St. Louis-Walt Jocketty, three times executive of the Baseball Year and former General Manager of the Cardinals of San Luis and the Cincinnati reds, died. He was 74 years old.
Jocketty died in the Phoenix area, said the former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, to the team after talking to Jocketty Sue’s wife.
The cardinals announced death on Saturday. Jocketty had been fighting health problems for several years.
Before Saturday’s 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee brewers, the cardinals had a moment of silence for Jocketty.
The cardinals won the central division of the National League seven times under the leadership of Jocketty.
St. Louis also won national league championships in 2004 and 2006 and its tenth World Series title in 2006.
The 2006 championship, with a team that won 83 games in the regular season, finished a 24 -year -old drought.
“On behalf of the entire organization of the Cardinals of San Luis, I would like to offer condolences to the Walt family and its many friends,” said the president of the cardinals, Bill Dewitt Jr., in a statement. “Walt was our first GM when we bought the ball club and he helped our baseball operations through some of the most successful and memorable years.
“Hey, it is very surprised, but a lot of time remembered for its distinguished career in baseball.”
Jocketty broke into baseball with Oakland Athletics in 1980, winning a World series ring in 1989.
Jocketty became the general manager at St. Louis on October 14, 1994.
After the team was sold in 1995, the new property kept Jocketty at work.
His greatest movement was to hire the Russa in 1996. The two men had worked together in Oakland.
The Russa would become the most winning manager in the history of the cardinals and a member of the Hall of Fame.
Jocketty renewed the team list and in 1996 the cardinals returned to the postseason game for the first time in nine seasons.
In his mandate with St. Louis, Jocketty recruited or acquired stars such as Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina, Mark McGwire, Adam Wainright, Chris Carpenter, David Eckstein, Jason Isringhausen, Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and others.
With Jocketty to the helm, St. Louis gathered seven consecutive winning seasons.
In 2004 and 2005, the cardinals won more than 100 games.
He was appointed executive of the MLB year in 2000, 2004 and 2010.
Before the 2000 season, Jocketty became the first GM in the history of baseball to change for a winner of the 20 -year -old (Darryl Kold of Colorado) and a 40 -homron batter (Anaheim Edmonds) in the same low season.
After being fired by the cardinals in 2007, 11, 2008.
He was then appointed General Manager of Los Rojos after Wayne Krivsky was fired on April 23, 2008.
It served in that role until Dick Williams replaced him on December 27, 2016.
Jocketty was replaced by John Mozeliak in St. Louis.
“He was a great man,” Mozeliak said after Saturday’s game. “In terms of baseball, he loved it. His influence on me and this organization was enormous. Trying it to summarize it in a prayer or two is difficult, but its impact is something that I think will always be remembered. His legacy will age well.”
Despite replacing him when he was fired, Moseliak said the two remained close.
“That was a different moment or course,” said Mozeliak. “In the end, we ended up being friends again. We both understood that this is part of the business. I think I was proud of the success I ended up having.”
The Reds arrived at the playoffs three times when Jocketty served as GM, in 2010, 2012 and 2013. They have reached the playoffs only once.
Jocketty was hired in 1980 by Oakland. Jocketty spent 14 seasons in the ATS organization as director of Minor Leagues Operations, Director of Baseball Administration and as a man to the right to Sandy Alderson.
Duration of his time with Oakland helped athletics win three American league flags and the 1989 World Series.
Jocketty survives his wife and two children, Ashley and Joey.
