in a telephone interview from San Diego. "I never pursued a job, but I thought down the line somebody would need someone to bail them out."

But even McKeon must have begun to wonder if his baseball career was over while he sat in Elon, N.C., watching games on satellite TV night after night for two years after the Reds chose not to renew his contract following the 2000 season.

Then the phone call came last Wednesday night at about 9 o'clock. It was Florida Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest, who asked McKeon if he'd be interested in taking over the Marlins.

McKeon flew to Ft. Lauderdale the next day to have lunch with Beinfest and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria.

Saturday night, after the Marlins lost for the seventh time in eight games to fall six games below .500, Beinfest made his move, hiring McKeon to replace Jeff Torborg as manager.

And just like that, McKeon was wearing a major league uniform again, running his fifth major league team. The Marlins won their first game under McKeon on Sunday, beating Colorado 7-2.

They began a three-game series in San Diego on Monday and will play the Reds at Great American Ball Park from May 23-25.

At the age of 72, McKeon is the oldest current manager in the major leagues.

"I feel young again," McKeon said. "I've been following the game . . . I missed the camaraderie with baseball people, getting around and seeing all the old faces."

With the Marlins, McKeon inherits a young team much like the Reds when he took over for Ray Knight in 1997. Two years later, he was named National League Manager of the Year for leading the Reds to 96 wins and a one-game playoff for the NL wild card berth, won by the New York Mets.

The Marlins have struggled with three starting pitchers on the disabled list. One of them - A..J. Burnett - is out for the season because of Tommy John surgery. The others are left-hander Mark Redman and right-hander Josh Beckett.

"It's a good, young club," McKeon said. "It lost some key ingredients in its pitching, which is the key to the ball club. Some young kids we brought in need to pick up the slack for two or three weeks until we get Redman and Beckett back."

McKeon, who also managed Kansas City, Oakland and San Diego, has developed a reputation for turning around struggling young clubs. With San Diego, he took over a team that started 16-30 and coaxed out 83 wins.

He took the Reds from eight games below .500 in his first full season in 1998, to the 96 wins in 1999.The Reds were 85-77 and finished second in the National League Central in 2000, his last year in Cincinnati.

During his three-plus years with the Reds, he was 291-259 overall, a .529 winning percentage, and the ninth-most victories in club history.

"I absolutely love working with young guys," McKeon said. "You seem to be able to get their attention. You instruct them the best you can and then you go out and let them play."

McKeon says he's been impressed from what he's seen of the Reds, although he wonders about their starting pitching. He has mostly fond memories of his days here, and added he bears no ill will toward General Manager Jim Bowden.

"You're always disappointed," he said. "I felt I did a good job. I felt the organization was in much better shape when I left than when I came in, but that's part of the game."

Are you experienced?

The five oldest men currently managing in Major League Baseball:

• Jack McKeon, 72, Marlins

• Felipe Alou, 68, Giants

• Frank Robinson, 67, Expos

• Joe Torre, 62, Yankees

• Bobby Cox, 61, Braves

The oldest three in MLB history:

• Connie Mack, 88, Athletics

• Casey Stengel, 75, Mets

• Jack McKeon, 72, Marlins