Atlanta Braves Clippings Wednesday, May 18, 2016 Braves.Com
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Atlanta Braves Clippings Wednesday, May 18, 2016 Braves.com Gonzalez dismissed as manager of Braves Snitker promoted from Triple-A to be interim skipper By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 12:24 AM ET PITTSBURGH -- Experiencing their worst start to a season in more than 100 years, the Braves made their first in-season managerial change in more than a quarter century on Tuesday, relieving Fredi Gonzalez of his duties and elevating Triple-A Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker to interim manager. "As we got into Spring Training and opened the season with the bad start, we wanted to keep providing opportunities to see if we could turn this thing around," Braves president of baseball operations John Hart said before Atlanta's 12-9 loss on Tuesday. "It obviously didn't look like it was going to happen. [Braves general manager John Coppolella] and I started talking about this four or five days ago and saying, 'How much longer do you want to wait?'" The Braves initially discussed dismissing Gonzalez during their 0-9 start to the season and again during an eight-game losing streak during the latter part of April. Hart and Coppolella opted to hold off while accounting for Ender Inciarte's month-long stint on the disabled list and the reality that many of their offseason roster decisions had not gone according to plan and left Gonzalez with a flawed roster. "This isn't Fredi's fault," Coppolella said. "If you really want to have it laid at anyone's hands, it can be at mine and at [Hart's]. When we spoke to Fredi, it was time for a new voice and time for a change. We're hoping the change will spur this team. We don't feel like this season is over. We feel like there is a lot of baseball left to play and we can play our best baseball yet." The Braves also dismissed bench coach Carlos Tosca, who had served in that capacity for Gonzalez dating back to their time together with the Marlins from 2007-10. Terry Pendleton will become the bench coach. Pendelton's previous duties as first-base coach will be filled by Eddie Perez, whose previous role as bullpen coach will be filled by Marty Reed, who had been Gwinnett's pitching coach. Gonzalez remained a loyal company man as his rosters were weakened by the massive rebuild the Braves began last year. But Hart and Coppolella began to recently sense frustration from the veteran manager, who went 434-413 during his tenure as Atlanta's skipper. "It's never good to go through a change like this during a season," Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "It's hard to put into words. He's a good man. Everybody loves him around here. I can't find a person to say a bad word about him. But we've had a couple of tough years and baseball is a business. Unfortunately, change was the way to go, I guess. We've got to abide by it, go out there and start winning ballgames now." This marked the first time the Braves made an in-season managerial change since Bobby Cox replaced Russ Nixon midway through the 1990 season. Snitker was actually informed of the decision on Monday morning, a few hours before he prepared to manage his last game with Gwinnett. Gonzalez did not learn of the decision until late Monday night, shortly after the Braves fell to 9-28 with a series-opening loss to the Pirates at PNC Park. "A bad start is not laid at the foot of Fredi Gonzalez," Hart said. "We all assume a lot of responsibility for how this club has gotten off to this kind of start. But with that being said, we certainly believe we're better than what we've played." While this bad start certainly halted the original plan to at least allow Gonzalez to manage through the end of this season, the ultimate decision was based on the fact that the Braves had determined Gonzalez was not the man they wanted serving as the team's manager beyond this year, when the club's talent-rich prospect crop could significantly influence the team's bid to become consistently competitive again. Gonzalez accepted the tough task of becoming Cox's successor at the end of the 2010 season and had the team in position to reach the postseason in 2011 before his rotation was decimated by Derek Lowe's decline and injuries suffered by Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson. The Braves earned a Wild Card bid in 2012 and won the National League East in 2013. "Sometimes, change is a good thing," Braves right fielder Nick Markakis said. "Sometimes, it's a bad thing. You never know until you try. [Hart and Coppolella] thought it was the time and they're trying to do what is best for us. I think we all understand that and we all see that." Early candidates to be Braves' next manager Snitker, Perez and Pendleton among in-house options By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | May 17th, 2016 PITTSBURGH -- As Brian Snitker spends the remainder of this season as their interim manager, the Braves will continue to evaluate Eddie Perez, Terry Pendleton plus some external candidates who might be deemed fit to serve as the club's next long-term manager. Upon relieving Fredi Gonzalez of his managerial duties on Tuesday, the Braves elevated Snitker from his role as Triple-A Gwinnett's manager. It's a well-deserved opportunity for the 60-year-old suburban Atlanta native who has been a part of Atlanta's organization as a player, coach and Minor League manager since 1977. But Snitker's reign could end at the conclusion of this season as the Braves determine who is best suited to guide the team through the next era, when the club's talent-rich prospect crop has the potential to make the organization consistent postseason contenders once again. The Braves discussed replacing Gonzalez with either Perez or Pendleton for the remainder of this season. But they instead elevated their roles on the coaching staff while accounting for the possibility that both could tarnish their future managerial hopes if the team continues to play like it has through the season's first six weeks. "There were four or five names that we talked about in-house, and I think when we get through this season, we will certainly go through that list again, as well as those who might be outside the organization, to see what is the best fit for us long term," Braves general manager John Coppolella said. "It's a very important hire for us." Perez, Pendleton and former Brave and current MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa stand as the early favorites to become Atlanta's manager. DeRosa has never managed, but the suburban Atlanta resident has been routinely mentioned as a potential candidate since the end of the 2015 campaign. Though former Padres manager Bud Black has been mentioned by some, the Braves have never provided any indication that he is currently viewed as a potential candidate. Snitker chose Pendleton to serve as his bench coach, and in doing so, he provided the former National League MVP a role in which he can better show his ability to serve as a manager. Pendleton has previously served as Atlanta's hitting coach and first-base coach. Perez assumed his new role on Monday, vacating his position as Atlanta's bullpen coach to become the first-base coach. The former catcher has managed in the Venezuelan Winter League and guided his native nation to the Caribbean Series this year. Though Snitker has significantly influenced the Braves organization over the past 40 years, he has never been deemed a long-term managerial candidate. But Atlanta outfielder Jeff Francoeur likens this situation to the one he experienced while playing with the Phillies last year. When Pete Mackanin replaced Ryne Sandberg as the Phillies' interim manager midway through last season, he was also viewed as a short-term fix. But Mackanin received a two-year deal and the Phillies have continued to exceed expectations under his direction. "[Snitker] will be here for the rest of the year, and then at that point, we'll see if we want to stay there or if it will be a full-out search," Coppolella said. Interim skipper Snitker a longtime Brave 60-year-old has been part of the organization since 1977 By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 12:19 AM ET PITTSBURGH -- When Brian Snitker received a call from Braves general manager John Coppolella early Monday morning, he simply assumed he would be told to inform one of his Triple-A Gwinnett players that he had been promoted to the big league level. But to his astonishment, he quickly learned he was the one receiving a quite unexpected promotion. Upon deciding to relieve Fredi Gonzalez of his managerial duties, the Braves determined that they would be best served utilizing Snitker as interim manager over the remainder of this season. The 60-year-old suburban Atlanta resident has served as player, coach and Minor League manager in the organization dating back to 1977. But at this stage of his career, he certainly did not anticipate gaining the opportunity to fulfill the dream of serving as a big league manager, even on an interim basis. "It's bittersweet because Fredi's a good friend of mine," Snitker said before the Braves lost, 12-9, on Tuesday. "We went through a lot together here and he's a good man.