Fredi Gonzalez: The best choice as manager, or the easiest?
From one manager to another. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
“Good organizations don’t make changes just to make changes,” Fredi Gonzalez said. Then, scanning the room: “All the faces are the same.”
And that’s the part that worries me. Fredi Gonzalez is a good baseball man, but he’s a product of The Braves’ Way Of Doing Things. “This organization, the past 25 years, they win,” Gonzalez said Wednesday, but even Bobby Cox, the man Gonzalez succeeds, was moved to correct the new manager.
“We haven’t won as big as we’d have liked recently,” Cox said.
Over 14 completed seasons the Braves finished nowhere but first. Since 2005 they’ve made the playoffs once as a wild card. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2001, haven’t graced the World Series this millennium. The Braves we see now aren’t quite the Braves we beheld.
In many ways Gonzalez is the ideal person to follow Cox: He’s a former Braves’ third-base coach who still lives in Marietta and who happened to be out of work when this job came open. Frank Wren, the general manager, started serious talks with Gonzalez on July 2 at a cabin in Wedowee, Ala. One hundred three days later, Wren hired Gonzalez without having interviewed another candidate.
With a chance to hire the first manager from outside the organization since Chuck Tanner in October 1985, the Braves waited not two full days after being eliminated in the Division Series to unveil the new man, who really isn’t new at all. John Schuerholz, the team president, would surely cite this as another in a series of seamless Braves’ transitions. But it was Stan Kasten, who as Braves president hired Schuerholz as GM, who said: “If you’re going to make a change, make a change.”
Going Cox-to-Gonzalez is almost like promoting the chief assistant when the head coach finds a better job. It’s the thing to do, but it’s not always the wisest course. And continuity is the least of the Braves’ problems. If anything, this “great, grand organization” — Schuerholz again — suffers from its insularity.
Asked how he’d differ from Cox — if, say, he’d delve heavier into statistical analysis — Gonzalez said: ” I just joined those guys [meaning the Society for American Baseball Research, or Sabermeticians].” Then this: “I’ll use all the numbers you give me, but for me to sit here and say I’m always going to go by numbers, I’m not going to do that.”
What will Gonzalez trust? His “gut”, he said. And that’s fine: On some level, every decision is made at a visceral level. But it was Cox’s gut that persuaded him to stick with Derek Lowe one batter too long in the last game he ever managed. Other organizations, the Red Sox chief among them, have come to rely on data as a guide for the gut.
The Braves’ way has been old-fashioned. Indeed, hitting coach Terry Pendleton expressed surprise earlier this season when informed his club was leading the National League in on-base percentage. (This might help explain why Pendleton was reassigned to being the Braves’ first-base coach Wednesday.)
Wren had known since Sept. 23, 2009, that he’d have a managerial opening come 2010. Over the winter he compiled a list of candidates numbering in the teens. (Gonzalez headed the list even though he was employed by the Marlins.) Wren wound up hiring his No. 1 choice without ever speaking to Nos. 2, 3 or 4.
Maybe Gonzalez will work out. He’s an impressive guy whom Wren has known since before either man came to work for the Braves. Still, I can think of three others I’d have at least interviewed — Jose Oquendo, the Cardinals’ third-base coach; Scott Ullger, the Twins’ third-base coach; and Dave Martinez, the Rays’ bench coach — before deciding. But this GM, as we know, is forever in a hurry.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the Braves at the major-league level haven’t exactly been cutting-edge in their approach. “I’m not going to come in here and change the whole culture,” Fredi Gonzalez said, but he’d better be ready to change some things. Because the Bobby Cox Method won’t work for anyone but Bobby Cox.
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243 comments Add your comment
Erica
October 13th, 2010
5:12 pm
You’re always bitchin about something.
Bravissimo
October 13th, 2010
5:13 pm
I like the choice of Fredi. Even if the Braves had hired one of the afor mentioned guys, do you really think they would make radical changes MB?
As a side….losing the LDS got rid of the philly fans thank god. I hope SF stomps their buttski’s
Bat Masterson
October 13th, 2010
5:13 pm
As always time will tell. Good work, Bradley
Aaron
October 13th, 2010
5:13 pm
If we don’t make the playoffs in the next two years, fire him, and there’s your answer if hes the best choice.
LOL
October 13th, 2010
5:13 pm
Erica was first and used that space to complain about you. Now that’s funny.
That said, what is your deal with Fredi? Who did you think they should get?
Mark Bradley
October 13th, 2010
5:14 pm
Time invariably does, Bat Masterson.
jdubb
October 13th, 2010
5:15 pm
I couldnt be happier. Perfect choice.
ha – @ Ericka. that was actually kinda funny. And i like you and Schultz, Bradley.
Benjamin
October 13th, 2010
5:18 pm
Who would’ve been more ideal, Mark? Just curious.
I like the selection, for the record. He did a great job with Florida — their owner is proof, in my opinion, that even millionaires can be at least a little idiotic — and I think he’ll do even better here with a better roster to work with. I hope he’s here for fifteen seasons.
Benjamin
October 13th, 2010
5:19 pm
Who would’ve been more ideal, Mark? Just curious.
I like the selection, for the record. He did a great job with Florida — their owner is proof, in my opinion, that even millionaires can be at least a little idiotic — and I think he’ll do even better here with a better roster to work with. I hope he’s here for fifteen seasons…
Good Choice
October 13th, 2010
5:19 pm
Fredi is a good choice. Still big shoes to fill but he’ll do just fine and will keep us in the playoff hunt consistently.
Benjamin
October 13th, 2010
5:19 pm
[Sorry for the double comment -- computer messed up.]
Matt
October 13th, 2010
5:19 pm
Hmmmmmm….well Mark, given your track record with predictions lately, I think Mr. Gonzalez will do quite well seeing as how you are not necessarily sold on him. (Again, please pick the Thrashers to NOT make the playoffs this season. They need all the help they can get.)
Kane337
October 13th, 2010
5:20 pm
LOL funny Erica.
I think Fredi is a good hire. If Fredi fails then it’s time to make a drastic change from the Braves norm. I just don’t think the time to make a drastic change is right after Bobby leaves because if that failed Frank Wren would have egg on his face for not doing it the Braves way.
Ryan's Dad
October 13th, 2010
5:21 pm
I think Fredi is a great choice for the organization. We pretty much know what we are getting and that rarely happens in pro sports. When you talk about making a change…a real change, that could only happen with a change in ownership. The Braves best success came when we had the likes of Shuerholz, Cox and Ted Turner. When the budget was cut, so was the success. Any combination short of good management plus money for players is only going to give you a “long shot” at championships!
Cletus
October 13th, 2010
5:23 pm
Fredi is an awesome hire. Anyone that says otherwise is simply typing words he does not believe.
No one else you mention has ever managed a team.
And Fredi probably has a better record against the Nationals than Cox does. Hell, he probably has a winning record against the Braves.
LuisG
October 13th, 2010
5:23 pm
Pendleton 1st base coach… what is Hubbard going to do now? Play second base?
El Bravo
October 13th, 2010
5:24 pm
I do think he is the ideal candidate and Mark you should as well. You praise Bobby Cox as the best manager we have ever had and yet when we hire someone in the same mold but with, perhaps, a bit more fire you change your tune. If the main argument everyone has against Bobby Cox is that he can’t make it happen in the post-season because of his unwavering loyalty to his players then it seems to me that a slight departure from that modus operandi is the right move; not a total overhaul…
Michael"
October 13th, 2010
5:26 pm
Good move on Fredi.
Erica, you stole my thunder, lol..
Gen Neyland
October 13th, 2010
5:28 pm
I say, Good hire. Been in the organization,knows it’s ropes, familar with it’s farm system, can crunch up on it’s current player personnel. It’ll be Fredi-ball now. I get a feeling we’ll see a little swat and smack at the top of the lineup with some speed on the base path is coming soon…
kappellmeister
October 13th, 2010
5:28 pm
Wish Hubbie had been at 2nd in game 3!
Brave New World
October 13th, 2010
5:29 pm
Mark: Your point about Bobby’s gut allowing Lowe to stay one batter too long needs to be tempered by Bobby’s gut getting more than anyone could expect from the 2010 Braves. When every one was calling for Glaus to be benched in April, Bobby’s support paid dividends when Troy basically carried the Braves in May and June. Bobby’s gut believed in Martin Prado long before he was an all star. Bobby’s gut got us into the playoffs this year when we had no right to be there. Bobby taught us something about loyalty for the many years we were lucky enough to have him at the helm. Bobby’s gut says that Fredi is the right choice for manager, and that’s good enough for me.
UGABugKiller
October 13th, 2010
5:29 pm
Mark,
You’re going to get unfairly killed here for playing Devil’s Advocate.
But here’s the real low down on Fredi Gonzalez.
He handles his clubhouse in much the same manner as Bobby Cox. This is good. This is what led the Braves to 14 straight division titles.
But in the dugout, he is NOT Bobby Cox. His Marlins teams did EVERYTHING they could to manufacture runs. They stole bases. When’s the last time a Brave did that? 1993? They hit and ran. They bunt. They sent guys up with ORDERS to get the ball into the air for a sac fly. Even with no out. Fredi Gonzalez as a manager will do anything and everything the manufacture runs for his team. You CANNOT say that about Bobby Three Run Homer Cox. This team hasn’t had the kind of homer hitters for Cox’s style of laid-back offense.
This team, with Prado, Infante, and Heyward, CAN run. All of those guys are capable of AT LEAST 25 steals a year. Expect them to get there.
So, Fredi is like Bobby Cox in the clubhouse, which is good.
He is also NOT like Bobby Cox in the dugout, which is even better.
Mark, we may finally have a guy in the dugout who can WIN a postseason game with his ability, as opposed to “not lose” a postseason game, as Cox was wont to do… on many, many, MANY unfortunate occasions.
Graham
October 13th, 2010
5:30 pm
No-brainer appointment in my opinion. Gonzalez will bring new ideas to the club, and will introduce them in a positive way. I don’t buy into there being a Bobby Cox method in a baseball sense, it’s more an ability to motivate and improve players. To use a boxing analogy, he can get players to punch above their weight. That brings about the best in players regardless of the sport. If Fredi has some of these skills and brings in improved coaching to the club, it will bring us closer to the Phillies.
Bobby
October 13th, 2010
5:30 pm
To answer the question posed in the headline, “The best choice as manager,or the easiest?” BOTH!!! Ya gotta luv it when a plan comes together!
Milt Famey
October 13th, 2010
5:32 pm
Both-best and easiest choice. Who do you think his batting coach might be?
Michael"
October 13th, 2010
5:34 pm
I love Bobby.
That being said, great post BugKiller.
shawn
October 13th, 2010
5:35 pm
“Because the Bobby Cox Method won’t work for anyone but Bobby Cox.”
A great column Mark. I could not agree with you more…
shawn
October 13th, 2010
5:36 pm
Pendleton 1st base coach… what is Hubbard going to do now? Play second base?
priceless
Ryan's Dad
October 13th, 2010
5:37 pm
As happy as I am to see Fredi, it won’t matter who manages unless you have team speed or team power. Without at least one of these elements, there isn’t a lot of strategy anyone can employ.
Fredi Gonzalez Will Manage With His “Gut” »
October 13th, 2010
5:37 pm
[...] The title of this article is not about Fredi’s belly, it’s about his decision making. Mark Bradley wrote a terrific article about Gonzalez and asked whether the hire was “the best choice or the easiest?” [...]
5150 P.O.A.D
October 13th, 2010
5:40 pm
Uga VIII’s real name is Big Bad Bruce. People you can’t make this stuff up. Big Bad Bruce get Collard on Saturday for Homecoming against Vandy. LOL Comedy writers can’t come up with stuff this good.
Will the say Big Bad Bruce with a lisp?
Educated Idiot
October 13th, 2010
5:42 pm
Agreed. Fredi will keep the rules in the clubhouse like Bobby. Players will be asked to work hard and be on time. However, his managing style was and will be different than Bobby’s.
Not that Bobby’s was bad. But it was Bobby’s. I’m excited to see what Fredi will do and I think it’s wrong of us to pull the typical Atlanta sports card and find something to complain about.
Erica
October 13th, 2010
5:43 pm
Your reason for Freddi not being the right hire is that he is a disciple of Bobby Cox and learned everything from Bobby and might possess some of his traits. WOW thats horrible. None want a chance to go to the playoffs 14 years straight. (sarcasm on)
Ross
October 13th, 2010
5:44 pm
If you look at the team stats, the Marlins ran much more often than the Braves and played more small-ball, just what the post-Cox Braves need to rediscover. Had Cox had any Herzogian guts, the Braves would have at least three titles instead of one.
Reid Adair
October 13th, 2010
5:44 pm
Mark, “The Braves Way Of Doing Things” isn’t bad. At least, it wasn’t before Frank Wren came along.
I am glad that John Schuerholz and Bobby Cox were heavily involved in thie process to get Fredi Gonzalez to Atlanta; if they hadn’t been, who knows who Frank Wren would have hired. It disappoints me to see the Atlanta media falling for this idea that Wren did this completely on his own; there’s no way that happened.
Frank Wren is solely responsible for bringing the following players to the Braves: Nate McLouth, Kenshin Kawakami, Troy Glaus (forget May and early June, the rest showed the true Glaus); Derrek Lee, Melky Cabrera and Rick Ankiel (nice HR in NLDS Game 2 but .210 as a Brave).
When you look at that, it’s a miracle, frankly, that Cox, his staff and that bunch of players won as many games as they did, let alone made the playoffs.
Bama Brave
October 13th, 2010
5:45 pm
great hire. now lets get a legit batting coach.2. we need some speed in the outfield.3.we need some hitters.
teewest
October 13th, 2010
5:45 pm
Um…yea that is…um… spot on Marcus ol buddy ol pal!!! Hey Marcus did i tell you who would be the next great DB at UGA?? Let it be written, Let it be said that.. on 10-13-10 at 5:36 pm you heard it here first Shawn Wiliams will make the Bulldawgnation proud!! It will be Him that sets the example of how to play in the secondary!! he will be the WARRIOR we desperately need to spearhead our defense watch what i tell you…. yeah yeah Marcus…um… new coach…go braves
JD
October 13th, 2010
5:47 pm
Fredi won’t do any better than Bobby without some pop in the lineup. I’ll say it again, do the throwback thing and let Chipper be a player/coach and let him work as a hitting instructor/coach while they transition him. Even if he plays 2 more years, the guy knows hitting development cold.
But we have to fix the CF/LF holes and find a real 3rd baseman that can fill Chipper’s shoes and who knows if FW can pry the money away after the Kawakame debacle….
Steven
October 13th, 2010
5:48 pm
@ UGABugKiller — Prado and Infante are not capable of stealing 25 bases. Do you even watch the games??
dawg4u
October 13th, 2010
5:49 pm
I like it that Fredi took the batting coach position away from Pendleton but hated to see Hubbard have to hit the road. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pitching staff. This hire did seem to be really a bang-bang thing with no one else even considered for the job. Hope it works out because the last quick hire I remember of a sports team here in Atlanta was when the Falcons hired Bobby Petrino and we all know how that worked out!
Keith
October 13th, 2010
5:52 pm
Bradley,
Good point about how it worked because Bobby was who he was. As a therapist, I can apprecaite the fact that some people can only pull off certain ways of doing things. I like the intricacies of people. Like even better that you were astute enough in those matters to mention it. Good work.
Having said that, I like what Fredi said about manufacturing runs and talking about doing it on the basepaths. Man, I wish we had enough $$ to sign Crawford. That would make me very happy….at least till next year’s season.
GO FALCONS!
Need Power Hiiters
October 13th, 2010
5:54 pm
JD says – “Fredi won’t do any better than Bobby without some pop in the lineup”
Exactly 100% on target.
Bring in some lumber and Fredi will get it done!!!
Keith
October 13th, 2010
5:56 pm
Re: Steven
I believe Infante could do that if they ran him (he had 7 this year and didn’t start for a while and didn’t try that much; had 13 in 2004). I doubt Prado could.
Keith
October 13th, 2010
5:57 pm
Re: Need Power hitters
I wouldn’t mind to see Werth in a Braves uni, but I’d rather have Crawford. Have a true CF with speed, good DEF, and ability to drive in runs. I doubt we can afford him.
Coach (2011 or Bust)
October 13th, 2010
5:57 pm
Frank Wren didn’t even bother interviewing anybody else?
WOW.
As much as I like Fredi Gonzalez, this smacks of nepotism. The Bobby Cox way worked in the regular season and failed miserably in the post season. For the Braves sake and especially for the fans, I dearly hope Fredi brings it big time. He’s gotta manage with intelligence and motivate his players to play the game of baseball the right way, which has been lacking in recent years.
But still, Frank Wren didn’t even consider anybody else? talk about running around with blinders on…..geesh!
skydawg
October 13th, 2010
5:58 pm
Your wrong Mark about the Braves being “old fashioned”. The Braves were one of the first organizations to start utilizing computers and statistics mostly for fielding alignment and such. The Braves are still doing it til this day. Just because the manager chooses to go by his gut doesn’t mean the info and technology behind it isn’t there.
Baseball... YAWNNNNNNNNN
October 13th, 2010
5:58 pm
Can we all just forget about kissing Bobby Cox’s butt now? He was a perennial loser like Lenny Wilkins. Get a life Braves blowhards!
Dirty Dawg
October 13th, 2010
5:59 pm
Actually, Hubbard was let go because he was the one that convinced Bobby Conrad could play second…
Packer Ed-an avid Braves fan since 1957
October 13th, 2010
6:01 pm
Mark Bradley and all Braves fans, get Arthur Blank or someone like him to purchase the Braves and get rid of cost cutting Liberty Meida as the owner of the Braves. The Braves have not won a playoff series since 2001 because the Braves do not have the money to make moves in mid season. The lack of money is the problem, start addressing that by campaining for a new owner that has the ability to spend needed money to win. A local owner with a big ego would be great for the Braves, actually the best thing for the Braves. Wish Jerry Jones was from Atlanta!
Sean
October 13th, 2010
6:01 pm
I love Bobby for the same reason everyone else does and maybe doesn’t know it: he’s the great father figure in the dugout to the players and the fans.
However, when it comes to winning the whole damn thing, this piece is spot on and I think time will show that Bobby stayed 3-4 years too long. It’s no different than any other man who’s an owner or president of a business he built and just can’t summon the courage to say it’s time to go. How could you when your equals in the front office are still around? Last year’s performance was so un-Braves-like that his hand was finally forced.
I’m fine with FG. His age is a factor. No “player’s manager” daddy worship is going to continue here. He can be like Cox in every other way as long as he does two things:
1. pays attention to the numbers.
2. make these guys condition in spring training for a 162-game schedule. Bobby’s Braves could never last the whole season.
Coach (2011 or Bust)
October 13th, 2010
6:05 pm
Need Power Hiiters???????????????????
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. The Toronto Blue Jays pounded out 257 HR’s which led all ML teams, and they went nowhere fast.
Baseball is about pitching, defense, power and speed. Our Braves have the first part in spades. The rest has been sorely lacking.
UGABugKiller
October 13th, 2010
6:05 pm
Steven, I watch games plenty. And you don’t have to be a speedster to steal a base. You have to have good base running ability, good instincts on reading the pitcher.
Prado and Infante have all of that. Canseco was never “fast,” by anyone’s standard. What he had was instincts on when to run and a manager with great instincts on when to send him. And because of that he was MLBs first 40-40 guy.
If you send Prado and Infante 35 times in a season, at the right time, on the right pitcher, they’ll get you between 20 and 25 steals.
Now I have to ask you, do YOU watch much BASEBALL, or do you just assume, as many Braves fans must after watching BobbyBall the last 20 years, that you HAVE to be a speedy guy to steal bases.
If Jeter can steal a base, so can Prado and Infante.
You double-steal. You pick a count that’s 1-2 or 0-2, where the pitcher is not likely to throw a strike.
There are ways, dude. Maybe you should spend some time watching OTHER baseball teams that aren’t the Braves.
D-bag.
Steven
October 13th, 2010
6:10 pm
@ Keith — Infante has 43 career steals in almost 800 games. He has been caught stealing 21 times. He will never steal 25 bases in a season. And the Braves shouldn’t try to force it unless you have a guy that is a legit SB threat. You can’t just run to say you did. If you watch the Braves consistently you will see Infante has maybe slightly above average speed. He isn’t a burner nor does he get great jumps.
In comparison, Carl Crawford stole 47 bases and caught 10 times this season. Those are the kind of guys that you give the green light to and help change games.
todd
October 13th, 2010
6:11 pm
I say try Gonzalez for 2 years – if he doesn’t work out find someone who will. I believe he really was the best candidate available at this time.
Bobby
October 13th, 2010
6:11 pm
UGABugKiller, see Vlad Guerrero for case in point. Good post
bonsai bill
October 13th, 2010
6:12 pm
Mark, any word on how Chipper has reacted to this appointment? He has been known to speak his mind and not hold back…
southgabrave
October 13th, 2010
6:12 pm
Here is hoping that the Braves add a couple good outfielders and some speed. Speed never goes in a slump. I know FG will use the speed he has unlike Bobby. Make this team more exciting to watch and they may draw a few more fans. Would like to see a true leadoff (DeJesus)in center and a power bat with a little speed in left (Colby Ramus). Wishfull thinking I know!
Warren Haynes For President
October 13th, 2010
6:15 pm
I take comfort in the fact that you are wrong way more than you are right. The Braves did not struggle over the last 1/2 decade because the cultural is somehow flawed. They struggled because of the roster of players they were trotting out.
Steven
October 13th, 2010
6:15 pm
UGABugKiller — my last post with actual stats should help prove my point.
You don’t have to have speedsters to steal a base now and then, I agree. But you need a speedster to steal a high number of bases like you would like them to do. They just don’t have that speed.
o-me
October 13th, 2010
6:16 pm
Welcome Fredi. Hate to lose Hubby..He is 1st class player, coach and man.
TP needs to be gone…period.
Hire GREG WALKER hitting coach from White Sox.
Daniel
October 13th, 2010
6:18 pm
How would anyone know if Infante or Prado could steal a base or not … they were never sent! … how can you steal if your never sent!
Sarge
October 13th, 2010
6:19 pm
MB,
Just curious … with the other three you suggest, who would you have chosen? You are paid for your opinion and I respect it. I just wonder who your first choice would be?
Thanks for all of your good work.
Sarge
o-me
October 13th, 2010
6:19 pm
Chipper said He was happy with FG.
Now go after Carl Crawford.
1911A1
October 13th, 2010
6:20 pm
If you want to understand why the Braves haven’t been winning in recent years like they were during the glory years, look no further than the ownership. Liberty Media has provided next to no support (financial or otherwise.) Quite to the contrary of your point, Mark, “The Braves way of doing things” is the reason they have done as well as they have, despite the lack of ownership support. If the Braves had an owner as committed to win as Arthur Blank is with the Falcons, there would have been more Series rings handed out.
Tweets that mention Fredi Gonzalez: The best choice as manager, or the easiest? | Mark Bradley -- Topsy.com
October 13th, 2010
6:22 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mark Bradley, ReidAdair. ReidAdair said: RT @MarkBradleyAJC: Fredi Gonzalez: The best choice as #braves manager or just the easiest? http://bit.ly/czUd4V < – Best. [...]
Asheville Dawg
October 13th, 2010
6:24 pm
Would you evaluate the Wren era? While he did okay this year, his signing of Lowe and Kawakmi (sp) give him a grade of D. Two years of Gonzalez should decide if Wren needs to go.
Keith
October 13th, 2010
6:25 pm
you have got to be kidding Mark…If the Braves have hired anyone else you would be fuming…You know this to be true..Fredi is the right choice and will prove it. Look what he did in FL. with alot less talent then we got here in the ATL.
Browncoat
October 13th, 2010
6:25 pm
Wow, Mark. Maybe your worst analysis ever. Did you pick those three names out of a hat? And why would the Braves have hired those three over Freddi. Organizations, not just the Braves, would prefer a known quanity, particularly a person they covet, over an outsider.
And personally, I’ll take a shot hiring a former manager of the year who was fired becuase he disciplined a player for not hustling. Sounds like the right choice for the Braves, even if it doesn’t work out in a few years.
raymond
October 13th, 2010
6:26 pm
Good ole boy decision. Needed someone totally distant from the current Braves organization.
Stephen Thomas
October 13th, 2010
6:26 pm
Bradley, if we’re going to be run like the Red Sox can we also have their budget? Moneyball with a 140+ payroll. That’s the only real number that matters.
This team was run too long by one man to go outside and ‘make a change.’ Fredi had success in Flordia, worked under Cox, etc. It was the right move. The real question is will this team ever be allowed to spend on a high quality position free agent again. I worry less about Fredi than I do Wren and how he’s going to remake that outfield.
Idiots...all of you
October 13th, 2010
6:26 pm
Yeah Mark, the last 20 years of Braves baseball have sucked. No reason to stick with that formula, it sucks. Consistency in approach that leads to predictable outcomes (Pittsburg Steelers, New York Yankees, New England Patriots, et al) are sooo boring. Change for change’s sake, yeah thats the ticket!!!! Let’s roll back the clock and aspire to be the Braves of the 70s or mid-to-late 80s, yeah….let’s do that!!
Brilliant.
E
October 13th, 2010
6:29 pm
I don’t care if they would have hired “Jesus” as the coach the Brave want win a chamionship until they spend money on better talent and stop thinking they are tricking the fans by throwing washed up or average on the field and that’s way they don’t get great turnouts on a consistent basis. First of all they need new ownership. Ted Turner where are you we need to back these owners are CHEAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!
JacketFan
October 13th, 2010
6:30 pm
Yeah, Mark – who was your choice? I’m curious to find out … (this should be good)
Braves Name Fredi Gonzalez New Manager » OTB Sports
October 13th, 2010
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[...] Mark Bradley disagrees, figuring the Braves should have at least interviewed some assistants from clubs that [...]
Brent
October 13th, 2010
6:31 pm
Mark, I have agreed with you most of the time this season, but you are way off base this time. The Braves just need to reload, not rebuild. Gonzalez is far and away the best choice. Just as in politics, change is not always better.
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October 13th, 2010
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[...] Mark Bradley disagrees, figuring the Braves should have at least interviewed some assistants from clubs that [...]
bobby cox's sox
October 13th, 2010
6:33 pm
Methinks he will slowly change a lot of the culture.Much more than he lets on now.Of course if ownership plans to cut payroll to Marlins’ level,he’s doomed.Hopefully he will be a great judge of talent and potential and Wren can trick a trade or two.
bwash21
October 13th, 2010
6:34 pm
I’m really curious why Hubbard was let go. He seems to be a Braves guy who works hard. Is there more to it than that?
dawg4u
October 13th, 2010
6:35 pm
Frank Wren has his hands tied working with this Liberty Media group. Why do you thing we’re getting guys like Glaus, Ankiel, Melky and Farnsworth? I agree we need a speed guy and two power hitters but these guys don’t grow on trees and if they are available they are going to a cash rich team who can pay far and above what the Braves can. Wren has to add pieces within these tight budget constraints and just hope that it will work out. Sometimes it will and sometimes not. The ‘93 season when we added McGriff is a distant memory. At least we have a pretty good bullpen and starting pitching. We need to add some bats but it will not be a superstar player but more of the same like this past year and just hope that these reclamation projects work out.
Bama Brave
October 13th, 2010
6:36 pm
lowe is not a bad pitcher but hes not worth what we gave him.
Rupert
October 13th, 2010
6:41 pm
A few points Mr. Bradley,
I understand your point, but I think a drastic change would not fit with Wren being the GM, JS being President, McGirk being CEO, etc. I completely agree that winning has not been what it was, but I don’t think putting a square peg in a round hole at this point, just for the sake of something being different is prudent.
Furthermore, I think your candidates are unknowns. They might be great, they might fall on their face. Why should an organization take a chance like that when someone who has proven they can at least compete with the league’s lowest payroll is out there?
Bottom line is that you are a contrarion sir. It makes no sense for the organization to shake things up with someone no one knows or gets a long unless they are cleaning house (removing Wren etc.) You simply wrote this article so that the AJC could have a negative perspective on the hiring to go with what will be mostly positive reviews. Fine. I think you cheapen yourself throwing stuff like this out there, and making it seem legitimate.
T-Bone
October 13th, 2010
6:43 pm
Mark,
I’ve got to call you out on this one. You have always been Bobby Cox’s biggest chearleader. Some would say that Bobby didn’t win enough World Series Championships, but you would (correctly) respond that a break here or there and we would have a few more than the one, that you don’t win as much as Bobby did without doing something right.
Well, you can’t change your story now. The Braves Way worked for quite a while, providing one winning season after another. In other words, I don’t remember you yesterday criticizing Bobby for leaving Derek Lowe in one batter too long. To do so today seems a bit disingenuous.
Certainly Fredi will do some things differently than Bobby. Personally I hope that he plays more small ball–there were several times in this last series when we had a runner on second with no outs and could not get him home. He won’t be a Cox-clone. But to criticize Fredi (and Frank Wren) because he is too much of a “Brave” is hypocritical, given that you have praised the Braves Way for so long.
Lets go and root in 2011
October 13th, 2010
6:45 pm
Great coach to be here now and TP no longer Hittin coach also….why be 1st heshould been sent packin to.Time waits see what owners do accordin to i heard they planin let wren get updated alot…Ha Ha he resign ankiel n Mccloud..and how about gettin crawford n there 3rd baseman n outfielder i forget name darn it..and shout to Texas for Makin there first ever win in series..will play yankees this friday at 8pm for alcs n let people know cl washington use be a oakland n braves player frenchy in postseason laughin at bobby cox n wren now and remember Texas team just about all braves system farm hands we trade to them and Pitchers to.
UGABugKiller
October 13th, 2010
6:48 pm
Asheville Dawg, you do a discredit to your awesome town by saying such things.
You’re going to be another of the unwashed masses who continue to wrongly discredit Wren for signing Lowe?
Lowe is the ONLY reason the Braves even made the Wild Card this year. The ONLY reason. His performance in September, while the team crumbled around him was masterful.
And his performance IN the postseason was even more than masterful. It was artful.
It’s not Lowe’s fault Cox took Kimbrell out of the game one out away from a sure game 3 win.
It’s not Lowe’s fault the offense couldn’t score more runs for him.
He did everything asked of him and then some. He earned every bit of his 15 million a year in September and October, where you’re SUPPOSED to earn it.
If Maddux and Glavine had pitched more like Lowe in October, maybe the Braves could have overcome Cox’s laissez-faire management style and won more than one ring.
Dude, many Red Sox fans I know bemoan the fact that the Sox let Lowe leave after the WS in 2004, and claim the Sox could’ve won four straight World Series had they kept him, because he starts real slow, it takes him time to get the feel for his sinker, and then once he gets that pitch going, he is MONEY in September and October.
I forget that sometimes watching Lowe, and get nervous. But it’s true. He’s money late in the season. It really does take him a long time to find his sinker.
UGASlobberknocker
October 13th, 2010
6:48 pm
Both. I don’t think anyone on the current staff would be good, I don’t like any of the re-treads (like Valentine)..and why go with an unknown coach who has never nabaged. Hiring a proven manager who knows the organization seems like the wise thing to do to me.
Mark, if you don’t agree, who would be your choice?
jfreak13713
October 13th, 2010
6:51 pm
Nobody knows how Fredi will do but I think most assume he’ll do fine. However, I have to agree that at least looking at others guys would have been wise unless they feared Fredi “might” jump to another team while they looked around some?? What I do like about Fredi is that he seemed to get a lot out of his players while in Florida and his situation will be similar here. There is young talent on this team with Heyward, Freeman, Prado and Infante and a couple old vets in Chipper and to a lesser degree Big Mac but there won’t be much money to spend! Fredi has proven that he can take good young talent and get the most out of it with a limited budget. The other guys mentioned in this article can’t say that?? In the end I think Fredi will prove to be the right guy for “this” situation. Will get any better results than Bobby did this year? Not unless upper management decides to add a bat or two!
jerry
October 13th, 2010
6:52 pm
I appreciate Bradley’s point of view. We don’t need a sports media that just rubber stamps every thing these sports team do. Questions needed to be raised and Bradley raised them. Enough rah rah.
F-105 Thunderchief
October 13th, 2010
6:54 pm
This is not a kneejerk decision. They’ve had since June to mull it over. Gonzalez proved himself a good manager. That he knows and loves the Braves IS NOT a negative. I suspect you are in a huge minority, except maybe among the Cox haters you and I fail to understand. The Braves way before Cox and Schuerholz were put together was not good. Since then, it has been. I’m happy to give Gonzalez the benefit of the doubt, and I think his association with the organization and with “the best manager we’ll ever see,” is a positive, not a negative.
jfreak13713
October 13th, 2010
6:56 pm
And enough said about Lowe! He is well worth the money spent period!! They guy started slow and then developed a bad elbo. He pitched great the last month of the seaon and was awesome in the playoffs. Well worth it in my opinion …. Oh, and what did we spend for Glaus? A bargin since he saved our season! McLouth, Melky, and Ankiel not so much but nobodys perfect right!
JASon
October 13th, 2010
6:59 pm
The point is, Mark has already written an article questioning this decision. These columnists are so wishy washy about their opinions. Why doesn’t he just come out and say he doesn’t want fredi here? And give his reasoning. Do I beat around the bush about hating bobby’s guts? Hell no! This is america dammit.
Fredi Gonzalez New Braves Manager | ShyBarbarian.com – Political Viewpoints
October 13th, 2010
7:04 pm
[...] Mark Bradley disagrees, figuring the Braves should have at least interviewed some assistants from clubs that [...]
Fredi Gonzalez New Braves Manager | CONCEALED POLITICS
October 13th, 2010
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[...] Mark Bradley disagrees, figuring the Braves should have at least interviewed some assistants from clubs that [...]
Fredi Gonzalez New Braves Manager « South Capitol Street
October 13th, 2010
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[...] Mark Bradley disagrees, figuring the Braves should have at least interviewed some assistants from clubs that [...]
wxwax
October 13th, 2010
7:12 pm
The problem with the Braves isn’t in the manager’s office. It’s in the boardroom.
Until they invest more money in quality players, they either get lucky with kids or flame out.
I just think you’re on the wrong path here, Mark.
D-vegas
October 13th, 2010
7:12 pm
mark you are a bonehead freddi wast the obvious choice, the braves are looked upon as a model program for small market team. For all the lowe bashers yes he hasn’t been great, but other than cc what else big names panned out?
burnett-no
peavy-no
lowe-no
you can honestly say lowe has been the 2nd best big name free agent pitcher from that class.
if we dont get one of these guys werth, crawford, or rasmus i might just lead a mob to go get the heads of liberty media and trap them in a cage until there willing to pay up
Heath
October 13th, 2010
7:13 pm
How’d that whole Chuck Tanner thing work out, anyway? Being from outside the organization it must have been a smashing success.
Andrew
October 13th, 2010
7:14 pm
I often agree with you, MB, but in this case, I think you’re gasping at straws. Fredi Gonzalez is not Bobby Cox, and some things will be different, especially between the lines. The reason Fredi is a great hire is because he’ll maintain the continuity that’s been in the clubhouse for 20+ years, and having learned from Bobby, he’ll go to bat for his players unless they really fall off the wagon.
You’re going to have a hard time telling me that Bobby’s way of doing things is the reason the Braves had less success over the last five years, as opposed to a payroll that was almost halved, awful pitching (see: 2007 and 2008 rotations) and the over-reliance of young players and cheap, journeymen vets.
But Bobby’s method at least kept the team competitive, and it kept his clubhouse happy and in line, which you can’t say for a lot of teams. Where Fredi will be different, however, is between the lines… he’s far more aggressive on the basepaths (assuming we actually find someone who can run) and he certainly has shown the ability to get the most out of his players, as opposed to those above-mentioned vets who have often come here and failed.
Oh, by the way, how did La Russa’s loaded roster treat him this year?
Good move all the way around
P. Bull Terrier
October 13th, 2010
7:19 pm
I’m guessing the editors assigned Bradley to write the negative counterpoint on the Gonzalez hiring, but his heart isn’t really in it. If a lack of “Statistical Analysis” is the biggest negative about Gonzalez, I’d say the Braves made a great choice. We have plenty of fantasy baseball coaches around here. Gonzalez is a real world coach.
we need a shortstop that will hustle on EVERY play
October 13th, 2010
7:23 pm
Ist thing Fredi need to do is find a shortstop that will NOT QUIT, the clown we have is a sorry excuse for a ball player…
IceColdATLien
October 13th, 2010
7:24 pm
MB, once again you’ve demonstrated within your own column why you’re main point is wrong. You even noted that Wren’s list began over a year ago and has been whittled over time. That, by it’s very definition, is NOT knee jerk.
STRETCH
October 13th, 2010
7:27 pm
Still like this team, just need a bat or two. But they are not gonna do much next season if Chipper is hurt again by May. Thats money wasted along with KK. I was really impressed with Lowe and how he came along after he got healthy.
They are going into next season with a ton of pitching. Just need some hitters!
Chpatt
October 13th, 2010
7:29 pm
Mark Bradley, this article is a dissapointment for one reason and one reason only:
This story and quote from Bobby Cox: Cox recalled the advice he gave Gonzalez when he first took the Florida managing job in 2007.
“You are who you are. You’ve got to be yourself,” the now-retired manager said. “Fredi’s got the right makeup to be a great manager. He has all the respect around baseball that you can get. I just want to be in the background. There’s always going to be new starts, and Fredi is getting a new start here.”
If Bobby Cox thinks that Fredi Gonzalez is the right person to step in as the new manager, then who are YOU to say that this could be a mistake or that it was a “KNEE JERK” decision???
NtheNo
October 13th, 2010
7:31 pm
Hope Fredi continues the tradition of nose pickin’ and head scratchin’.
Mickey Mantle
October 13th, 2010
7:47 pm
At least Bobby Cox was clean cut. Now we have a manager that looks like a slob. He’ll go fine with the hair on the face crowd of white trash that make up the players.
Burgess
October 13th, 2010
7:54 pm
Mark,
Can’t get Jeff to answer….does Hubbard have a job in the organization ?
gadawgs
October 13th, 2010
7:54 pm
Mark,
If they would not have hired Gonzalez you would have said they should have. Welcome home Fredi!! I love this hire and cannot wait until next year.
Ron Bagwell
October 13th, 2010
7:55 pm
Let me guess, you wanted Bobby V.?
Valdosta Tiger
October 13th, 2010
7:58 pm
Erica, you just summed it up!!!!!!!!!
scottc
October 13th, 2010
7:59 pm
Mark are you really quoting Stan Kasten??? Because one of the best managers to ever manage a baseball team has retired and we are forced to make a change, we should now make a “real change” (i.e. hire Paris Hilton) to manage the Braves?
That’s kind of ridiculous.
lanier
October 13th, 2010
7:59 pm
Why try to throw water on the fire. Time will tell thats all you needed to say. Your take means nothing anyway. Otherwise you would have a better job,
Looking Forward to Freddy
October 13th, 2010
8:01 pm
Mark,
I believe you are sorely mistaken about Gonzalez’s micro-management. The guy is way different from Bobby Cox except that like Bobby Cox he is also a great player’s manager.
I know many on here are going to bash me for this…but I think Fredi Gonzalez is better than Bobby Cox. He has everything Cox had, except that he can also micro-manage for 1 game in addition to macro-managing for 162 game. Cox’s problem is that he went for the big win instead of focusing on fundamentals. Fredi realizes that you can get the big win BY FOCUSING on the fundamentals. Fredi’s teams posted winning records while operating on the lowest budget in baseball. They created runs from every opportunity instead of waiting them them.
If you combine fundamentals and run manufacturing and have the pitching staff we do – you are going to win. I am seriously looking forward to getting back to consistent playoff teams with Fredi. Whats more I think we will go deeper into the playoffs because Fredi can micro-manage.
I also love what he did with Pendleton, he could have fired him because Pendleton was not succeeding at his job. Brilliant Fredi just moves him to another position and still manages to replace the hitting coach.
GREAT MOVES BRAVES!!
LETS GO CAPTURE SOME FLAGS!!!
Bill Hulsey
October 13th, 2010
8:02 pm
New manager Fredi Gonzalez says he won’t change too many things. 2 (Two) things he definitely needs to change. That all players run the base paths at full speed and maximum effort ala Pete Rose, even on walks, so they stay in the habit. And pitchers can and should shake off catchers at times-even rookie pitchers shaking off 6 year All Star veterans. Treat the batters like Bob Gibson did, especially with 1 (one) strike needed to win a playoff game. Especially when the batter has been unable to catch up to 5 (five) of your best pitches-that high nineties mph fastball and not some weak 50 mph slider or change up ala Mark Wohlers in 1996 WS. Get ‘Em Next Year Braves!
scottc
October 13th, 2010
8:04 pm
Mark, are yiou really quoting Stan Kasten to support your argument to hire somebody vastly different than bobby Cox because Stan says when you change, you should make a real change?????
seriously?
We were FORCED to make a change because a manager who, with his way of thinking and doing, managed a team VERY successfully. and now we should hire Paris Hilton???
That’s a ridiculous argument, given the Braves success with their current formula. I doubt even Stan Kasten would agree with you. Why dont you ask him and find out? he is always good for a quote or two,
Looking Forward to Freddies (both of them)
October 13th, 2010
8:16 pm
and Mark….
to answer the question posed in the title: Fredi Gonzalez is DEFINITELY THE BEST CHOICE. This one time however, the best choice also miraculously coincided with being the easiest choice due to Florida’s idiotic but wonderful (for us) decision to let him go.
NC State Nate
October 13th, 2010
8:17 pm
Bradley I think you are right on. This is a great question. It is definitely the easiest but who knows if it is the best? I honestly would have liked for the Braves to get someone with a different philosophy and shake things up a little. But the guys in the organization might know best, and hopefully Fredi is just the guy for the job.
Still, great question.
Burgess
October 13th, 2010
8:27 pm
I understand letting a new manager bring in his own people, but you’d think there would be a job for Hubbard somewhere in the organization. He’s a life long Brave.
Whopper Dawg
October 13th, 2010
8:27 pm
I think a good choice.
marko
October 13th, 2010
8:36 pm
Best choice or easy choice? this is too easy. Best choice.
Mark Bradley
October 13th, 2010
8:38 pm
As far as I know, Burgess, Glenn Hubbard and Chino Cadahia are out.
chris
October 13th, 2010
8:43 pm
Time will tell on this move but Fredi is younger and will push these players a bit more than Bobby hopefully. BObby will be missed for so many reasons simply because we’ve grown accustomed to his style for so long. Fredi’s style will take time for fans to adjust to. I just hope we’re not looking at a fall off like we had after we axed Torre in 1984. The bottom line is simple and it’s not Fredi G but Frank W. Frank has GOT to get some BATS into this lineup! We have to be better prepared with a bench that strikes fear into opponents and get some ball players not washed up wannabes we “hope” can repeat past years of glory like we did Glaus, Ankiel and others. We have the pitching nucleus to compete again for playoffs next year but if we don’t hit Fredi’s first year is going to suck in the biggest of ways. Good choice for mgr but we got to get this mgr some pieces to play with. I’m sad Glenn Hubbard was let go. Glenn has been with this club for many years as player and as coach and was professional in his approach to the game. I hope they find a place for him in the organization if it’s not as first base coach.
Burgess
October 13th, 2010
8:45 pm
Mark, would you agree that you’d think there would be a job somewhere in the organization….wether as a scout or in the minors for Hubby ?
Unless there’s something about Hubbard the public isn’t aware of .
Updated Blog Title
October 13th, 2010
8:45 pm
Fredi Gonzalez: The stupidest choice as manager, or the stupidest?
Cobby Box
October 13th, 2010
8:46 pm
http://pricezack.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/instant-replay-in-baseball-what-is-it-going-to-take/
perk
October 13th, 2010
8:48 pm
mark: who would you have hired?? he is the best pick NOW for the Braves. I am sorry to see Hubbard go. Glad he kept Pendleton.
Hobo
October 13th, 2010
8:49 pm
Do any of you who claim that Fredi Gonzalez managed teams steal a lot of bases have actual numbers to back this claim up, or are you just basing your claim on anecdotal evidence gained while watching the Braves play the Marlins 19 games a year?
MarkTwain
October 13th, 2010
8:56 pm
Go easy on Bradley. Its clear he lost the coin toss with Schultz to be the raving idiot. Nobody with any baseball brains wanted to write this article but someone had to otherwise you’d have immediately went looking for Buster Olney’s opinion right after reading Schultzie.
rilo
October 13th, 2010
9:03 pm
the change we need is ownership. Think if we would have gotten Johnny Damon at the beginning of the season. If you remember, we were really only about $2 Million away from getting him because he was willing to take a discount. However, ownership was unwilling to fork over a few extra million to solidify that position for one, possibly two years. Our problem is not in manager or even GM (give benefit of doubt here.) Bobby always got more out of players that are just average. I know he had his mistakes (leaving pitchers in too long) but we wouldn’t even be in the playoffs w/o Bobby.
MitchC
October 13th, 2010
9:10 pm
Mark, you keep saying “The Braves way of doing things”, as if you are criticizing, or insulting, their way of “doing things”. I remind you, that such way of “doing things” led us to 15 playoff appearances in the last 20 years, seventeen seasons over 500, and only two seasons under 500, soo.., what exactly is wrong with.. “The Braves way of doing things”.
The Braves exit in the playoffs this year had nothing to do with Bobby Cox, except that he left Lowe in one batter too long on Monday night. It had to do with one thing, injuries. What team could withstand all the injuries we had, season ending ones? The Phillies had injuries, but theirs were early in the season. Their key people came back for the pennant drive. We were missing key parts, and we still made the playoffs.
I guess the problem I have with how you keep saying “The Braves way of doing things”, is you make it out to be like such way of “doing things” led us to five, ten, fifteen, or twenty years out of the playoffs, and in last place. Such way of “doing things” gave us the numbers I stated at the beginning of my post, which is exactly my problem with what you are saying.
This team needs one more hitter, and then we will be in good shape. We won 91 games with a patchwork team this year. We may not be as talented as Philly, but, with one more hitter, we would be the next best thing. Next year, with one more hitter, and if we stay healthier than this year, we might well be staring down the Phillies in a classic NLCS. What will you then say about the “Braves way of doing things”?
StaceyJ
October 13th, 2010
9:20 pm
I think they’ve made a wonderful chose in picking Fredi.. For one, he knows the game well. He used to be with the Braves, so he knows the ropes.. He’s friends with Bobby..
And plus, alot of people respect him.. That is one good thing.. I’ve heard he’s all around good guy and the Marlins made a mistake by letting him go.
He’ll be more home in Atlanta… So, good bye Bobby, you’ll be very missed! But, Fredi welcome back as I should say to The Braves!
Leedawg
October 13th, 2010
9:34 pm
Bradley, you are truly the village idiot, and you make money being said idiot. Only in America! How about writing about the need for bats in 2/3 of the outfield. What about the 3rd base situation if Chippa doesn’t make it back, ’cause Omar is not the full time answer.
Smiling Jack
October 13th, 2010
9:53 pm
Why would anyone assume the Braves didn’t look any further than Fredi G? How do any of you know what the Braves did in their search for their next manager? Bradley, you certainly don’t know, neither do any of the other “know it alls” posting. Why would the Braves disclose any details of their search. Get a grip on reality people. They knew for a year a new manager would be needed. Do you think they sat idly by until today. They made a list, who is to say that no one else was contatced about the job. Who is to say, that they didn’t sit around talking about (considering) all that were on their list. What’s the big deal about interviewing 20 other candidates or even three other candidates. Why waste their time and money. Get real and give the man an opportunity from the “git go.” Go Braves…..win baseball games and everything will be fine. However, there will always be the detractors.
MitchC
October 13th, 2010
9:57 pm
My comments dont seem to be posting, so I’ll shorten them and try again.
Mark,. you keep saying “The Braves way of doing things”, like such is a bad thing. I remind you, the “Braves way of doing things” produced fifteen playoff appearances, seventeen seasons over 500, and only two under 500 seasons in 20 years, so how is the “Braves way of doing things”, as you say, a bad thing?
It’s difficult when a legend like Bobby leaves. The orginization obviously wanted to bring in someone who is familar with this team, and how things are run, and who the players would feel comfortable with. Think of a guy like Chipper, who played for Bobby for 16 years. Would he be most comfortable with “The Braves way of doing things”, or, with an outsider, who would tinker with success.
I can’t agree with you on this, sorry. It isnt as if the “Braves way of doing things” produced twenty straight years out of the playoffs. This was a good hiring, for many reasons. I have a feeling I’m going to turn out to be right.
MitchC
October 13th, 2010
9:58 pm
Sorry my previous comment did post. When I looked, it hadnt, but it did, so I ended up saying the same thing twice.
P. Bull Terrier
October 13th, 2010
10:08 pm
MitchC – You were right both times.
MitchC
October 13th, 2010
10:09 pm
Let me play devil’s advocate here for a second, and assume, for a minute, that I agreed with what Mark is saying.
Bobby retires.. yesterday. Wren, JS, et al, interview.. Bradley’s “several candidates”.. (Oquendo, et al). Gonzalez, meanwhile, is hired by.. the Mets, God Forbid, or someone else. One of Bradley’s candidates, who isnt familar with the “Braves way of doing things” Wren hires one of these guys, and in April, May, June, we are at 500. You dont think Bradley would write an article saying “Now why the heck didnt Wren or JS hire someone who was familar with the “Braves way of doing things”. This guy… (Bradley’s hypothetical new manager) doesnt know how the “Braves do things”.
With as much success as this orginization has had over most of the last 20 years, I would much rather hire someone familar with the “Braves way of doing things”, then not.
Smiling Jack
October 13th, 2010
10:12 pm
“The Braves way of doing things” has produced 20 years of entertaining great baseball. Highs and lows…wins and loses…some heartthrilling and others heartbreaking, but that’s baseball. That’s what we love. Braves have so much more than so many other teams. Some have never won anything since the 19th century. WOW! What a privileged city of fans. Writers are entitled to their opinions, as are posters, but its only entertainment, folks.
Michael"
October 13th, 2010
10:14 pm
How many times is MB ever on spot?
Nuff said.
rugburn
October 13th, 2010
10:14 pm
i think fredi is a good choice, maybe he will make HIS team hustle. bench them when they don’t and chipper won’t play enough to get hurt. naysayers want to complain that we hired a guy that just got fired. that idiot team fired girardi too.
Smiling Jack
October 13th, 2010
10:15 pm
Great posts Mitch. Thanks, maybe could you get the AJC to hire you in place of MB?
Bravesfan54
October 13th, 2010
10:16 pm
Mark,I simply don’t agree with you. If anything the Braves need continuity, but Bobby had too many “non-sabermetric” idiosynchrocies – which the new Freddi does not have. Seems to me he melds the best of the old with the new. (Never heard of those other guys you mentioned, and I doubt many of the team had either.) I credit your opinions, but not in this case. Freddi is BC, heavy, dude!
rugburn
October 13th, 2010
10:18 pm
smiling jack…that wouldn’t be the braves way. the braves way would be to continue running him out there past his prime, with no production.
Mr Charlie
October 13th, 2010
10:22 pm
We had to commit to Freddie or he would have taken another job, probably with the Cubs or Mets. . Why pick a bench coach with no managerial experience when you have a guy who has had success with a low payroll team?
MitchC
October 13th, 2010
10:24 pm
Another example of what I mean. This happened a long time ago, and is in the NBA, but it illistrates my point.
1991 to 1995: Pat Riley is coach of the Knicks, and during that time, they are the best defensive team in the league. Going deep into the playoffs, and once making the Finals.
Riley resigns, and the Knicks hire.. Don Nelson in 1995. He is a run and shoot em coach from the Western Conference, and the Knicks are a low scoring team. The team struggles, and Nelson resigns, after, I forget how many games.
Jeff Van Gundy, a long time Knicks assistant under Riley, is hired. Van Gundy was a guy familar with the “Knicks way of doing things” IE defense. The Knicks go on to have several successful seasons after that, as Van Gundy got them back to playing defense.
Wouldnt the Knicks have been better off hiring Van Gundy straight off? Were they better trying to be a run and shoot em team under Nelson?
The Knicks went back to what made them successful. In this case, the Braves tried to stay with what has made them successful.
Maybe it;s not the same situation, but people probably understand my point, right?
gcs
October 13th, 2010
10:30 pm
Mark, you have questioned this hire in two columns but I have yet to see your alternate suggestions.
I know it is a done deal and the Braves probably coulda shoulda interviewed a few more applicants but my question to you is: who would you have interviewed???
.
MitchC
October 13th, 2010
10:31 pm
Thanks, Jack. I’ll leave the sportswriting to Mark. I’m just simply a very interested, and sometimes too emotional, fan.
Another example: Again, basketball. Fans who follow the NBA, know the Knicks have been bad for years. I’m not a Knicks fan, I like the Hawks, even though I cant see their games.
The Knicks hire.. Mike D Antoni, a run em, shoot em, coach from Phoenix. What happens? They have no commitment to defense, and last year allowed 110 points per game. They stank, again. They may be somewhat better this year, with Staoudmaire, but.. I dont think they will ever be really good, until they get a couple of more good players, and get back to a commitment to defense, like they had under Riley.
The problem I have with what Mark is saying is that this is an orginzation that was successful for almost two decades, not two or three years. To tinker with success, is to me.. foolish. You continue success, to hopefully get more success.
Does anyone realize what kind of articles Mark is going to be writing, if the Braves launguish in third place come next summer? Its going to be a bunch of “You fans were wrong”, and “I told you so”. Hopefully, for the Braves sake, and the fans sake, the team can have success next year.
Dawg Whisperer
October 13th, 2010
10:41 pm
Mark, I take it that the complaint here is that other prospective candidates for the job were not seriously considered and, at the minimum, should have been interviewed. OK, I can’t argue that but I’m guessing it would have made little difference and I suspect Wren and Schuerholtz knew that. I’m going to give them a pass on this because the Braves management has earned it. If it’s the wrong decision, they will figure it out soon enough.
Michael"
October 13th, 2010
11:00 pm
Bottom line, Fredi was hired shortly after the Marlins let him go.
The rest is smoke and mirrors.
Hillbilly Deluxe
October 13th, 2010
11:13 pm
Other organizations, the Red Sox chief among them, have come to rely on data as a guide for the gut.
They didn’t make the playoffs this year.
Hillbilly Deluxe
October 13th, 2010
11:18 pm
After all the years he’s put in the organization, Glenn Hubbard doesn’t even get offered a position in the minors?
jc_dawgs
October 13th, 2010
11:29 pm
Dawg4u is exactly right. I want Werth or Crwaford too…..but there is no way we get either of those guys because LM is just too darn cheap. Instead….they will do away with many of our underperformers this season and replace them with avg players. Its a roll of the dice that they may be half way descent.
The pitching sure looks good though but I think we have to hope that Heyward and F Freeman will really come through next year. Its a role of the dice when you are real cheap like LM.
bravegirl325
October 13th, 2010
11:47 pm
Mark, you’re right. If Fredi comes in using the Bobby Cox Method, not only will it backfire strategically, but fans won’t have any patience for it. That kind of patience and trust was only reserved for Bobby.
Out in Left Field
October 13th, 2010
11:49 pm
Didn’t the Braves chart every hit and use that to position their defense? But if you say you want EVERY decision based on statistics, well then, make me the manager, pay me the huge salary, and I will hire an actuary as my bench coach, and we will be set. No decision to be made, just go by the numbers. They could save the salary, and simply put a computer on the bench in the dugout. Would be very simple. Who needs a manager anyway?
CharlieAlphaBravo
October 13th, 2010
11:56 pm
Boy, it’s too bad the candidates you suggest for Atlanta coaching vacancies never actually get hired… Guess we’ll never know. Ho-hum.
beantownbrave
October 14th, 2010
12:06 am
“But it was Cox’s gut that persuaded him to stick with Derek Lowe one batter too long in the last game he ever managed.”
Really Mark? You would’ve said the opposite if Cox took DLowe out early or would’ve hailed Cox’s move if Lowe got out of the inning cleanly.
…Hardly a fair example to use in your argument. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember you criticizing that move before…
I think the idea of bringing someone in of the “Cox-ian Ilk” was meant to produce a certain amount of continuity in the organization with clear identity and I personally think it is a fine idea. Fredi is not Cox and will not be doing things the way Cox did it; at the same time, Gonzalez would be familiar enough with the culture that has brought success in the past that he would be able to positively contribute to the club for years to come without straying too far away from the organizations goals and expectations. And it was this same “Bobby Cox Way” you are wary of that brought the team so far this season with significant injuries to the line up.
Someone who contributes a bit of continuity of tradition and culture that represents the Braves isn’t a detriment; especially if that tradition and culture has brought some tangible success over the last several years.
I mean, do you really believe what you wrote? More importantly, do you believe that WE would believe what you wrote?
Homer
October 14th, 2010
12:46 am
If you have to ask the question, then you already know the answer. Easiest. Not gonna go outside the mediocre comfort zone.
Ron Gardenhose
October 14th, 2010
12:54 am
And it was this same “Bobby Cox Way” you are wary of that brought the team so far this season with significant injuries to the line up.”
Actually, it was the “Bobby Cox Way” that CAUSED the injuries. FTFY.
James
October 14th, 2010
1:36 am
Braves need to get Adam Dunn and Cody Ross this offseason.
Alex
October 14th, 2010
1:40 am
Fredi may be a good choice because he is about to get the same kind of team he had in Florida. He has ownership that is not willing to spend much on this team….after all, the team is really just a side-show. Second, the current roster needs to be purged of the old and/or unable to include McClouth, Glaus, Diaz, Cabrera, Ankiel, Moylan, Conrad and Kawakami. One should seriously consider moving Chipper if he can return and a contender wants him. After that, the team will need to go with prospects (of which most are pitchers other than Heyward and Freeman) and fill in with role players. I can live with Infante and Prado – though, I do think these guys had what will be career years and never again contend for a batting title. McCann is the man. Ross and Derrick Lee (if he gets his back fixed) is serviceable. As for Alex Gonzalez….too inconsistent from night to night, but we may be stuck.
Anyway, it looks like Fredi inherits a situation similar to the team he had in Florida. Thankfully, he does not inherit a lazy, tempermental superstar.
ward
October 14th, 2010
2:53 am
I think fredi will do great job, and just maybe we can get back to the fundamentales of the game. hit and run, steal some bases, and get c. crawford,or alfonzo soriano. Get back to the old way of baseball.Instead of station to station, one base at a time. I;m excited, and ready for the winter meetings already….Go!!! Braves!!!!!!
ward
October 14th, 2010
2:56 am
we also need some players that can bunt runners over to scoring position.We need to play smart baseball, and fredi can do that as a manager… dicipline is what this team needs. Go!!! Braves!!!!
ward
October 14th, 2010
3:00 am
good talking to you, and i think fredi was the right choice. He could be our manager for a long time if he;s sucessful,and i;m confident he will be…..Go!!!! Braves!!!!!
TheAntiMe
October 14th, 2010
3:04 am
Erica
October 13th, 2010
5:12 pm
You’re always bitchin about something.
Very cool comment, Erica. It sure beats the heck out of “First”!
BravesfaninNashville
October 14th, 2010
4:34 am
Rupert…. I totally agree with everything you said.
MB…… it gets really old reading these kind of predictably negative story lines from you.. Very Pedestrian in my opinion and you are being paid to write this column when many of the best contributions here came from average fans. Pick a new slant the old one is just …… OLD…
BravesfaninNashville
October 14th, 2010
4:47 am
What’s wrong with ending up with your first choice? If Fredi were to still be employed by The Marlins the Braves would have needed permission to interview him. It seems like this worked out perfectly. He’s bilingual which is so important with all the latin players in the league, he’s proven he can compete with a small budget. He also knows who he might want to trade for in the Marlin’s organization and they always seem to be stocked with great talent. Maybe we can trade some of our young pitching talent for an everyday up and coming outfielder and possibly third basemen to replace Chipper when he decides to retire. I see a win/win trade coming up with The Marlins this offseason.
So MB if you know the girl you want to marry because you’re in love with her should you just keep dating take a chance on losing her? If the Braves were truly in an open search and actively interviewing other candidates they would have had to wait until the seasons end to interview the coaches you mentioned. This would have meant the Cubs opportunity would have been LIVE for Fredi as he wouldn’t have had a guaranteed job with the Braves. If he knew the Braves were going to interview every candidate before they made a decision he might have felt compelled to take a “Bird In The Hand” offer from the Cubs if he got one. I think Frank Wren and the Braves played this perfectly which is something I haven’t felt on some of the personnel moves (Glavine, Smoltz) in the recent past.
Rockdale Braves Fan
October 14th, 2010
5:18 am
MB: To me it is obvious why you wrote this story. Either your bosses
directed you to write something taking the opposite position written by Jeff S.
or you just wanted to stir up the pot and get a lot of blog responses to keep your high rating.
I don`t pretend to know if FG is the right hire. Only time will tell.
Marie
October 14th, 2010
7:37 am
Nice Erica! Congrats Fredi-Welcome home!
papadawg
October 14th, 2010
7:41 am
I’ll wait to see what kind of coaching staff he puts together before I pass judgement on his hiring. If he keeps Pendleton then the hiring sucks
Plate Appearance
October 14th, 2010
7:56 am
Typical Wren!
The paint wasn’t even dry on Bobby’s managerial career being over and Wren hires Gonzalez within two days.
How can Wren truly make a reasoned decision when he hasn’t even gone through an interview process? All he had was a list of names.
One gets the distinct impression that Wren makes trades in the same way.
I’m not a fan of how this GM conducts his business.
glord1
October 14th, 2010
8:06 am
“Bobby’s gut believed in Martin Prado long before he was an all star. ”
Really? I remember Prado sitting on the bench for 3 months in 2009 while Johnson hit .200. Bobbys gut belived in Prado a little late and probably cost the Braves thte 2009 Wild card.
Great hire on FG. Great in game manager which will be an improvement.
The Grinch
October 14th, 2010
8:26 am
papadawg
October 14th, 2010
7:41 am
Maybe I read the article wrong, but it sure sounded like Pendleton was moving to first base. Wonder what will happen to Hubbard?
coach joe
October 14th, 2010
8:26 am
maybe this gonzo can teach the other gonzo that you run out all its you learn that in lil league
10-1 lead after 3
October 14th, 2010
8:32 am
Mr. Bradley, now you write about how the Braves haven’t really been very good for the past decade. However, you’ve spent the past month writing about how great Bobby Cox was as a manager and, in turn, how great the Braves have been during his tenure. You now say that the Braves should go in a different direction,while until now you were saying that the Cox way was the best direction ever.
Give me a break or give it a rest.
Cecil34
October 14th, 2010
8:35 am
Fredi Gonzalez is no Bobby Cox. Let’s make that clear. Whatever in common they have, it is what differs between the two that will be positive change.
And that provides hope that Fredi will get this team properly conditioned in spring training to play 162 games of baseball.
Cox’s teams seem to run out of gas in September, and look sluggish and out of shape in April.
Maybe Fredi won’t treat spring training like a six week fun-n-sun vacation.
Trust me, the Braves could have done much, much worse.
Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter. It may make no difference if Fredi is the manager if Wren can’t get some hellacious ballplayers in here.
With antiseptic Liberty Media as the purse-string holders, it is a tall order.
Wren may not be in the category of rocket-scientist GM’s, but we will never know because he performs his job with one hand tied behind his back. He is easy to point the finger to, but that is misguided.
Until this organization gets an opportunity to spend some serious cash, Fredi will have to use smoke and mirrors to make it happen.
Chipper, you need to retire. Don’t worry about coming back. You had a good run, but playing 90 games out of a 162 game season doesn’t work. Thanks for the memories.
Good luck Fredi!
Harry
October 14th, 2010
8:39 am
What a bad article. You mean the same Red Sox organization that decided to leave Pedro in the game for one more batter?
5150
October 14th, 2010
9:02 am
Agree Greg Walker would be great hire for hitting coach. If he has worked with Ozzie he can handle anything.
Ted M
October 14th, 2010
9:27 am
Lowe’s late season performance should allow the Braves to trade him for prospects and free up some cash so they can sign a good outfielder.
I like Lowe but we got the pitching to replace him.
SadDawg
October 14th, 2010
9:28 am
It’s a little telling that Chipper didn’t want to “get to work” with Fredi.
Must be deer season . . .
Andy
October 14th, 2010
9:31 am
Mark
Your “if you are going to make a change, make a CHANGE” argument does not hold water. The Braves were not unhappy with Cox’s performance so they did not want to make a change. He only left because he is retiring. This actually makes perfect sense to hire Fredi because he is a Cox disciple and will continue with a similar philosophy that has yielded much success. Nice try though.
Unknown Hinson
October 14th, 2010
9:37 am
Good hire, simple.
reckingball
October 14th, 2010
9:44 am
Fredi G. is not going to manage the same way that Cox did, TP wouldn’t have either. Just because they worked for Cox, it doesn’t mean they will make decisions based on ‘what would Bobby do?’.
Mad Mike
October 14th, 2010
10:07 am
whatever, bradley. the most important job a manager can do is keep the club cohesive for 162 games. that’s what made bobby great (it sure wasn’t his game management.) that being said, i hope fredi is much better at small ball. i will not miss sitting back and waiting for the three run homer. let’s go braves! can’t wait til spring!
bascogcjs
October 14th, 2010
10:10 am
Why is it that bald headed men grow facial hair?
Is it because that’s the only place it will grow, fredi?
Also, why do men who smoke all have some kind of facial hair?
You hardly ever see a man smoke with no facial hair!
Look aroun and you’ll see, I’m right.
fayncdawg
October 14th, 2010
10:11 am
Any word if Gonzo pushed Hanley Ramirez too hard in Florida?? Any concern that he’ll push Heyward too hard??
Mitchell
October 14th, 2010
11:33 am
Heath
October 13th, 2010
7:13 pm
How’d that whole Chuck Tanner thing work out, anyway? Being from outside the organization it must have been a smashing success.
How’d that whole Bobby Cox thing work out?
How about with him crying like a bitch after blowing it in the playoffs… again?
Is that your definition of success?
This whole organization is a joke.
It is a den of losers. Only two of the past twenty seasons have ended with a Braves victory and only one of those occurred during the streak of division titles.
Stated simply: with one exception, Bobby Cox’s Braves lost the last game played in every year they won the National East Division.
That is called being a f***ing loser.
The man even found a way to top Game 4 of the 1996 World Series on the scale of excruciation before he called it a day.
He singlehandedly erased one of the greatest moments in the history of Turner Field, if not the entire franchise (Eric Hinske’s home run), in the span of twenty minutes.
When I think of Bobby Cox, I will always remember him as a world class Loser.
Nobody did it better.
More statues have been built due to his decision making than Winston Churchill.
Kirby Puckett statue outside of Target Field… made possible by Bobby Cox.
sg10
October 14th, 2010
11:37 am
Mark,
There are statistics for everything for judging player’s value..why aren’t there statistics for the managers? something like ‘Win above replacement’ or something like that.. there has to be some measure to separate out good managers from the average…right now everything is just hazy and confusing..After Marlins fired Gonzalez, their record was the same (slightly better) than with him..does it say he didn’t make any difference? Why is it that some managers are suddenly successful with some group of guys while they weren’t with others? For example, Buck Shoewalter who has suddenly turned it around with Orioles…In my opinion, role of the manager is overrated…70% is players 25% is luck and 5% is manager. It is hard to gauge the effect of 5% when the other factors dominate so much…You just have to go by the reaction of the players and people in that business what they say on the record and more importantly, off the record..It seems everything is positive so far about appointment of Gonzalez so there is nothing to really complain yet…
I must be the Crazy One
October 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
I think Fredi gets the chance to run it the way Fredi wants to, and i believe that’s what he’s doing. I’m gonna give the man a chance before i start calling him out on anything. And I for one and glad the Braves will continue to run things the way they have over the last 20 years… with a ton of class and with a humble respect for the game. That’s why the Braves are the class of the National League, not just the wins over that time span, but the way they won and the way they carry themselves. We are set apart from the rest, and i’m glad of it.
Pdog
October 14th, 2010
1:00 pm
Is there anyway we can trade Gonzo back to the Jays for Escobar.
Stu B
October 14th, 2010
2:01 pm
Bradley’s the same idiot who during the first 2 games of the 1996 World Series wrote about how superior the Braves were to the Yankees and the series was nothing more than some kind of coronation. Then, after the Yankees swept 3 games in Atlanta and won game 6 back in NY to take the series to make Bradley look like a fool, he was apparently too arrogant to write anything admitting how wrong he was!
The Blue Indian
October 14th, 2010
2:14 pm
Come on. Let’s get real, Mark. As any good newspaper journalist should do, you’re simply playing devil’s advocate here. Schultz, DOB, and everyone else are in favor of the move, and you’re simply showing another side.
Fredi was the only man for the job. And one commenter was right– time will tell.
Phil
October 14th, 2010
2:23 pm
It was easy as ABC……
“A”nybody “B”ut “C”ox!!
Phil
October 14th, 2010
2:35 pm
Mitchell,
Agree 100%. Cox would have been run out of Boston or New York after the 96 season. They don’t put up with losers like Cox. That’s why they are the organizations THEY are, and we are the medicore organization that WE are, because we held onto that loser for another 14 years.
Now, in Bradley’s mind, winning Division titles is what it’s all about and that’s the true sign of Greatness. Thus he appoints Cox as the Greatest Manager of all time. Doesn’t matter that you can’t win it all.
Bradley himself would have been run out of Boston and New York with his sick distorted view of greatness.
ward
October 14th, 2010
2:50 pm
i just gotta poke fun at the giant fans. my prediction philly win series 5 games to 1 or embarrassing sweep philly;s 4 games to 0. Ha! Ha i get the last laugh!!!!! My Braves will see you next year!!!!!!
ward
October 14th, 2010
3:02 pm
phil go back to your glory hole ,and hide there! nobody want;s to here you trash bobby.
ward
October 14th, 2010
3:11 pm
mitch , maybe you should join phil too. who want;s to you bitch too.
ozzie
October 14th, 2010
3:46 pm
I was also a bit disappointed that Wren and the FO interviewed no one. It really was shortsighted and unnecessary.
Fredi was going to hang around until Wren made a decision. He wanted this job so much you wonder if he asked to be fired back in June.
Wren is a ready, fire, aim GM always has been. Look at his moves. He reacts and rushes – mistaking impulsiveness with decisiveness.
JS is terrified of rocking the continuity boat so he likely was pushing for Fredi as well.
McGuirk is an empty suit.
CO doesn’t care.
That all equals a list that had one name on it. There was no list in the teens. That was for the press so they wouldn’t look completely irresponsible.
These guys are stewards to a 85mm payroll and a national franchise. Not interviewing anyone was a bush league move.
Once Mark Cuban comes in (one can only hope) he will likely fire everyone but the bat boy (he will be put on a performance plan though
) and reboot this franchise.
Fredi is a shades of gray guy they hope is better than Bobby b/c he is younger and will be creative but not TOO creative.
When Bobby was younger he lost in the post season too. The guys who are manging teams in the post season are older not younger.
So youth may be over-rated versus the reality of the game.
All water under the bridge.
Fredi will need a lot more talent to get back to the post season any time soon.
This club needs a LF, CF, SS (Gonzo is terrible, cheap yes but terrible), a few pen Vets, revamped bench (Omar stays the rest go) and a plan to get a 3B should Chipper face plant.
My hope is Fredi is going to make minor changes up front but has a plan for major changes as 2011 unfolds b/c he probably won’t get a boat load of talent and will need to make lemonade out of lemons.
Michael
October 14th, 2010
4:10 pm
I think Fredi was a good choice and was handpicked by Bobby who absolutely loves this organization. I also believe that Fredi received a 3 year deal which sounds about right because it fits another scenario I believe in and that is that the future long term manager of the Braves will be Chipper Jones.
Eleta
October 14th, 2010
4:14 pm
Your article suggests that the Braves need changes as drastic as were needed in 1991. Several years before that team, the Braves had languished at or near the bottom for many years. Drastic changes were required to shake things up. After those glorius 14 division titles, they haven’t been as good this decade. However, they aren’t a bottom-dweller, either. They need tweaking, not a total makeover. What they do need more than anything else is an owner willing to increase the payroll. Stay tuned….maybe one day that will happen again……probably not in my lifetime, however.
droopydawg
October 14th, 2010
4:23 pm
Weren’t you pounding the drum for Freddi just two or three days ago? I seem to remember you posting a comment that your top three choices were Freddi G
Phil
October 14th, 2010
4:33 pm
Funny how Fredi already knew that TP needed replacing as the hitting coach. Only took 1 day to make that change. Anybody with half a brain has been knowing for years that TP was not an efefctive hitting coach.
I guess that’s the reason Cox could never figure it out.
DMBJAMS
October 14th, 2010
8:28 pm
MB = Buzz Killington
I did enjoy your perspective. Good read.
Go Braves!
DMBJAMS
October 14th, 2010
8:31 pm
“I understand letting a new manager bring in his own people, but you’d think there would be a job for Hubbard somewhere in the organization. He’s a life long Brave.” – Burgess
Agree 100%. Maybe he and Fredi have a bad history? MB?
Boatdoc
October 14th, 2010
11:23 pm
Only 2 years ago Fredi Gonzalez was the Manager of the Year with the Lowest Payroll in the Major Leagues.
I’m wondering what is the advantage to second-guessing him or the choice to hire him months before spring training.
Boatdoc
October 14th, 2010
11:41 pm
That is a good question about Glenn Hubbard – except for a brief time as littlest of the Bash Brothers, Mr. Hubbard has been an exceptional member of the organization. He has a reputation as an excellent teacher of infielders as well as first base coach – I would venture to say any shortcomings we had, especially at second base, were in spite of him, not because of him. That was the only downer in the announcement I heard.
ward
October 15th, 2010
12:31 am
I;ve been hard on wren, because of the last few trades. he;ll be o.k. if he makes up for it next season, but if he doesn,t……….then i wan;t a new general manager…….We can;t waste talent for nothing in return. I;m excited,and ready to see what happens during the winter meetings…… Go!!!! Braves!!!!
ward
October 15th, 2010
12:38 am
Phil i have to agree with you on replacing terry pendleton,because he did;t do much to get the batters motivated, and didn;t teach them fundamentales either. well see you guy;s later. been great talking…..Go!!!! Braves!!!!!
Gil in Mechanicsville
October 15th, 2010
10:06 am
Having a nearly unlimited payroll will make many mediocre GMs and managers into a genius. It is not always the guy with the best tactics that wins the battle, you have to have the right troops to execute the plan. Perhaps if Liberty got off the cash to sign a Werth or a Crawford then perhaps the Braves could return to the World Series. It should be obvious as to why the Yankees and Phillies are at the top of their leagues.
You can keep that old jalopy running with enough duct tape and bailing wire for a good while but eventually it will just leave you stranded just the same.
Phillistein
October 15th, 2010
10:23 am
Bravissimo
October 13th, 2010
5:13 pm
I like the choice of Fredi. Even if the Braves had hired one of the afor mentioned guys, do you really think they would make radical changes MB?
As a side….losing the LDS got rid of the philly fans thank god. I hope SF stomps their buttski’s
*************************************************************************************************************
Child please
Phillistein
October 15th, 2010
10:28 am
Boatdoc
October 14th, 2010
11:23 pm
Only 2 years ago Fredi Gonzalez was the Manager of the Year with the Lowest Payroll in the Major Leagues.
**********************************************************************************************
On a team built by Joe Girardi.
Fredi’s team do NOT play fundamentally good baseball; zillion errors, run the basepaths like they’re blind, throw here when they should throw there.
Jeff Loria hated Girardi and couldn’t wait to get rid of him. Girardi, who was also manager of the year moves to NY and wins them their first WS in 10 years. Marlins? Not really competitive.
Just sayin
Lame Duck
October 15th, 2010
12:06 pm
Everyone would be bitching if Wren had hesitated to the point that Fredi signed with another team.
Signing Fredi now was the easiest and best decision Wren has made.
Now if Wren can resist his urge to bring over the hill and washed up players on board we will be much better.
Wren wanted Fredi, Cox wanted Fredi, the players wanted Fredi, John S wanted Fredi, and the fans wanted Fredi.
If you have a candidate that fills all those wants why look further and possibly lose your chance to get him?
Everyone knows that he is a good team manager who knows baseball and can do well with a small budget, and he falls into your lap, it would be a sin not to grab him.
His contract is for three years and I’ll bet the farm that it is extended once we see him in action.
ozzie
October 15th, 2010
1:21 pm
Fredi will likely be fine but if he isn’t this abbreviated manager search will come back to bite Wren and the FO.
Dirty Jacket
October 15th, 2010
5:56 pm
Read the first two sentences, and your title remains: Garbage article by a garbage internet reporter
GIVE ME A BREAK
October 15th, 2010
6:45 pm
Bradley, why don’t you go write for another paper. Gonzalez is an excellent choice. He had the Marlins playing great baseball when they should have been in last place. Why does it always have to be “the glass is half empty” with you? The Braves will dethrone the Phillies next year. That’s what an optimist thinks.
Willy
October 16th, 2010
6:55 am
If I’m Gonzalez I’d try to mimic the Yankees’ way of doing things…
Great Story
October 16th, 2010
7:43 am
Got to agree with Mark on this one.
I say fire Wren and Shurholtz and
Great Story
October 16th, 2010
7:45 am
Got to agree with Mark on this one.
I say fire Wren and Scherholtz and start over.
Fresh new start.
HerbG
October 16th, 2010
10:08 am
Mark, I think you wrote this one with the idea that if things don’t go well under Gonzalez you can always refer to this article and say, “I tried to tell you!” If Gonzalez proves to have been a good choice, you’ll conveniently forget you ever wrote it.
Jon P
October 16th, 2010
10:48 am
I like this hire. It didn’t catch anyone off-guard did it? I believe that it was the best choice AND the easiest choice. I do hope that Fredi is NOT like Bobby Cox though…Cox had so many truly great teams when the Braves could actually spend some money on free agents, won 14 straight division titles, but only 1 World Series? Even when he had the better team? No, I hope that Fredi is something different. He can have the same approach, but manage the games completely different and that’s what this organization needs.
ward
October 16th, 2010
2:38 pm
what about going with jordan shaffer in ceter field ,and trying to get magl ordenez from deriot he;s 36 year old, but when healthy he can put up good numbers in right field, and play heyward in leftfield, or get alfonzo soriano from the cubs to play left field.
ward
October 16th, 2010
2:41 pm
maybe bring up that young cuban sort stop that we got in the trade.he 20 years old now, and supose to be better than escobar.
ward
October 16th, 2010
2:47 pm
phillie fan: good luck with the phillies tonight. I would like some pay back. beat the crap out of the san fran sissies!!!!! Go!!!! Braves!!!!!!
ward
October 16th, 2010
2:51 pm
Phillie fan i would sure love some payback tonight! i hope the phillies beat the crap out of the san fran sissies!!!! Go!!! Braves!!!!
Chief pitchanono
October 16th, 2010
2:59 pm
I disagree Mark, I think Freddie is a good choice, predictable? yeah, a gamble? not really, but still a good choice. I think he has showed in Florida that he learned allot from Bobby, (team chemistry, motivating players ect..) but I also think he will have his own strategic approach when it comes to managing that will be quite different from Bobby and probably very good for this team. The teams obvious weakness if offense and probably still will be going into spring training, but I think Freddi will be able to get more out of his limited offense than Bobby was able too, and hopefully teaching the team to play more small ball, and learning to manufacture runs more often.
ward
October 16th, 2010
3:05 pm
It;s nice to hear about hit and run, and speed for a change . bobby did go away from that, and became station to station. one base at a time, and you can;t when playing like that.Go!!!! Braves!!!!
ward
October 16th, 2010
4:39 pm
PLAYERS OUT THERE: M Ordenez tigers, alfonzo soriano, rasmus cardinals possible trade, adam dunn nats possible trade, c. crawford tampa, even langoria if tampa want;s to trade. m bryd cubs. we don;t need piching just some hitting.Go!!! Braves!!!!!
Babe Ruth
October 16th, 2010
5:39 pm
If your scouts suck or you just fail to use their services then you suck and your team will ultimately fail.Gut feelings and any kind of luck are a recipe for failure. Stupid is ,is what stupid does.
John Sterling
October 16th, 2010
5:41 pm
Dominique is Monufique DA YANKESS WIN.
ATLANTA loses again. Failure to see the big picture.
John Sterling
October 16th, 2010
6:15 pm
All the former Braves in the Rangers line up proves Wren is an idiot. If you are going to give up all that talent for Texiera then why not get the same talent in return if you’re going to be a bonehead and trade Texiera.
John Sterling
October 16th, 2010
6:20 pm
Adam Dunn is a free agent. Braves didn’t want him in the first place. Braves won’t get anybody that makes sense. They will continue to scrape the bottom of the barrel.
John Sterling
October 16th, 2010
6:21 pm
Ordonez is injured again and only an American Leaguer
ward
October 16th, 2010
6:30 pm
josh hamilton cuold be out for trade, and that would be a good fit. just another possibility!
ward
October 16th, 2010
6:37 pm
let;s see what tampa has to offer as well. i;m just bringing up ideas, and wouldn;t mind the Braves making some move. trade jar j. if he doesn;t sighn with the Braves scott boras sucks anyway!!!!
Remembering 1991
October 17th, 2010
11:17 am
“Go Phillies”? What, are you people nuts? I can’t stand the Phillies and never will. Their fans are classless pigs (ever go to a game there?). Plus, why would you want the team (Giants) that beat your team (Braves) to LOSE? That would just show the Braves lost to an even more inferior team. I would at least want the team that beat the Braves to win it all (actually, I want Texas to win it all).
Ron Gardenhose
October 18th, 2010
12:40 am
Enter your comments here
Stephen First
October 18th, 2010
12:41 am
Furst.
Narrow Urethra Franklin
October 18th, 2010
12:44 am
‘Fredi’s team do NOT play fundamentally good baseball; zillion errors, run the basepaths like they’re blind, throw here when they should throw there”
Hmm…Sounds like a recently retired manager I know.
bro
October 18th, 2010
1:17 pm
Even Dusty Baker can manage with a few good pitchers and a little power in the lineup.
ward
October 19th, 2010
1:23 am
we should keep derek lee,because he;ll be healthy next year. just in case freddy freeman gets hurt again. lee would be a good back up.Go!!!! Braves!!!!!
Eric
October 19th, 2010
2:10 pm
What the heck? You’ve got to be kidding me. This guy over Pendleton. Pendleton has been sitting under Cox for more years, and knows more about the game. Well that’s The Atlanta Braves for you! Real stupid move again.
Eric
October 19th, 2010
2:17 pm
Hell, what bout Glen Hubbard? No loyalty what so ever. Who the heck is Fredi Gonzalez? Pendleton and Hubbard have been loyal to Bobby and the organization. Oh well, go figure!
ward
October 19th, 2010
2:28 pm
wren seems to be making the right moves. letting milky go, is a good start, and going with johnny ventures, and kimbrel for closers is a great idea too. at first i thought keeping milky would be a good idea. now i agee letting milky go was the right thing. Go!!!! Braves!!!!
ward
October 19th, 2010
2:32 pm
i think hubby might go manage another team . maybe thats why they let him go.it could;ve been hubby;s choice, hubby is a big boy now. he can handle it. Go!!! Braves!!!
ward
October 19th, 2010
2:38 pm
good luck to you philly and san fran fans , and good luck to you yankee and ranger fans.just wan;t to say good luck.!!!!!!
Kenny D
October 20th, 2010
12:42 pm
WHAT A SLAP IN THE FACE FOR TERRY PENDLETON AND GLENN HUBBARD !