Great American Ball Park opened in 2003, with high expectations for a team led by local favorites, including outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr., shortstop Barry Larkin, reliever Danny Graves and first baseman Sean Casey. Although attendance improved considerably with the new ballpark, the team continued to lose. After years of promises that the club was rebuilding toward the opening of the new ballpark, General Manager Jim Bowden and manager Bob Boone were fired on July 28. This broke up the father-son combo of manager Bob Boone and third baseman Aaron Boone. Aaron was soon traded to the New York Yankees, where he would hit the series-winning home run of the 2003 ALCS over the Boston Red Sox. Following the season Dan O'Brien was hired as the Reds' 16th General Manager.