By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jim Bowden was baseball's boy wonder when he took over as the Reds' general manager Oct. 16, 1992.

At 31, he was the youngest general manager in the game and when he was fired Monday, his 11 years on the job gave him the second-longest active tenure of any GM in the game.

He'll be remembered in Cincinnati for his aggressive moves, his sometimes-brusque personality and for engineering the trade that brought Ken Griffey Jr. to the Reds in 2000.

In the end, though, his failure to find capable pitchers cost him his job.

"We have not developed starting pitching," said John Allen, the Reds' chief operating officer. "We've got to focus on that. We will focus on that."

Bowden did not return phone calls.

Bowden, 42, joined the Reds in 1990 as an administrative assistant for scouting and player development.

He was promoted to director of player development in 1991 and was named general manager the following year, replacing Bob Quinn.

There was a time when Bowden was highly regarded in baseball as one of the game's young, cutting-edge general managers capable of assembling a competitive team regardless of the Reds' small-market financial limitations.

He seemed to have a knack for rejuvenating the careers of former stars such as Ron Gant, Eric Davis, Jose Rijo, Jeff Brantley and Pete Harnisch.

Bowden also was known for pulling off startling trades and making bold pronouncements about players he had acquired.

Shortly after signing relief pitcher Jeff Shaw to a new contract in 1998 after Shaw had been named the Reds' only All-Star representative, he traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers during the All-Star break for first baseman Paul Konerko.

Earlier that year, he had traded Dave Burba, his Opening Day starter, to the Cleveland Indians for Sean Casey the day before the season began.

He promised a competitive team by the time the club moved into its new ballpark this year, but had trouble sticking to a plan for the long haul.

"I still think Jim Bowden is going to be one of the best general managers in baseball," Casey said. "For what he was given here, he did the best he could to field the best team.

"... I think he has one of the best minds in baseball."

But he could be cold and ruthless in his personal dealings. He fired Tony Perez as Reds manager in 1993 after just 44 games into the season and gave him the news over the phone.

He hired Bob Boone as manager after he offered the job to Ron Oester.

Although he alienated some members of the Reds' front office, others remained loyal to him.

"Jim has given me so much, as far as an opportunity to grow," said assistant general manager Brad Kullman.

Bowden often said his worst trade was the one that sent Paul O'Neill to the New York Yankees in 1993 for Roberto Kelly.

Among his best was the trade for Greg Vaughn in 1999 that provided the Reds with a power hitter who carried them to a one-game playoff for the National League wild-card berth.

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E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com