Braves collapse, and the shine just came off Fredi Gonzalez
Fredi Gonzalez watched as the Braves blew an 8½-game wild-card lead in 23 days. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
Fredi Gonzalez was quietly handed the Braves’ managerial job before Bobby Cox ever stepped out the door in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge deal, and nobody really had a problem with it.
He had the resume and the personality. Everybody liked and respected him. He knew the players, the organization and the city. The Braves weren’t making over the manager’s office as much as they were changing a light bulb.
Something went wrong.
This is not a “Fire Fredi Gonzalez” column. But we’ve just witnessed one of the worst collapses in sports history, and the Braves can’t just assume that a few roster tweaks are going to fix the problem. When a team goes 10-20 down the stretch — including 0-9 against their two biggest competitors (Philadelphia and St. Louis) — and loses three consecutive series to the division’s flotsam (Mets, Marlins, Nationals), this isn’t about just injuries or a few guys going into a slump.
The vibe was missing this season. That’s on Gonzalez. The team fell apart when it needed to come together, blowing an 8½-game lead in 23 days. That’s on Gonzalez. The Braves seemed tight and meek and borderline frightened, as if waiting, hoping, white-knuckle-praying for a playoff spot to just fall into their lap. They didn’t just take it, and didn’t play like they felt they deserved it.
That’s certainly on Gonzalez. The shine just came off the perfect replacement.
I understand this isn’t football. Managers make in-game decisions, but they aren’t calling plays. They change the lineup and the batting order. Gonzalez did that. He pulled Chipper Jones out of the No. 3 spot. He benched Jason Heyward.
Ultimately, the question is whether a manager is making a team better, making it believe. The Braves clearly weren’t, therefore Gonzalez clearly didn’t.
Even with injuries, this was twice the team that reached the postseason last year and lost three one-run games to the eventual World Series champions in San Francisco.
Gonzalez doesn’t need to go. But he needs to change. Or maybe someone. Gonzalez said Thursday that all of his coaches are coming back. But for all the screams from the cheap seats about former hitting coach Terry Pendleton, his replacement, Larry Parrish, didn’t bring anything to the table.
Maybe Gonzalez just needs to change himself. Maybe he came in and, consciously or subconsciously, didn’t want to disrupt things too much in the first season after Bobby Cox retired. It was such a feel-good season last year, that would be understandable. But if that was the strategy, it backfired.
When asked about the collapse following Wednesday’s final loss, Chipper Jones said, “It’s cruel, because probably nobody in Atlanta sports is probably under as much scrutiny as he is filling in for Bobby Cox. To have it slip away in late September, it’s cruel. It’s really cruel. It’s not indicative of the way this team played, the way he managed, and what we deserved in this situation.”
Not sure about the “deserved” part of that quote. The Braves just played 162 games. That’s enough time.
They blew it. They blew it like no team in Atlanta sports history. That blew it like few teams in all of sports history. The only people who aren’t saying today that they blew it live in Boston — because they have their own problems.
What just happened is mind-numbing. But even before the collapse, the Braves seemed to have chemistry issues. They never quite came together like most anticipated. This was a team that figured to challenge Philadelphia in the National League East and possibly for a World Series.
There aren’t a lot of tangible things we can pin on Gonzalez. He certainly stuck with Derek Lowe too long, and the decision to start him Tuesday over rookie Julio Teheran blew up in the manager’s face. He made the bold decision to go with Jose Constanza over the struggling Heyward in right field for several starts, which seemed to ignite the lineup. But then he switched back to Heyward, who is the better player, but still seemed to be a mess.
But it never should have come down to that decision, or to a few starts by Lowe. When a team goes 10-20 to close the season and gets swept at home in the last three games, the issues are bigger than that.
Implosions like this are on the manager. He didn’t make the team better. The Braves underachieved. And Gonzalez just lost the benefit of the doubt.
By Jeff Schultz
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845 comments Add your comment
SG10
September 29th, 2011
11:42 am
Jeff,
I don’t buy that completely. FG is at a disadvantage that he does not have resume of Francona. Again, role of the manager is overrated! How else do you explain Francona, Bochy, Manuels looking so good when they change the teams. At the ML level, there are very few bad managers. This game starts with the team and ends with the team. Tactically, I don’t think he could have done anything different. Okay, you can wonder why he went back to Heyward but I can understand his logic at the time that if we get Heyward started with 10 game lead then that would be awesome. It certainly appeared that his hand was forced in choosing Heyward (and Heyward had decent September). The only thing he could have really done is start Hinske in OF, Ross at catcher few times when both McCann and Hewyard strugglled. One thing is that is forgotten is that our pinch-hitters were really non-existent in the past couple of months. He could have done some more to get them started. Sticking with Lowe was bad but when we also had overworked bullpen issue, starting another rookie would have been difficult. When is the last time team reached and won a play-off game with 4 rookie starters and 1 rookie closer? I bet never.
Bachster
September 29th, 2011
11:43 am
I actually live in Reading, PA – one hour from Philly. Don’t let all those rumors fool ya!! Not all Phillies fans are animals!
TomB
September 29th, 2011
11:43 am
Dirty Dawg, I agree with what Deb said about Heywards lack of hustle, but she wasn’t fair to Francouer. Francouer may have had his issues with the bat, but he was the best defensive outfielder we’ve had since Andrew Jones. And you never had to worry about Francouer hustling on a play. I might add that if we had Francouer numbers in left this year instead of Heyward, we would have had a much stronger team.
TechRon
September 29th, 2011
11:44 am
Heads must roll from top to bottom. Total disgrace. I would keep about half of this team and none of the coaches or management. I would also can our candyass broadcasters, except for Don Sutton. I would get somebody who didn’t mind saying when the team was stinking it up. Skip Carey was like that. The Braves sucked for the last month, and all the broadcasters were doing is trying to tell people everyone was ok. We knew it wasn’t. I loved the “Fredi Gonzalez report” on the radio! What a joke! Why even have that feature if you aren’t going to have a meaningful exchange? Things are going to hell in a handbasket and they ask him softball questions. He says “well be fine.” Bunch of BS. Fire him.
aj
September 29th, 2011
11:44 am
This “epic collapse” should be no suprise for this town/state whether its UGA, Braves or Falcons a collapse when it counts is what they do best. I dont blame the Thrashers for leaving for Winnipeg. I say send the rest of the terams to winnapeg and start over.
Max
September 29th, 2011
11:45 am
Spoon: just go back and look attendance in the early 2000’s when the Braves were winning and Philly was losing and you will see that Atlanta attendance was much higher than Phillys. It is all about winning and losing brother. When you win you draw and when you lose you dont in most every city, so dont break your arm patting yourself on the back. Dont choke this year. With the best talent in baseball, if you dont win a WS this year, it will have been a crappy season for you.
BB
September 29th, 2011
11:45 am
Not making excuses for Fredi but…24 last at bat wins. The baseball gods even that stuff out. Very few winds by large margins, thus having to use the big three at far too often. The lack of consistent offense hurt this team. JHey needs help and not from LP; from someone that understands the science of hitting. Chipper is a HOF player and in the twilight of his career we get what we get but we should not depend on him to carry the team game in and game out. DUMP Lowe no matter what and as I have been saying since early in the year, trade JJ, I don’t believe he has ever ptiched 200 innings and remember who is agent is!
mike
September 29th, 2011
11:47 am
So, what’s the big deal, Shultz? Is your life any worse off because the Braves did not make the playoffs?
SG10
September 29th, 2011
11:48 am
I think FG had comparable season to BC’s last season with the Braves and the BC had one of the finest seasons in past 10 years that most people thought he should have won manager of the year. If Braves had won 1 more game then this column will sound completely different? How can 1 game out of 162 change it, in a rational thinking way?
Mitchell
September 29th, 2011
11:48 am
Bachster
September 29th, 2011
11:34 am
I live in Pennsylvania and of course am a HUGE Phillies fan. That said, I’m old enough to have lived both sides this situation. I’ve always had great respect for the Braves organization, but as a fan I can empathize with how difficult this late-season collapse was for Braves fans. It’s easy to point fingers right now – but it’s best to allow some time to pass before making any decisions about next years team. Are some changes necessary, no doubt! I can only begin to imagine how difficult last night was for baseball fans in Atlanta. Your organization is still class all the way – and I’m sure they’ll get things figured out in the off season. Look forward to more great games in 2012.
Well isn’t that nice?
What I wouldn’t give for one season that was anything like even ‘04 or ‘05. Let alone ‘95.
It is quite the reversal of fortune these days.
Best of luck in the playoffs. I’m not sure that I’m rooting for the Phillies but they should.
They’re better than anybody. They play the game right. They do everything right.
And they’re not total a-holes about it. Except Shane Victorino.
Here’s my question, would Shane Victorino had caught that ball in the 10th inning off Chipper’s bat?
I’m not entirely sure he would have.
Mitchell
September 29th, 2011
11:48 am
They should win, that is.
Pegg
September 29th, 2011
11:49 am
Everyone jawwing about Heyward needs to take a look at the Dodgers potential MVP named Matt Kemp. The baseball world was crabbing about the same type of thing… and look at him now.
Bachster
September 29th, 2011
11:49 am
Max: Be very careful because I seem to recall multiple Braves teams in the ’90’s that were the most talented in baseball – but only won one World Series! The playoffs are a whole different animal. Talent is great to have don’t misunderstand – but character is just as important.
southern hope
September 29th, 2011
11:49 am
I have to agree with this.
And if Gonzalez seemed to have a clue, I could live with it. In Boston, their coaches/managers are in despair, grief, shock, self-blaming…a tsunami of emotion. Here we talk about Pence doing this and another player doing that…but how we’re overall a great team. No fire, no true emotion…just a bookkeeper approach to an emotional game.
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
11:50 am
Get em next year…..what else is there to say as a fan? We cant control anything from our keyboards. Everyone is frustrated/sad/depressed/angry/plotting to figure our which Starbucks Fredi goes to to give him a piece of your mind. But in reality, you just have to blow it off and look forward to what this team will be able to do next season. I hate the people who get on here trying to be the voice of reason because this is where we go to vent, but this is baseball. This is how it goes. Gotta roll with it, stand by your team and hope for the best for next year.
Changes need to be made starting from the top. I, personally, am writing a letter to Frank Wren.
jojo
September 29th, 2011
11:51 am
Totally agree with every thing that LUKE said..We could start with getting rid of Derek Lowe,casting a careful eye on our right fielder,Hayward is not looking good. A stronger Bullpen minus Linebrink,Sherrill. Could be time to look for someone to replace Chipper. We need to replace about 6 or 7 players,not the manager.
Teddy Ball Game
September 29th, 2011
11:51 am
Atlanta, always has been and always will be loserville USA.
Belcher
September 29th, 2011
11:51 am
The Braves do not need Heyward’s attitude on the team. Trade bait!!!!
terpsman
September 29th, 2011
11:51 am
One would think with Hanson and Jurrjens in the lineup the Braves would have won one or two more games but lack of clutch hitting was the main reason. In September they lost all four extra inning games and scored a total of 11 runs in their last 7 games losing 6 of them. Hitting is a mess…
Kurt Cobain
September 29th, 2011
11:51 am
Bravos: I know what I would do if I had a late Fall meltdown, and I am a Mariners fan…
Pauls Johnson
September 29th, 2011
11:51 am
Lowe will NOT be back next year.. We will eat most or all of that 15 Mil
Klaus
September 29th, 2011
11:52 am
The person that should get the heat is Wren and FO. They interviewed no one but instead had a 4 hr BBQ in AL and gave Fredi the job. I would say interviewing Gibson before AZ gave him the job would have been a good idea. But no Wren is all knowing and all seeing. He doesn’t need to follow a process or seek opinions outside the nepotistic bubble that is ATL Braves baseball.
Wren as a GM and an assistant GM has won nothing in his entire career. Stumbling into the WC last year b/c San Diego lost to SF doesn’t cut it. So until he wins something the guy cannot be given free reign b/c when he does he fails more than he succeeds.
He had 40mm spend in Dec of 2008 and he blew it plan and simple. No pitcher from that time frame is here and or here and producing great results.
Vaz was a rental. Good toss away to the Yanks but that was b/c they couldn’t afford him not b/c they thought he was about to face plant.
Lowe – crap
KK – bag of crap
Subsequent to that he cobbled together rentals for CF, 1B, LF and SS. He traded away Yunel b/c he had fire and b/c Bobby., Chipper and probably Mac didn’t care for his style of BB. Who cares what they think. BC was leaving, Chipper will be gone soon and Mac better worry about his chronic inconsistent play down the stretch.
This team needs an enema starting at the top. A hard charging new manager who knows what the heck he is doing and a complete overhaul on how they prepare players – major & minors for the regular season.
Pitchers who cannot make it past the 6th inning. Young guys dropping like flies from muscle strains and shoulder issues.
What the heck are these guys getting paid to do? Tool around on gold carts in Orlando and watch reruns of Maddux or Glavine games.
Wren should be fired along with McGuirk, JS and probably Fredi. I say probably b/c we don’t know what Fredi could have done with Pence and Bourne in the OF (they needed both) or someone who could actually hit playing SS.
If we leave Wren in charge he is going to put Pastorsky in at SS, leave Prado in LF, get some aging arm for the pen and tweak the bench.
Outside chance he trades for Quentin who will be asked to do too much and fail as a result.
This team needs Kemp in LF and Reyes at SS to shake off this funk of loserville.
Chip
September 29th, 2011
11:52 am
Look at the Cards — hungry to win and determined to win in every game in September. The Braves lacked that same passion or desire to actually win these last few weeks.
Janney
September 29th, 2011
11:53 am
Excellent article, Jeff. I totally agree.
My 2 Cents
September 29th, 2011
11:53 am
Atlanta sports teams are the worst. It’s a toss up between the Braves and Falcons as to which is the absolute worse. The Hawks don’t even come into the discussion. They are a bunch of minor league hoodlums.
FL dawg
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
I agree D lowe needs to go back to the pen. The Braves have enough Starting arms that are being held back. I agree Hanson apprears more solid than Jurrjens, maybe a blockbuster trade with him and Heyward would net the Braves a 3b/SS and OF help. Changes need to be made Wrem needs to get off the pot.
BravesFanSince1966
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
It’s one thing to lose an important game or have a bad week or even a bad month but it’s another to “fall from grace” (maybe a little strong but will use the term anyway) as this team did. Not sure how a team recovers from this kind of fall/collapse. If the Braves team that reassembles in late February of next year is the same as the one that slinked out of Turner Field last night then we will know that it is well within their DNA to collapse in the clutch. It was hard enough to watch. I cannot imagine how badly the players and coaches feel. And the poor announcers…what a tough job to night after night have to describe such a collapse.
D man
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
I wish I didn’t care about the Braves. This hurts…
Bachster
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
Mitchell – It’s true that all sports are cyclical and that what comes around eventually goes around. The Braves will have their glory days again. I know that doesn’t take the sting away from the current situation – but it is true. Thanks for the kind words about the current Phils – and yes – I do think Victorino would have caught Chipper’s ball.
Retired Solider
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
A few suggestions for what they are worth:
1. Need a new ss, a strain in the calf? Are you kidding me?
2. Need a right handed LF with pop. Prado replaces Jones at 3B if he retires or is part of the trade material if Jones comes back.
3. Lowe is the new KK, dump for whatever you can get for him.
4. Trade JJ & Hanson for the LF referenced above.
5. Re-commit to Hayward in RF & extend Bourn’s contract.
6. Release Linebrink.
7. Starting rotation is Hudson & the 4 best rookies of this year based on spring training performance plus Medlen.
8. Fire Fredi.
My thoughts, have a good day.
Bravesgrl
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
@ spoon divy-let the Phils hit rock bottom, and they will, and let’s see how many fans will show up at Citizens Bank Park. Don’t say it won’t happen because I remember the Phillies all too well when they sucked and the attendance was down to almost nothing. The Phils have an awesome pitching rotation, much like that of the Braves 90’s rotatation, but these guys can’t pitch for Phillies forever. I live for the day when every single Phillies fan has their heart stomped on, chewed up and spit out because their Phillies have bit the dust. And it will come. Much sooner than you think and when it does, let’s see how well these pathetic Philly fans take it.
Spud Webb
September 29th, 2011
11:55 am
Should be the fire freddy column, FIRE HIM….gotta start somewhere and w this collapse he should be gone, no questions asked. BYE BYE
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
11:56 am
I feel like my girlfriend just broke up with me.
Brown Eyed Girl!
September 29th, 2011
11:56 am
Sue me for seeming naive, but I just wanted to see that Major League moment when the one player’s desire to win becomes contagious to everyone else. I only saw two players last night that appeared to be truly hungry for the win: Michael Bourn and Chipper Jones. Everyone else seemed to be spaced out. As much as the announcers got on my nerves last night, they were right about one thing. When the cameras went to the Braves dugout late in the game, I was already seeing heads hanging before the game was over. They defeated themselves! You want to see fight, The Tampa Bay Rays refused to let the “Evil Empire” take it from them and you could see it all over that dugout! I don’t know what the problem was and at this point I don’t really care. They are still my team, but if they don’t figure something out over the next six months, next season is going to be equally short!
DS
September 29th, 2011
11:56 am
A disappointing end to the season for sure. Great article that sums it up nicely. Question – is Lowe signed through 2012 or is next year an option year for him?
heartofdarkness
September 29th, 2011
11:56 am
Implicit in your column is the assumption that the Braves were playing with winning cards all year, and only needed a competent play of the hand to take the pot. The pitching carried the team up to the all star break but the lineup was continuously shuffled to deal with injuries and lack of run production. In the second half, injuries hit the pitching staff and the Braves were able to bring up players from the minors to fill the loss of forty percent of the starting rotation. The team gambled that it could get an inning (or a out) from a couple of spots in the bullpen that rarely performed well this year (it should have been announced that the Braves were bringing an accelerant into the game, rather than a reliever). The combination of loss of stability in the starting rotation and necessary use of the effective relievers in the second half during an incredibly hot summer left the team with a worn out staff and an offense that never did well in driving runners in except during that brief moment after the Bourne trade when the team got markedly faster and the lineup seemed to be putting some pressure on opposing pitchers. Once Constanza was injured, the momentum was lost, on base percentage plummeted and the quality of situational hitting declined. Had the Braves not had the contributions of Minor, Delgado, Teheran, Martinez and Vizcaino they would have folded in early August and no one would have been surprised. No doubt, bad long term deals tied the organization’s ability to bring in more offense in the outfield earlier in the year.
Atlanta no longer has the luxury of bringing in an expensive veteran to fill a need in spring training or wait until August to shore up a supporting position to a stable core of players. They need to rebuild the core at the same time they continue to develop a supply of capable major league pitchers on the farm. Economics suggest the Braves will have to develop a focus on higher risk player development strategies, tying up less money in raw talent and more in under-appreciated player attributes that correlate to scoring runs and getting outs.
If Fredi can help put these players in positions to make them successful, he’s doing his job. He did a good job of that this year with a group of young question marks, fading veterans and plug-ins, and it can be reasonably argued, this team over-achieved.
Pauls Johnson
September 29th, 2011
11:57 am
Uggla showed up last night as well,,
Brown Eyed Girl!
September 29th, 2011
11:57 am
@Dennis Reynolds, and she didn’t give you back your favorite jacket!
Joseph F. McNulty
September 29th, 2011
11:59 am
Is anyone surprised? How important was this game to the Phillies? So important that, during the extra innings, the Phillies used pitchers who were NOT even on the roster and who had spent the entire year in the minors until September call-ups. Did the Braves take advantage of this? Of course not. They continued to swing a pitches that were balls and that were so far off the plate that they could not have been hit with a broom.
Why did Fredi not have Michael Bourn running when the rookie pitcher, apparently suffering an attack of nerves, having thrown a ball in the dirt to first, was subject to being rattled. Instead, Bourn was kept at first base while three batters futilely swung at pitches. So much for the distuptive effect of Michael Bourn’s speed. Once Kimbrel — who obviously is not the dominant pitcher he was in July — gave up the lead in the ninth inning, one could count on the Phillies, even without Ryan Howard, who was hit by a pitch and taken out as a precaution, scoring, while the Braves continued their hitting drought.
It was like a slow-motion car wreck, and they worst thing is that you had the feeling the you had seen it all before.
Some questions for the Braves. Is Scott Linebrink a bad relief pitcher or just “snake bit”? Somehow, when Linebrink came in (was Fredi’s pitching cupboard really that bare?), you had to think the end was near. What has happened to Jason Heyward? It almost appears that opposing pitchers have discoverd some whole in his swing. What has happened to Martin Prado, who seemed impossible to get out last year until he was hurt, and has never been the same since then? Is Chipper Jones really held together with bailing wire and duct tape? He is the closest thing the Braves have to a power hitter (at least since the collapse of Brian McCann), but he seems to pull a muscle every time he twitches. Is Brian McCann still having trouble with his eyes? Based on his hitting — or lack thereof — he is.
Finally, is Fredi’s “sang froid” (his Bobby Cox impression) helping? He had a “closed door” locker room meeting to tell the team, after a yesterday’s crucial loss (one of many) that he could not think of a group he would rather be with to face a big game. His attitude may work with a soccer team of 11 year olds, but is this the way you motivate grown professionals?
The Braves collapse is hard to believe, except they did something like this last year (but they still made the playoffs on the last day). Embarassing to all involved.
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
11:59 am
More like I saw another guy on the streets wearing my favorite jacket.
What's that?
September 29th, 2011
11:59 am
Chipper Jones is THE curse. His lack of enthusiam is contagious. The rest of the players see this bum getting paid millions for nothing. Can’t hit in CLUTCH situations, just gets a few RBI’s when it doesn’t matter. Mr. CHOKE come crunch time. Retire,PLEEEEEASE RETIRE.
Dennis Reynolds
September 29th, 2011
12:00 pm
And his name is Albert Pujols.
Bryan
September 29th, 2011
12:00 pm
Personally I think that Freddi and last night’s joke of a homeplate umpire need to go. That guy didn’t see an outside pitch or one over a guys head he didn’t call a strike. And while on that beat let’s trade Lowe for some new towels or whatever we can get.
Tom G
September 29th, 2011
12:01 pm
Ok season is over, I told you it would happen 6 weeks ago when you put JasonH back in lineup and sat Constanza down(1). Constanza is not All-World but he brought speed, speed, and more speed to lineup. We saw Bourne run wild last nite stealing 3 bases(even though umps missed the one at 3rd). That was exciting and gave us momentum and a spark at that time. I would like to know who’s idea it was to put JasonH back in lineup(Wren or Fredi)? (2) Kimbrel had not pitched in 5 days, one big reason why he was wild and thought he could thrown it 110mph. (3) Chipper (40 yrs old) still able to hit but can not play a decent 3rd because of mobility and worn-down body. Should not have been in game in extra innings.(4) Pence(looks like young Franceour) is a stud, we should have given Houston what they wanted in prospects and got both Bourne and Pence. The throw from RF to throw out Uggla at plate, we have seen before many times in 2006-2007. Never seen that from JasonH, really does not have skills do to that. (5) Prado is an IF not OF, quit switching him back and forth. (6) Runners on 1st and 2nd, no outs, next hitter should bunt them over, do not care if Aaron, Mantle or Ted Williams at plate. That would help eliminate hitting into DP and help our RISP stats. We just do not score enough when opportunity presents itself. Go get some players, like Pence, Stanton(Marlins) or even Frenchy(KC) for corner OF positions. Give up some pitching, we have got too much anyway. Season over!!
tom
September 29th, 2011
12:02 pm
steve brown — thank s for your contribution— thats what we all needed was some second guessing
tom
September 29th, 2011
12:03 pm
so brave of you steve brown to step out on alimb like that with that contribution———————————————————-should have never come down to this game– wasnt d lowes problem or costanza—– still sucks though—-
Jeff
September 29th, 2011
12:03 pm
The season is over and we lost. I would like an article on what changes we might see for next season to make this team better. I think we are OK with the pitching but the offense has to be addressed. Alex Gonzales must go, more production from 3B, and somehow we have to get Heyward and Prado out of their funk.
StingerSplash
September 29th, 2011
12:03 pm
JS,
Can’t believe you failed to touch on burning out the bullpen’s young arms, which manifested itself down the stretch.
nashvillewill
September 29th, 2011
12:04 pm
Aside from the many in-game tactical mistakes made both in this last game and throughout the season, Gonzales made many strategic mistakes as well, leading to this collapse. Among them:
O’Flarety was the Braves’ best and most experienced reliever and should have been named closer, certainly after Kimbrel began to falter down the stretch (I’m sorry what this does to the young kid’s ego, but blowing these games can’t help his ego either); switching Heyward back for Constanza after Constanza had provided a spark; acquiring and then using (!) Diaz; continuing to play Prado mired in the worst slump of his career; failing to turn Bourn loose on the bases; failing to bunt or squeeze-bunt in situations where runners were on third and less than two outs; overusing Venters and Kimbrel; failing to note the injury to JJ early on and starting him with a 85 mph fastball that other team’s players were commenting on; failing to bring up the young starters early and giving them in-season experience with the major league team; sticking with Lowe. Making any of these changes would have bought another win or two and prevented this debacle. I disagree with the sentiment that says give him more time. I say, Let him go. He has lost credibility with me, with the fan base, and with his players; I don’t see him earning it back.
tom
September 29th, 2011
12:04 pm
the offense stopped producing at the worst time of the yr– september— not pitching problem— simple