Not just new, Fredi Gonzalez is also different (which is good)
Fredi Gonzalez likewise had nothing to do with this banner. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
First thing you notice is that coaches no longer have lockers in the main section of the Braves’ clubhouse. And you think: “Aha! An example of how Fredi Gonzalez has changed things! He’s sequestering players from coaches!”
Er, no. Said Gonzalez: “That’s a design thing. I had nothing to do with it. They needed some room [in the main clubhouse] for all the call-ups, and rather than have them double up, they put lockers in the coaches’ room.”
Here Gonzalez smiled. “I wish I could take credit,” he said. “Might make me sound like Bill Belichick.”
The Atlanta Braves, as you’ve heard, are under new management. Fredi Gonzalez, once Bobby Cox’s third-base coach, occupies Bobby Cox’s office, which has also changed. Although Gonzalez had nothing to do with this re-do, either.
Before he left for spring training, a lady from the front office told him she’d been given license to redecorate. “She had a budget,” Gonzalez said, speaking before Wednesday’s exhibition game. “You know how it is with women and budgets — she was in hog heaven.” (And here Gonzalez stressed to two female reporters he meant no offense. None taken, they said.)
He returned to Turner Field on Monday to find new carpet, new furniture, a new blue coat of paint and a new photo wall of honor, with his predecessor’s likeness smack in the middle of luminaries including Aaron and Spahn and Maddux and Mathews and Murphy. “Real nice,” was the new occupant’s verdict.
So these alterations, both cosmetic, weren’t of Gonzalez’s doing. But he has made changes, and some of them could enhance his team’s performance. As much as he seeks to pay tribute to his bound-for-Cooperstown Hall of Famer, the new man isn’t bound to the past.
“It’s like following Bear Bryant,” said Gonzalez, who was reminded that the coach who followed Bryant — Ray Perkins, an Alabama grad — roiled the Tide by removing Bryant’s famous tower from the practice field.
“This ain’t broke,” Gonzalez said. “You don’t want to go in a different direction and ruffle feathers. The changes we’ve made, we didn’t go out and advertise them. But it’s not like we’re changing the color scheme or taking the logo off the helmet.”
One change: The Braves’ manager will throw batting practice. Another: The Braves will stretch on the field. (Cox thought teams stretching on the field looked silly.) Yet another: The Braves will take 10 or 15 minutes of concentrated infield practice before BP. Still another: The manager has a laptop open on his (new) desk; indeed, he’d already done digital reconnaissance on the Washington Nationals, whom his Braves will face in Thursday’s season opener.
That Gonzalez knows what he wants — he has managed before, you know — is a good sign. That he’s unafraid to tweak is even better. The Braves don’t need someone who’s forever asking, “What would Bobby do?” They need someone who, without quite tearing down the figurative tower, has a method of his own.
Gonzalez’s rationale behind stretching: “It’s more for me than for [the players]. I’m not going to lead the stretch, but I can walk around. You can go days without talking to a long reliever, a Christhian Martinez, and this gives me a chance to say, ‘How are you doing? How are your mom and dad?’ ”
On the infield work: “Taking infield during batting practice can be dangerous. You’re ducking line drives and throwing over screens. This is a way to get your work in … I got this from Edgar Renteria [when the shortstop was a Brave]. He’d come out around 4:15 and take ground balls by himself, and then Kelly Johnson started doing it. I liked that. Edgar told me that’s the way they did it in St. Louis.”
(Note: That alone would have scotched the notion for Cox, who would never have borrowed from Tony La Russa.)
The belief here was that the Braves might have been better served looking outside the extended family for Cox’s replacement, but that belief is undergoing renovation. Fredi Gonzalez has readied himself do exactly what needed doing: He’s bringing a new approach to an organization that had, for more than two decades, known only one approach. He might be following Bear Bryant, but he’s no cowardly cub.
By Mark Bradley
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75 comments Add your comment
dawg4u
March 30th, 2011
5:25 pm
I would be interested to see if Bobby Cox attends many of the Braves home games and if so if he sits in the old Ted Turner owner’s box seats.
mike
March 30th, 2011
5:35 pm
People read what they want to read, I guess. The team DID infield practice with Bobby. They are just moving that to a different time pregame.
Hillbilly Deluxe
March 30th, 2011
5:58 pm
The Braves will take 10 or 15 minutes of concentrated infield practice before BP.
Back in the day, when the Cards came to town, I used to go out early and watch Ozzie Smith take ground balls. Lots of times, it was better than the game.
Trey
March 30th, 2011
6:32 pm
As we put the era of Bobby farther behind us I get more excited to see a season of Fredi Gonzalez.
Trey
March 30th, 2011
6:33 pm
further, my fault.
bfred
March 30th, 2011
7:12 pm
Chipper was quoted a few days ago that he can count the number of times he’s taken infield as a major leaguer on one hand. That truly defies belief and I’m glad Fredi doesn’t subscribe to that approach. You play the way you practice.
Foghorn Leghorn
March 30th, 2011
7:45 pm
When Fredo is able to muster up the courage to drop The Dipper to the #6 slot of the batting order…and move up Jason Heyward to the #3 slot of the order…..then I’ll be willing to accept that he is indeed his own man when it comes to managing this team.
In other words, Fredo has to show me that he can make the tough decisions that benefit the team…even if it ruffles the feathers of fans and their favorite player.
Only then will I refer to Fredo by his given name (Fredi).
BobDawg
March 30th, 2011
10:35 pm
Speaking of watching Ozzie Smith taking infield practice and it being a “show”.. I remember earlier than that when he would get into “Pepper” games and man, he could dazzle with the glove… Why did they ban pepper on the sidelines, strictly for safety???
MitchC
March 30th, 2011
10:36 pm
Mark, while it’s nice to see a few “different things”, hopefully, things won’t change too much.
Say what we want about Bobby, but.. in twenty full seasons, his “approach” only brought us fourteen straight division titles, fifteen playoff appearances, five NL Pennants, a World Series Ring, and only two full seasons under 500, (2006 and 2008).
Thankfully, Freddi starts his Braves managerial career with what should be a decent team. My question to you, sir, is.. if the Braves are.. at ..say.. 500 in June or July.. and some of Freddi’s “new approach” isn’t working magic, won’t you then be writing articles saying “Bobby had so much success, why isn’t he more like Bobby?”
I’m sorry. I dont want to sound contrary. I’m just wondering. It’s probably too early for this. We haven’t even played Game One of 162 yet, and as you know, may not play tomorrow, because of rain forecast in Washington.
Seriously: Play Ball! I look forward to an exciting Braves season, that hopefully will end with no worse than a wild card berth.
JASon
March 31st, 2011
2:15 am
“The belief here was that the Braves might have been better served looking outside the extended family for Cox’s replacement”
Are you kidding me? Fredi is nothing like bobby! I hate everyone in this dumb city
Who Cares
March 31st, 2011
7:54 am
Ugh, it’s baseball season again? At least I still have basketball and hockey for a few more months, and then just a short wait for college football to get rolling again.
I haven’t watched a Braves game – or come to think of it, any baseball game – in 6 years. Though I guess I could DVR the games in case I can’t sleep one night. Very effective cure for insomnia.
reebok
March 31st, 2011
10:05 am
if the new manager gets the team to play hard and hate losing, that’s all the change he needs.
Lew Burdette
March 31st, 2011
10:11 am
Opening Day! God’s in His heaven, all’s right with the world. Play ball!
headley lamar
March 31st, 2011
10:33 am
This isn’t little league.
If you cant catch a ground ball by now your not gonna learn in fifteen minutes of warmups.
indigo
March 31st, 2011
11:03 am
Bobby Cox had many strengths as a manager, but I think his in game strategy was a weakness, not a strength. For one thing, his strict allegiance to the lefty/righty thing could drive you crazy. I’m hoping Gonzalez will be an improvement in that aspect of managing. (Hey, but I still loved Bobby!)
Coon-Dawg
March 31st, 2011
12:29 pm
Attn : Hike !!! … Although I totally agree with you that “Bobby’s loyalty clouded his judgement when it came to pitching changes”. He cost us many games with his bad decisions. I am going to “Tooootally disagree” with your statement about the World Series Umps ! … I’ve been in attendance for every home world series game since 91′. The Umpires didn’t just “call it tighter”. They “with-out doubt” unfairly “Sqeezed” the zone on Glavine and Maddux ! I’m still pissed about it because they don’t do it to the Yanks ! (91′ – fair “Lonnie Smith blew that one for us”, 92′ We got killed, 95′ fair, 96′ worst umpiring I’ve ever seen in my lifetime !!!, 97′ We got killed … “Other team on Steroids” get’s an * beside it like Barry Bonds. etc… You know the rest.
Bill
March 31st, 2011
12:56 pm
Bobby was cool but I’m glad Fredi is here.
‘Fredi and the Braves with All-Star Cast Opening today in Washington”…. go Braves
thanks Mark
Joe Tess Fish House
March 31st, 2011
9:42 pm
I dont no how many tiems I hav 2 say this but he is a loosing managar with a loosing record.
Keith
March 31st, 2011
9:48 pm
Hey Mark,
Now that baseball is back, so am I.
Didn’t today’s game seem like the games from last year? Seemed like last year they won a LOT of 2-0, 3-1, lower scoring games. I surely hope that this new offense will produce more wins and games where Braves’ fans don’t have to take a Ativan to manage their anxiety.
Having said that, hmmm…might be a nice idea for a new blog??
GO BRAVES!
josh
April 1st, 2011
5:21 pm
Freddi will be changing a few things for the better!
check out a THE NEW braves blog @ http://www.atlantainsight.com
rc35
April 2nd, 2011
11:35 am
Whocares, I sort of agree with you, but in the opposite direction. It sure is annoying to have so much coverage devoted to the Final Four and (yawn!) the Masters when BASEBALL is starting!
Joey
April 3rd, 2011
9:35 am
Hope Fredi doesn’t occasionally backhand his ‘ole lady . . .
Bill In ATL
April 4th, 2011
5:04 am
Poop on the Bear Bryant references. Does Mark still love him because he coached at Kentucky?
Juggernaut Phillies
April 4th, 2011
4:29 pm
Whelp, this year starts off where last year ended, with the braves looking up at The Juggernaut That Is THEE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES.
Robert
April 5th, 2011
4:29 pm
How nice that we finally have a manager who doesnt think that things like stretching and pracfticing look silly
Of course noone within the organization or affiliated with the local press is going to come out and say it – but it’s clear that Gonzalez is cleaning up some major flaws
This team is in good hands.
For the first time in twenty years, we can take solace in the fact that it’s not a foregone conclusion that a season’s worth of effort by the whole team wont be wasted by the stupidity of one man