[Stardust]

Had anyone even heard anything about this going on? This was news to me. Looks like Ole' leather pants is going to get deinged pretty good.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090.../303010009

VIERA, Fla. – Former Reds general manager Jim Bowden resigned Sunday as the Washington Nationals GM under the cloud of a federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to Latin American prospects.

Bowden has maintained his innocence in the matter, but said Sunday, “I've become a distraction.”

“It's an emotional decision. It saddens me. But I feel it's in the best interest of two of the things I love the most, and that's the Washington Nationals and baseball,” Bowden added.

Bowden met last year with FBI investigators looking into allegations of skimming of signing bonuses, and it was reported last weekend by SI.com that Bowden's actions are being looked at as far back as 1994, when he was GM of the Reds.

Seated at a table with Nationals president Stan Kasten before a small contingent of reporters and team officials, Bowden read from a prepared statement, sometimes deviating from the script as he struggled to contain his emotions.

“I am disappointed by the media reports regarding investigations into any of my professional activities,” Bowden, 47, said in his statement. “There have been no charges made, and there has been no indication that parties have found any wrongdoing on my part.”

Bowden's resignation came three days after Reds pitching great Jose Rijo, a special assistant to Bowden, was fired by the Nationals.

That was fallout from a Major League Baseball investigation that determined a top baseball prospect from the Dominican Republic who received a $1.4 million signing bonus from the Nationals lied about his age and name.

“We all believe it is imperative that we honor the integrity of the game and that fans be able to concentrate their attention and affections on the game and players on the field,” Kasten said in a team-issued statement. “Jim has maintained his innocence, but recognized that he had become a distraction, and with great grace determined to do what was best for the team and his players.”

At 31, Bowden became the youngest general manager of a major league franchise when he took over the Reds front office in 1992. He was demonized by Reds fans for firing first-year manager Tony Perez after just 44 games in 1993. During Bowden's 10 years, the Reds traded for Ken Griffey Jr. and made the playoffs once - losing the 1995 NLCS to the Braves in four games.

The Reds filed a grievance against Bowden and the Nationals over a trade for reliever Gary Majewski in 2006. The Reds claimed Majewski was damaged goods, but Major League Baseball absolved the Bowden..........