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
FsuBrave
September 30th, 2011
7:46 pm
I’d fire Freddy too and hire francona
dave58
September 30th, 2011
7:51 pm
Sure the hitting coach had to go. But there is plenty of blame to go around. 1-players 2-coaches 3-management 4-owners. This is the entire organization’s failure. My fault for being in denial, thinking they were going to get better. I feel so crappy about being a Brave’s fan right now!
benchwarmer
September 30th, 2011
7:52 pm
Bobby Bobby, your right about FG being on the hot seat to start the season. Wren just walked all over him.
Rowsdower
September 30th, 2011
7:55 pm
I really like what Wren is saying so far.
“Heyward’s going to be in a battle. It’s not a given he’s our right fielder,” Wren said. “He’s a young guy with a lot of potential. General managers say potential is good, but we need production.”
I would love to see Heyward build on his rookie year and start putting up the numbers he’s capable of, but folded like a chair when he was challenged by Constanza for playing time.
“It’s hard to project Derek Lowe as one of our starters at this point.”
This is the best news of all. I doubt we’ll be able to dump him, but at least Wren understands that we have better options available.
benchwarmer
September 30th, 2011
7:55 pm
Hire Francona, head and shoulders above FG!
benchwarmer
September 30th, 2011
7:56 pm
Does it seem that Wren alreaddy thinks of FG in the past tense?
bring back blauser
September 30th, 2011
8:02 pm
i think it is time for chipper to become player manager. at least the players listen to him. he knows how to approach players and he would have plenty of time at the double dime to interview a new coaching staff and to feel from the players who to keep and whom to trade. as i recall pete rose, lou boudreau, and frank robinson were decent player managers. and the fan base would love the idea of this really being chippers team
Hillbilly D
September 30th, 2011
8:04 pm
I thought Chipper was already tring to manage. He’s always telling everybody where he should hit in the order.
Hillbilly D
September 30th, 2011
8:05 pm
that should say “trying”
George Washington
September 30th, 2011
8:07 pm
Forget c. jones! We want winners.
"Chef" Tim Dix
September 30th, 2011
8:08 pm
Folks, the go forth tie is not Chipper but BMac.
How Wren handles him IS THE STORY.
Joe
September 30th, 2011
8:18 pm
What makes you people think that a hitting coach matters? The PLAYERS lost the wildcard. Ted Williams couldn’t save this sorry bunch. No team has ever collapsed like this and gone on to win ANYTHING. They should blow up the team.
G
September 30th, 2011
8:21 pm
My gosh the leadership of this team is so inept. I hope Gonzalez was called out for making a stupid comment like he did.
extremus
September 30th, 2011
8:25 pm
The offseason is still young, but I sense (and share) an overwhelming desire to see further changes and dismissals here. Change the manager and change the ownership now that the hated tax write-off is no longer holding Liberty Media back from dumping the Braves like the afterthought they’ve always been to them. Arthur Blank, buy ‘em now while their stock is down!!!!
Runnin With The Dawgs
September 30th, 2011
8:32 pm
I hope this is just the first of a FEW moves that need to be made. We can’t blame the hitting coach for ALL the problem we’ve had this year. We had a lot of injuries, which makes me wonder about the trainers that work with the players in the gym. I’m not saying our guys are weak by any means, but if they’re not in top shape they’re gonna get hurt playing almost every day for five months. I’ve been a Braves fan since they came to Atlanta and I’ll be a Braves fan ’till the day I die —- but I think we all need a break from baseball ’till next season.
Dawglasville
September 30th, 2011
8:36 pm
Step 1 complete.
M10
September 30th, 2011
8:40 pm
Thats the first step,the next step should be to fire F.Gonzalez or they will continue to suck,but the Braves love being a avg team.
Ted
September 30th, 2011
8:40 pm
Terry Pendleton should have been named the Braves manager last year. The man has paid his dues. Not only did he not get the job, Gonzalez moved him from hitting coach to first base coach, only to have to fire his incompetent replacement.
sean
September 30th, 2011
8:45 pm
to:here we go again,….your a genius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kyle
September 30th, 2011
8:46 pm
Francona won’t be out there next year so by 3:40 tomorrow let’s have Fredi’s biography removed from the website and bring a winner in here who I’m sure will hire the right coaches and get rid of the dead wood that can’t make contact with the baseball (or pitch one) once Fall is in sight.
JSS
September 30th, 2011
8:49 pm
Arthur Blank? When are you fools finally going to see the light on that man? The bloom is off that road to any rational fan… You guys need to move on off that perch and get a clue!
This is the best of all scenarios for Parrish, just like Merv Rettenmund, this place, organization, and time is not a good match, especially with Chipper Jones in the mix undermining any hitting coach that’s been here… Seriously, look around baseball, and then look at the number of hitting coaches that have come through Atlanta during the period. Now what is the one common denominator? Seriously, the answer is easy…
JSS
September 30th, 2011
8:51 pm
“rose”
Rowsdower
September 30th, 2011
9:02 pm
How exactly is the bloom off the rose for Arthur Blank? He is a passionate owner that doesn’t interfere with his football people. Oh, and he has BIG bucks.
I think Arthur Blank Check would be a HUGE win for this organization. I’m not positive it will happen, but it would be nice. I would also like to see another Cuban in the organization other than Fruiti. Mark Cuban that is.
I do get a chuckle out of the people that think we can just fire Liberty Media. We have to endure them for one more season and then they will sell the club. Just hope we get someone that cares to buy them.
Hillbilly D
September 30th, 2011
9:03 pm
JSS
I’d agree that Arthur has got all he can handle with the Falcons.
1eyedJack
September 30th, 2011
9:14 pm
What’s Phillip Wellman doing these days? He would be able to at least keep the guys loose.
rally
September 30th, 2011
9:19 pm
Potential Candidate?: Former Brave Gerald Perry
The Athletics said Friday they aren’t renewing the contracts of bench coach Joel Skinner, pitching coach Ron Romanick and hitting coach Gerald Perry.
I know that Perry was once the batting coach in St. Louis as well.
No Parrish Apologist
September 30th, 2011
9:19 pm
Let’s see: I’ve seen all kinds of excuses for Parrish’s failure, ones plausible but were largely absent when TP was hitting coach. It would be refreshing for folks who always are trying to get coaches fired, finally admit they are idiots, and that folks with the organization know best. In short, TP was not the problem. Nor was Fredi. Players need to take responsibility for this mess.
As for Chipper and McCann and your other saviors, I don’t recall seeing them among league leaders in anything. Braves fans are the worst.
Hillbilly D
September 30th, 2011
9:21 pm
Phillip Wellman spent this year as the hitting coach for the AA, Springfield Cardinals of the Texas League.
iTiSi
September 30th, 2011
9:23 pm
Worrying and wondering about who the next hitting coach will be makes about as much sense as worrying about whether it’s going to rain tomorrow or not. That is the least of the Brave’s problems!
rally
September 30th, 2011
9:28 pm
Correction on Perry: Played for Cardinals but was not coach.
Gerald June Perry (born October 30, 1960 in Savannah, Georgia) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1983 to 1995 for the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals. Perry was selected to the 1988 National League All-Star team. In 1993 he tied a St. Louis Cardinal single-season club record with 24 pinch hits, and in 1995 he became the Cardinals’ all-time pinch-hit leader with 70th Cardinal pinch hit.
Perry was hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners from 2000-2002, the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2003-2005, the Oakland Athletics in 2006, and the Chicago Cubs from 2007 until he was fired on June 13, 2009. The Cubs replaced him with Von Joshua. In 2011, the Athletics re-hired him as batting coach.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_Perry
iTiSi
September 30th, 2011
9:28 pm
Hmmmmmmmmmm sounds like FG is no longer in charge, and if you fire the hitting coach for the reasons given, then you must also fire the pitching coach. In fact, why not fire the whole dang bunch and just start over. Couldn’t be any worse! Atlanta’s attendance next season will probably rival Florida’s. There’s may even be better with the new stadium in a different location.
JSS
September 30th, 2011
9:28 pm
Rowsdower
September 30th, 2011
9:02 pm
“How exactly is the bloom off the rose for Arthur Blank? He is a passionate owner that doesn’t interfere with his football people. Oh, and he has BIG bucks.”
Blank has not had “BIG bucks” since 2005. He has been trying to spread his stake in the Falcons since at least 2008. He is in the midst of even with a pre-nup a financial big hit to his bottom line with his soon to be ex-wife. He has more interest in a new stadium and a MLS franchise than he does in the Braves by the way… There are other rich people in the metro area. And like the Hawks, you are better off looking outside of the area and find somebody trying to climb that ladder, Blank is not the answer…
Rowsdower
September 30th, 2011
9:46 pm
@iTiSi – The Braves had the 3rd best ERA in baseball even with bLowe rocking a 5+ ERA. Don’t see how this is McDowell’s fault.
@JSS – If that is what you meant by “bloom off the rose” sobeit. I thought you were saying he was a bad owner. Screw it, let’s get Oprah to buy them. She has nothing to do now :b
You've got to be kidding
September 30th, 2011
10:01 pm
Send them to sports-a-rama (East Cobb of course) to get some cuts in going to the park.
Joe Maddon
September 30th, 2011
10:10 pm
Ted,
I agree! In terms of in-house candidates, Pendleton was/is the best man for the job. Only problem, the offense fell apart for the Braves last season and he took the fall, so it would be tough to name him the head man after he’s been demoted.
Now tell me: Have you seen my Rays?
Joe Maddon
September 30th, 2011
10:14 pm
AS far as looking externall, you guys better hope Francona wants to take a season off from baseball. I doubt Wren fires Gonzalez now, but after going over Fredi’s head for this one, it’s easy to see that one more let down means he’s out. So if Francona goes away and does TV for a while and Fredi screws it up in 2012. You might see Tito stepping in to lead a new post-Chipper Jones era of Braves baseball. Sounds pretty good to me.
How ’bout them Rays?
Heyward grounds out to second
September 30th, 2011
10:17 pm
Chipper should be a player coach. Why not? Sign him to small deal, and then when he retires make him a full time hitting coach.
Hell hire him to be the manager. FG is a moron. Has been a bad coach all year. Made poor decisions.
Who would I rather pitch to Hunter Pence or Victor Martinez. FG doesn’t even think about it and loses the game.
Keep Vizcaino in that Dodgers game and blew it without even talking to him.
The list goes on. A terrible manager that doesn’t know how to manage in game and makes poor decisions when facing formidable hitters in big time games. Heck, he doesn’t even make a decision he has no strategy in his game management other than O’Flaherty, Venters and Kimbrel.
Kimbrel needs to step up next year and prove he’s a big game pitcher. He was clutch all year, but in pressure games, he cracks. He did it last year, he did it this year. I know he’s young, but he’s got to step it up.
DA MURF3
September 30th, 2011
10:19 pm
francona HERE NOW
JSS
September 30th, 2011
10:32 pm
Oprah, has plenty to do, she has TV network and a school for girls to run…
I’m no big fan of Blank as a owner by no means… He’s better than the Clampetts and the ASG or Time-Warner; but Atlantans have got to stop accepting better than those mistakes as a greatness. He’s just a better effort with the same trail of disappointment on his CV…
J.T.Ellenwood
September 30th, 2011
10:46 pm
The reason Fredi not in Florda now he didn’t make right decision at the right time as far as using his players. Frank got use one of the best leadoff hitter in game you leave at first base so Prado can hit in to double play. Instead of giving him green light to run.
Boyz From North Ave
September 30th, 2011
10:47 pm
looks like Wren is stepping in to right the ship…….Tik tok Fredi…..ur next u LOSER!
crime dog
September 30th, 2011
11:03 pm
I give it my full endorsement!
crime dog
September 30th, 2011
11:04 pm
just please don’t make me wear that ugly hat again!
Dubious
September 30th, 2011
11:34 pm
How about Raul Mondesi as the batting coach?
braveshoo
September 30th, 2011
11:38 pm
Hire Don Baylor as hitting coach and Terry Francona as manager.
Fredi is a fraud.
September 30th, 2011
11:43 pm
What will this team experiment with next and blame someone when it fails? First it was Troy Glaus as a first baseman last year and Parrish as hitting coach. Prado slipped through the cracks as an outfielder but you can say the same for SAY HEY. The Constanza injury and benching crippled the team in favor of looking like a second division team that it started out as being. Their 89-73 record was overrated.Played like a 73-89 team when it counted. Hinske and Conrad are flash in the pans. Need new faces and a batting coach to get Uggla to sacrifice the HR swing for some RBIs and higher average. The AAA batting and pitching coaches could do no worse than Parrish and McDowell. It’s a shame that McDowell is still there but maybe he get’s a q&a too.
bravesfanforever
October 1st, 2011
12:27 am
Hey Freddie I hear the fat lady singing.She is singing nana na na hey hey goodbye.Adios Amigos.Man did Frank Wren make you look even more stupid than you already are.I tip my cap to frank wren.I wonder how long it took d. lowe to get drunk.kk gone Mclouth gone,parrish gone lowe needs to go and so does porky pig hinske must have put on at least 25lbs last couple of months.Get good hitting coach now so he can work with these young hitters and see if heyward is worth saving.I think he is.
Chip
October 1st, 2011
12:37 am
Maybe, since we are paying Chipper All Star, 150 starts a year money for what have become journeyman, 120 starts a year statistics, just maybe we should offer the job to Chipper. Let him be a player-coach. Then maybe we would start hitting the ball better, and smarter as he obviously knows how to hit, and works a count as well as anyone. Also, we could feel better about paying him 14 mil a year to play part time if he were also coaching.
BooBoo
October 1st, 2011
12:57 am
I remember reading Jim Bouton’s Ball Four and the inspiring talks his Seattle Pilot’s manager would tell the players, “Keep pumping that Budwieser!” These days the game has changed, but remained the same. I believe there are managers, (especially like Tony LaRussa) and therefore batting coaches, that have the philosophy, “Keep hitting those steroids.” No need to work on fundamentals. Just need to rig the body up to the point that hitting the ball by accident can mean a home run. Make it so strong that you hit 500 home runs faster than any other human had before. Unfortunately, try to run the bases and pop an ankle or knee, and try to throw out a runner and a robot’s arm muscles tweaks those not designed to get strong oblique muscles. The Braves need a batting coach when in the minor leagues. In the majors they just need someone to do the injecting and discarding of syringes, while manipulating the “random drug test” name pool so all the minor leaguer names are on the top. I think the best thing for all baseball would be a pee test before every game, just like they give the cheaters in the Tour de France. Don’t pass, don’t play … ever. Steroids is why a baseball player keeps swinging at the unhittable pitches and takes the fat ball down the middle. Their brains shrink just like their family jewells. The problem with the Braves the last 30 games was they kept doing the same thing expecting a different result (the definition of insanity) and the players were not bright enough to realize that themselves. Blame it on the batting coach, though. Its easier to make it all go under the rug with one sacrificial lamb.
ubah
October 1st, 2011
1:05 am
Starting to love the idea of have Chipper be a player-coach. Wondering if Francona is that good or if the Red Sox’s were just loaded. When Francona was in the National League he was a sub .500 manager. Love the idea of Tito in the dug out, just don’t know.