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
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324 comments Add your comment
Melvin Flowers
September 30th, 2011
5:38 pm
I SAID ALL ALONE THE BRAVES WERE NOT MAKEING THE PLAY-OFFS, FREDI SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED ALSO,
NO EXCUSE FOR NOT MAKEING PLAY-OFFS THIS SEASON, HE DON’T KNOW WHEN TO REMOVE A PITCHER WHEN NEEDED DURING THE GAMES. THE RED SOX TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS A FEW MIN AGO, THE PITCHING COACH AND FREDI MUST GO.
THE BRAVES NEED TO MAKE MOVES TO IMPROVE TO BEAT THE PHILLIES. IF NOT WE MIGHT BE IN THE SAME BOAT NEXT SEASON WATCHING TV NO POST SEASON.
Rich
September 30th, 2011
5:38 pm
You guys calling for Tito francona do realize his team just had a bigger collapse than the braves and they had double the payroll tha the braves had.
Supes
September 30th, 2011
5:38 pm
Good, this was a necessary move. SOMEONE had to be held accountable for this offensive collapse!
gabugman
September 30th, 2011
5:38 pm
Really, no more BS…fire Fredi too. If you’re stoopid enough to think there were not problems with the coaching, you should hit the trail, too.
markie mark
September 30th, 2011
5:42 pm
I agree with De Donde Julio – hire Larry Jones, Sr. if he will take it….
Melvin Flowers
September 30th, 2011
5:42 pm
LOWE MUST GO TOO: HE’S FINISH
Dude
September 30th, 2011
5:43 pm
Tony Gwynn!!!!!! This guy could stroke…please think outside of the box Mr. Wren.
Jim
September 30th, 2011
5:44 pm
Freddi and Snitker should be kicked to the curb too.
Larry Parrish
September 30th, 2011
5:45 pm
Just because I gave all the hitters a double dose of valium before each game, is no reason me.
kevkat
September 30th, 2011
5:45 pm
Good call….but half a season too late
Banned Poster
September 30th, 2011
5:47 pm
Rich….two different situations. Tito made managing decisions to fire up his team or get a spark (things Bobby used to do here). The whole month of September and even before then Fredo sat on his arse and didn’t try to shake things up until unfortunate events dictated him too (the Schafer injury(Constanza), the Prado/McClouth injuries(Schafer), McCann and Chippers injuries(moving Freeman and Uggla into the 3rd/4th spot in the order), etc… All season Fredo would not make a move to help jump start his team unless he was forced too and only then did the team really respond. And for some stupid reason he decided to go away from what worked from an offensive stand point (more Constanza, no Heyward on LH pitchers, more speed/running) and went back to his freaking opening day lineup sanz Michael Bourn. Fredo was clueless under pressure while Tito did everything he possibly could think of minus cloning Ted Williams or injecting Ortiz with steroids to get his team to respond in these last three weeks.
Hoosier Aaron
September 30th, 2011
5:50 pm
Mickey Hatcher – Hitting Coach
LA Angels of Anaheim or is it California Angels? Whatever – go get him.
Larry
September 30th, 2011
5:51 pm
Jeff,
Post the top vote getter for your poll on “who is the most to blame for the Braves collapse.”
Trust your readers!
extremus
September 30th, 2011
5:53 pm
Freddi Gonzalez should not be in a position after this collapse to declare that HE will even be back next season, much less the rest of his coaching staff. Firing Larry Parrish was only the FIRST thing that needs to happen this premature offseason for the Braves; Gonzalez should join Terry Francona in the “looking for jobs around baseball” circuit. And ditch Lowe, regardless of what he’s owed next year; better he sits at home counting his $15 million than spend another season on the mound losing games.
Wolf
September 30th, 2011
5:53 pm
Might have been a BIG hint to Fredi, Wren reversing Fredi’s decision 24 hours later. There MIGHT be another shoe to drop. It was over 100 years since a team blew the kind of lead the Braves had, a CENTURY. Fredi shuld resign and take another position in the organization.
Dr. Rambunz
September 30th, 2011
5:55 pm
When a team has good hitters who don’t hit someone has to pay the price. It should be the hitting coach. If the hitting coach can’t be blamed for poor hitting, then why hire one in the first place?
Wally
September 30th, 2011
5:56 pm
This last bad decision Fredi made yesterday makes him seem totally detached from what is really happening and how to fix it.
However, the team is made up of professional baseball players, not a bunch of high school kids. Some of them must share the blame with Parrish and follow him out. We can’t place all the blame for being ineffective on Parrish and Fredi and excuse the players.
I think this was Wren’s way of letting Fredi know there are other decision makers in the Braves organization.
One suggestion that I have not seen is that since they have to pay Chipper next season anyway, why not reassign him from third base player to batting coach for one year. This money, plus what they save by not having to pay another coach, might be better spent. Prado can play third base.
woody
September 30th, 2011
5:57 pm
chipper will be the next hitting coach.
Dr. Rambunz
September 30th, 2011
5:57 pm
Why not hire Glen Beck as hitting coach?
green
September 30th, 2011
5:58 pm
i THINK Gonalas needs to be fired. He had no respect for the team durin the game sitting on his sorry ASS NOT EVER TRYING TO get the team going.
Jack G
September 30th, 2011
5:58 pm
Wren going over Fredi’s head and fireing Parrish should tick Fredi off so much he RESIGNS. DO IT fREDI, SAVE FACE
bill
September 30th, 2011
5:58 pm
if fredi is so loyal should not he quit in protest. and i thought God was yankee fan
obee
September 30th, 2011
6:00 pm
Julio Franco
Dude
September 30th, 2011
6:01 pm
Wally
A 14million dollar hitting coach….seriously dude?
extremus
September 30th, 2011
6:01 pm
I think that the emphasis on “continuity” from Bobby Cox was one big thing that always held the Braves back in 2011. At first I liked the idea, but since then I’ve become convinced that the atmosphere of complacency and failure to decisively address problems is never going to allow things to get better unless THE ENTIRE COACHING STAFF GOES, including Freddi Gonzalez. If any team in baseball (winning record notwithstanding) needs a serious culture change to get the most (as opposed to the least) out of its players, it’s the Braves.
Some of these coaches may indeed be knowledgable and professional, but they all need to step aside and let a new manager and coaching staff imprint a fresh identity and sense of purpose on this franchise. Bobby’s gone, for better or for worse; deal with it and turn the page, and get somebody in here who will be able to get the job (winning a World Series) done, regardless of whether they’re a “players’ manager” or not.
Peter
September 30th, 2011
6:02 pm
The Rays are the Team of Destiny.
green
September 30th, 2011
6:02 pm
ididn’t so what does thst matter. he sux.
Simpson's Homer
September 30th, 2011
6:02 pm
Hire someone who demands accountability from ALL of the players. Every major league player should be CAPABLE of laying down a sacrifice bunt, for example. Saying that a guy like McCann or Uggla should NEVER have to bunt is simpleminded, and is one reason why the Braves can’t manufacture runs. It’s an ATTITUDE, of doing whatever it takes to score…… Playing for the 3-run homer has not worked well for the Braves in the playoffs, so maybe we should stop that focus in the regular season as well…….. Hire a hitting coach who will accept nothing but good fundamental offense from our players. In the past, guys like Glavine, Maddox and Smoltz were never automatic outs because they took pride in contributing offensively. ……GO BRAVES!
BaseballBuff
September 30th, 2011
6:03 pm
Parrish sure didn’t do much to help, or so it appears. However, I think the Braves are making a scapegoat of him if he is the only one to go. These are major leaguers, guys who should at least know how to make contact with a runner at third and less than two outs. He was not single-handedly responsible for the lack of timely hitting. Much more work remains to correct what ails the Braves. An on-field team leader, that is, someone who can hit in the clutch in important contests and can show the rest of the team the way, is an absolute must.
KME
September 30th, 2011
6:03 pm
LET THE CHANGES BEGIN…
I would get Pendleton to double duty…First base coach/batting coach…and why not?
Hey…I am very happy about this first change…and look-out…more to come!
Jack in Macon
September 30th, 2011
6:04 pm
I was boiling hot when Gonzalez announced Parrish would be back. I am now un-pissed, but this does not bode well for Fredi that he probably did not make the decision to fire him. It was obvious this decision had to be made. Good for Wren. Now find a real hitting instructor.
cphizzle
September 30th, 2011
6:04 pm
I cast my vote for Bobby Cox
W.A.
September 30th, 2011
6:05 pm
Hitting coach and or manager, either one needed to step up to the plate in the last few innings of game 162 and instruct the hitters not to try and kill the ball like they were. Good grief!!!
The Big Fat Blogger
September 30th, 2011
6:06 pm
Finally!!!! Now make Chipper retire and make him the hitting coach!!!!!!
Wally
September 30th, 2011
6:06 pm
DUDEThey have to pay him that figure whatever part he plays.
BaseballBuff
September 30th, 2011
6:06 pm
By the way, this move is indeed embarrassing for Fredi, but he should have kept his mouth shut and consulted his bosses before publicly announcing that all his coaches would stay.
Mary Chestnut
September 30th, 2011
6:07 pm
Please hire Princess Winnalotta before the BoSox do. Get moving Frank.
Joe Braves Fan
September 30th, 2011
6:07 pm
If the Braves have another epic meltdown of a season next year, it will be Fredi Gonzalez’s name being removed from the team roster.
BET IT …
JeanE
September 30th, 2011
6:10 pm
Well, now I know Frank isn’t an ibecile. Fredi, that’s another story. It’s very apparent that Frank said if you won’t fire Parrish, I will. Good for Wren. Even if the hitting coach isn’t entirely accountable, just the perception that what happened last year offensively was acceptable is ridiculous and won’t help sell tickets for next year. It needed to be done and Fredi couldn’t do it, so Wren did. Wish Don Baylor was available.
eastbound and down
September 30th, 2011
6:11 pm
well, that’s a start. a couple more firings and the braves will be off to a good start to the off season
Dawgdad (The Original)
September 30th, 2011
6:11 pm
Julio Franco please call Turner Field!
Chief Nocahoma
September 30th, 2011
6:12 pm
Bring back teeppee. Hit come.
PureHitting
September 30th, 2011
6:20 pm
Hey Wren! Hire Pete Barrios! If he can get Kelly Johnson to hit like an all-star think of what he could do for the rest of the line up!
Heavy Hitter
September 30th, 2011
6:21 pm
I would send McDowell packing also. Over use of Venters and Kimbrell plus Lowe’s demise can be added to the demise. It will be interesting to see what Heywaed does next year. He may be in Gwinnett if he doesn’t produce.
Larry
September 30th, 2011
6:22 pm
Franco was 8-0 in his two world series championships.
Two World Series sweeps!
Compare this to Bobby Cox’s 0-8 in his last 8 WS games!
LOL!
Mike
September 30th, 2011
6:24 pm
Go hire Francona!
ohhhYEAH
September 30th, 2011
6:27 pm
@ Larry G
Thats funny, because i seem to remember Bobby taking the Braves to the World series in ‘91, ‘92, ‘95, ‘96, and ‘99. all will far inferior teams, although the collapse in ‘96 was regrettable. Point is, im thinkin Bobby led us a little farther than jsut the division a few times
FEAR
September 30th, 2011
6:28 pm
Wow! They made a move?! It’s like Xmas. Good riddance.
Ed Glennon
September 30th, 2011
6:31 pm
How about the Big Cat? Bring him back.
ohhhYEAH
September 30th, 2011
6:33 pm
@ bobblehead
A-Gon was our best hitter the last 2 weeks of the season until he “got hurt”