Braves reverse field, make right call firing Larry Parrish
Larry Parrish
(UPDATED: 5 p.m.)
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez had said Thursday that his entire coaching staff would be back, including hitting coach Larry Parrish. Either he changed his mind or somebody changed it for him.
The Braves announced Friday that Parrish will not be back after one horrible season. Who ever made the decision — Gonzalez or general manager Frank Wren — it was the correct one.
Fredi Gonzalez
Wren’s name, but not Gonzalez’, is on the news release, which was emailed at 3:40 p.m.
According to our David O’Brien, Wren met with Parrish Thursday afternoon and made the decision to fire him after no being satisfied with Parrish’s answers.
Parrish’s biography was immediately removed from the team’s website.
Somebody needed to be held accountable for the Braves’ going 10-20 down the stretch of the season and missing the playoffs.
There was no excuse for the Braves’ offensive woes for much of this season. It can be debated just how much blame or credit a hitting coach should get for a player’s fortunes. But the team’s collective shortcomings were so glaring this season that a change seemed unavoidable, which is why many were surprised when Gonzalez quickly stated that Parrish would be back.
The news release was brief:
ATLANTA, Ga. – Atlanta Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager Frank Wren announced today that hitting coach Larry Parrish will not return for the 2012 season. A search for a new hitting coach will begin immediately.
The remainder of the Braves staff, including bench coach Carlos Tosca, pitching coach Roger McDowell, first-base coach Terry Pendleton, third-base coach Brian Snitker and bullpen coach Eddie Perez, will all return for 2012.
As O’Brien reported in his blog, the Braves ranked 26th in the majors in batting average (.243) and on-base percentage (.308) after finishing fourth in on-base percentage (.339) under former hitting coach Terry Pendleton. They also hit only .205 in the final 12 games (3-9) and .195 with runners in scoring position in September.
When he originally announced Parrish would be retained, Gonzalez said: “I think if you hire people, let them do their job. … It’s easy to fire somebody and throw somebody to the wolves. That’s not the way I work.”
By Jeff Schultz
•
Follow me on Twitter @JeffSchultzAJC; friend me at Facebook.com/JeffSchultzAJC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
324 comments Add your comment
Piedmont Blues
September 30th, 2011
4:38 pm
Three guys with Braves ties have been successful major league hitting coaches: Chris Chambliss, Gerald Perry, and Milt Thompson. And of course, Don Baylor was here in the Bobby era.
Kimbrel rocks
September 30th, 2011
4:39 pm
best news all year!!!!!
Innocent Bystander
September 30th, 2011
4:39 pm
McCann’s dad and/or brother.
P'cola Brave
September 30th, 2011
4:39 pm
If I remember correctly it was Wren’s decision to hire Parrish not FG. So with that being said, Wren manned up and got rid of his mistake. I don’t think he went behind FG back for this. It seems that LP was Wrens man and if he wasn’t working out it would be Wren letting him go.
meh
September 30th, 2011
4:40 pm
they need someone who can teach the hitters that driving someone in from second base doesn’t mean hitting a 500 foot home run.
freshd
September 30th, 2011
4:42 pm
sorry to hear about Don Baylor.
BOB
September 30th, 2011
4:42 pm
how about Joe Simpson? I think he would make a awesome Hitting coach for the Braves based on his Commentary in the Booth. That man knows alot about hitting.
Kissinger
September 30th, 2011
4:43 pm
I honestly don’t know what a hitting coach does in the major leagues. Seems to me each player could have his own swing coach or not (kind of like golf). They should already know about situational hitting if they got to this level. The manager can tell them to work the count. Firing Parrish will make everyone feel better (me included), but it may be like replacing the wiper blades when the engine needs an overhaul.
GB
September 30th, 2011
4:43 pm
I’ll take the job. Quit swinging at bad pitches! Swing hard in case you hit it!!
phil
September 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
Fire LP!!
Wait?
What?
This is a good start. It’s also funny as heck that FG’s moronic and thoughtless decision to keep such a pitiful coach was almost immediately overruled. GOOD RIDDANCE!!
However…
until FG is canned or quits on his own, I will still not be attending any games. Why should we?
Well done, FW, but don’t stop now.
Larry
September 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
What an insult to our intelligence!
A hitting coach at the MLB level is nothing more than a guy to run batting practice.
No, the guy that shoul have been terminated is the same guy that cost this team multiple wins from stupid lineups, stupid pitching decisions, and failing to inspire and lead his team to the stated goal of the playoffs when spotted a 3 game lead with 5 to go!
Don’t buy into this, Braves fans. Don’t let this man, Parish, be the scapegoat for Fruity. Demand the best for your time, money, and support by not buying a single ticket to a game until we get a manager and leader that can at least recall the simple facts and details of the game he just managed.
We blew it by pacifying Bobby when we had a golden opportunity to get Girardi when ge quit the Marlins (unlike our manager that they ran off). There’s a bright, articulate man up in Boston with two World Series Championship Rings…don’t blow it again, Braves!
Hire Francona and I’ll renew in a heartbeat!
GoldJacket
September 30th, 2011
4:44 pm
@GB: Alright, Ryan Klesko
Bob
September 30th, 2011
4:45 pm
Maybe Fredi will take this move, which is great. as a slap in the face and resign. That would be the best news of the day
GB
September 30th, 2011
4:46 pm
@GoldJacket: That does sound like Klesko, doesn’t it?!
GB
September 30th, 2011
4:47 pm
Oh yeah, THWG
ijudgenot
September 30th, 2011
4:48 pm
Wow. Either Fredi is a liar because he said his whole staff would be back, or he is a coward who will not stand up for his coaches, when he said he did not operate that way. Either way his respect from his coaches and players is shot. I realy can’t see how he manages the team next year with success. His players and coaches can’t trust his word anymore.
wes33
September 30th, 2011
4:49 pm
Terry screwed up Jeff now look at him. Get the Royals coach.
Matt from MN
September 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
Fredi G needs to pull his head out of his “you know where” or he’s going to be gone in short order as well.
The Braves Bats
September 30th, 2011
4:50 pm
Yeah!! Yeah!! We have finally been released from an entire year of imprisonment. Parrish didn’t know s___t about teaching hitting.
Jay Dubu
September 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
Fredi, you lied to us!!!
Don
September 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
Make Fredi next!!!!!!!
AP News
September 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
Breaking News!! Frank Wren of the Atlanta Braves has announced that Greg Norton was hired to be the new hitting coach.
roge
September 30th, 2011
4:53 pm
Gold Jacket, how long have you been watching the Braves? Murph, get real, he looked sick when they threw him curve balls.
STEELY DAN MAN
September 30th, 2011
4:54 pm
GO BRAVES ….. AND TAKE THE HAWKS & FALCONS W/ YOU ….. ALL THE WAY TO ….. WINNERSVILLE, BABY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HARDCORE ATL ALL THE WAY !!!!!!!!!
joemoedee
September 30th, 2011
4:55 pm
So Fire Fredi who dealt with injuries, year long slumps and rookies which caused them to fall out of the playoff race to hire a guy in Francona who just led an even bigger collapse with twice the payroll? Seems brilliant.
Ever see Francona’s record NOT with Boston? 285-363
Dennis Reynolds
September 30th, 2011
4:55 pm
I thought it was far-fetched at first, but I can see Fredi being let go after next season if we don’t make playoffs.
Larry G
September 30th, 2011
4:56 pm
Just remember, before further lambasting Fredi Gonzalez, et al, that most of this team was inherited from Bobby Cox, who could win a division title in a breeze, but couldnt’ take the Braves any farther, except once. Give Fredi some more chances. He can’t do worse than BC.
Larry
September 30th, 2011
4:57 pm
Kissinger,
I played nine years. A hitting coach has absolutely minimal influence on a hitter by the time he’s in a major league uniform. Yes, that may offer a suggestion or two to tweak this or that with a certain unduvidual but nothing more. Everyone on here celebrating the firing of Parish never played the game at a high level…they haven’t a clue!
Parish is the scapegoat here for a managerial failure. Don’t be stupid enough to watch this man’s public crucifixion while the real culprits, Fruity and the man who retains him, thin skin Wren, walks away free and clear.
Don’t be a victim…be a difference! Make a difference by withholding your money!
Art
September 30th, 2011
4:58 pm
Didn’t I hear that the hitting coach at Greenville, Dismuke, helped a number of players after they got to the big leagues or where under injury rrehab including McLouth and others.
ernisTbass
September 30th, 2011
4:59 pm
the Braves had a hitting coach????????
Nashville Braves
September 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
At first Fredie Gonzo was a good idea to replace Bobby C. Now I’m not so sure if Fredie is the kind of leader we’re looking for. Too may questionable calls and he pushed the wrong bottom most of the times.
I say bring back Old Bobby or Davey Johnson away from the Nationals.
Mike
September 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
Fredi! You’re next! At least I hope so…
Jay Dubu
September 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
Don Baylor did a great job when he was here. Helped Andruw hit .303, and the closest he’s ever come to that is .277.
Memphis
September 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
I have an out of the box name. He’s been in the Braves Minor League System for over 10 years. He’s worked with everyone from Chipper to Heyward, from Prado to Mac. His name is Bobby Moore. He knows hitting, and would make a great hire. The Yankees hired from within a few years ago (current hitting coach) Kevin Long, and I know you’ll say that you or I could coach the Yanks but he’s done wonders for Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher and others.
rash
September 30th, 2011
5:00 pm
hell yeah!!! now get lowe out of atl and get fredi g out of here then we can put a few pieces together and return to the playoffs…. way to go wren
Stinger2
September 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
Why would anyone want Francona whose team had a worse collapse than the Braves. Also, why put all the blame on Parrish. There were several other reasons which have all been documented by the fans and AJC writers.
hmmmm.........
September 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
They should go after the rangers hitting coach. He’s one of the best and pay him whatever it takes!
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
September 30th, 2011
5:01 pm
A cardboard cutout of Jeff (8mm) Blauser would be an improvement.
hmmmm.........
September 30th, 2011
5:02 pm
Old hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo
rash
September 30th, 2011
5:02 pm
hire chippers daddy
Felix
September 30th, 2011
5:02 pm
Just read the news about Parrish. What took so long? He should have been canned 3 months ago. Look at the mess he has made of Jason. Jason was a much better hitter till Parrish screwed him up. Prado’s now a mess too. Someone needs to be canned for not firing him sooner. Where I work, you don’t produce, you get fired. Hell, TP was light years a better hitting coach than Parrish. Where did they get Parrish from anyway? I never heard anything about him having a great reputation as a hitting coach–yet Frodo went out and hired him.
I’d like to see Clarence Jones in that job–until Chipper retires.
Big Wally
September 30th, 2011
5:03 pm
Fredi G. is looking more like Mel Brooks’ governor role in blazing saddles.
Felix
September 30th, 2011
5:03 pm
Enter your comments here
rally
September 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
If Francona does not land elsewhere (Like the White Sox), he could be an option in the future. Maybe he sits out a year and then comes to the Braves. After all, Francona and Frank Wren were teammates in the Expos farm system. Not saying that I would be for the change just that it is a possibility.
Felix
September 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
The Mel Brooks ‘GOV’ analogy is great–cracked me up.
Tucson AZ
September 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
There is a god!Thank whoever for firing Larry Parish.It Instills a little more faith in the Braves management.Now if only FG was gone,it would be a very Merry Christmas!
hmmmm.........
September 30th, 2011
5:04 pm
Trade Lowe and getting a powerhitting lf. Then just move Prado around and rest guys
USAF Retired
September 30th, 2011
5:05 pm
Point is Fredi, you do hire somebody and let them do their job up to the point that they prove they cannot do the job…Personally I think the “Peter Principle” is in full effect in the manager’s position…Fredi appears not to be up to the requirments of top level management.
STEELY DAN MAN
September 30th, 2011
5:05 pm
FRUITY GONZALEZ … THAT’S RICH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mitchell
September 30th, 2011
5:06 pm
Just in time for the playoffs.