By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Miley

A decade and a half removed from managing in the South Atlantic League, Dave Miley got the call today that he'd waited on for so long.

The firing of Reds manager Bob Boone allowed for Miley to step in as Cincinnati's interim manager for the remainder of the season.

The 41-year-old, who was drafted by the Reds and caught seven seasons in their minor-league system, has managed Cincinnati's Triple-A affiliate since 1996.

"It's a dream come true," said Miley, who has led Louisville for the past four seasons and will join the Reds today. "There aren't a whole lot of people that have spent that many years in an organization.

"To have a chance to go up there at the major-league level with the organization that you were drafted by and been in for this long, I'm very excited."

The Tampa resident earned the chance.

Honored as a manager of the year in the Southern and International League's, Miley had compiled a 1,115-841 record as a minor-league manager through Sunday.

"He's been very loyal to our organization," Reds chief operating officer John Allen said. "In his situation, especially, let's see what he can do.

"But it's also, 'Hey, Dave you've done a great job.' And there's a little bit of a reward in the thinking there, also. I'm excited to see what Dave can do."

Most impressive about Miley, who was the Reds' bench coach under Tony Perez in 1993 and an assistant minor league field coordinator in 1994, is the respect he already has in the clubhouse and front office.

"He's a very astute guy that is fun-loving and easy-going," Reds third base coach Ray Knight said. "But he expects things to be done correctly.

"This is a guy that has had so much to do with the development of everybody in this organization."

Eight of the nine players in the Reds starting lineup today, and 19 of 25 on the active roster, have spent time playing for Miley in the minors.

"He respects you as gentlemen, ballplayers and professionals," closer Scott Williamson said. "He just lets you go out there and play the game."

Whether or not Miley is considered the long-term solution is undetermined.

The Reds, according to Allen, will conduct "an extensive search," that may not conclude until after the World Series.

"I'm just going to go up there and do what I've done in the past," Miley said. "I've got a philosophy that may or may not be the same or different than a lot of managers.

"My goal is to go up there and hopefully we can get these guys on a run, just go up and do the best I can from the standpoint of managing in the major leagues."