The Braves announced today that they’ve extended the contract of manager Fredi Gonzalez through the 2016 season. Gonzalez’s new contract contains a club option for 2017, and the entire coaching staff has been extended through 2016 as well.
In four and a half seasons as the Braves’ manager, Gonzalez has compiled a 400-337 record, although the 2015 season has been a difficult one to date. That, however, shouldn’t come as a total shock considering the fact that Atlanta traded away Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Evan Gattis, Jordan Walden and David Carpenter this offseason as the team shifted its focus toward the future. His detractors, though, will point not only to the club’s losing ways in 2015 but a late collapse in 2014 after spending a total of 94 days in first place. (Atlanta went 27-40 in the season’s second half.)
While Gonzalez is a polarizing figure among Braves fans, he’s long appeared to be in good standings with Atlanta’s top decision-makers, and an overhaul in the Braves’ front office this past offseason appears to have done little to change that. The new contract gives Gonzalez and his staff further time to work a new, younger core that has seen the likes of Shelby Miller, Mike Foltynewicz, Matt Wisler, Jace Peterson and others added to previous stalwarts such as Freddie Freeman and Andrelton Simmons.
As the Braves note in the press release announcing the move, this extension for the coaching staff ensures that Terry Pendleton will be back for an 15th season as first base coach, Roger McDowell return for an 11th year as pitching coach, Eddie Perez will return for a 10th year as bullpen coach and Carlos Tosca will be back for a sixth season as bench coach. First-year coaches Bo Porter (third base), Kevin Seitzer (hitting) and Jose Castro (assistant hitting) will all return for second seasons.
Ugh…much to the rejoice of all the other NL East teams, I’m sure.
John Hart really wants a good draft position in 2017.
You’ve got to be kidding. Just about when I thought John Hart had a clue, he goes and does this. I was truly hoping Bud Black would have been brought in this offseason. Just makes it easier not to buy tickets next year.
The chances of this decision being completely up to Hart are fairly slim.
I can stand the losses that come with rebuilding but not the ones that come from having a manager that doesn’t know how to manage a “small ball” team and that is what we are supposed to be. Was really hoping they would move on this offseason. Are they intentionally trying to alienate longtime fans?
He’s done pretty well without much of a roster, no? Historically, I don’t like the guy, but the gripes about bullpen overuse is overstated over the last few seasons, after he blew out Kimbrel/Venters/O’Flaherty (but who wouldn’t when they were doing as well as they were – and the staff wasn’t nearly as good). I don’t want to defend him, but he deserves a shot at further developing players and not have his fate determined by Kelly Johnson in the 4-hole.
He’s had more of a chance than he should have been given. He’s a horrible manager.
I don’t disagree with you, but they kept him on after firing Frank Wren, which I don’t think was wise. That being said, with the complete dismantling, it’s not fair for this season to decide his fate given they did keep him on (for a reason). They made their bed…
Looking at the whole situation… 2 September collapses, riding his favorite bullpen arms til they break, not managing small ball effectively, players rarely showing passion, Fredi not showing enough passion… I just think there are better options out there.
one September collapse.
This is the first time in the post-Wren era that I’m disappointed in a move they’ve made.
Good lord,this guarantees a losing season through 2016…He uses no strategy has no clue how to set up a bullpen
ouch!
LOL…….”Must be an awesome player in the 2017 Amateur Draft”!!!!!
This has to go down in history as one of the worst decisions ever. The guy is clueless in his in game decision making, provides no leadership allowed the team to give up in 2014 . Mismanaged a 10 game wild card lead- Lowe. Played Freeman with an injury continued to pitch Williams Perez with a bad ankle . John Hart could care less about the longtime fan base. I assume he hopes to bring in new fans that have no idea how bad Fredi has been. His incompetence is just incomprehensible as is this decision.
That one season collapse, sure, but in the end he can’t play for the players.
When did he play Freeman hurt? or Perez? last time I checked they both went on the DL almost immediately. As your user name suggest “longtime brave” I’m not sure you have been paying attention. Sure, Fredi has made some questionable decisions ( so has Bud Black and every manager in baseball at some point) Bobby cox has made some odd calls….. no one is perfect. I look at it like this. Freddie G has turned a minor league team this year into a solid team. You can’t criticize the guy for that. Any one who is angry at Fredi and continues to put the entire blame on him for past years… is ignorant. TEAM SPORT. Frank Wren did more damage than anyone in recent memory. BJ hit .190 …. same for Uggla, Heyward never hit an offensive stride, J upton K’d every other at bat. :Chipper was hurt, Mccan declined,Gattis was poor defensivley and slumped in chunks…. starting rotation has consistently been freaked injury plagued…. as well as the bullpen. And sure he did ride the top 3 guys in his bullpen a lot, but can you blame him?! who else could he have gone too…. no way the braves make the postseason that year if he hadn’t utilized those guys in the regular season. But of course every one LOVES to nit pick and be negative instead of being logical and looking at the facts….. 🙂
Managers have been fired after an extension before, so there is a precedent.
With that being said, Hart made a few good comments in his interview yesterday. He conceded he did not give Fredi a good bullpen, and he’s right…name 1 manager who could handle this bullpen. If Roger can’t correct it, I’d blame the GM, and that’s not his fault because he is building a strong farm system to correct that – time is the only fix to that.
Where I do take issue with this however, is a passionless manager who can’t get a lineup right (only the 1 and 2 hitters are usually in the correct spot, unless Freddie plays). He’s not a good manager in my view, but when there are 3 of the best minds in baseball making the call (Harr, JS and Cox), I’ll reserve judgment until the final product is on the field.
It’s not just THIS bullpen. It’s the way he handled the bullpens from years past. He had a three-headed monster that he essential blew apart.
I think Fredi should be fired, and hire Bud Black.
Yeah…. Let’s Hire the guy who has a record of 649 -713 and has had 2 winning seasons in 9 years compared to a guy that has a 677-619 record with 5 winning seasons in 9 years…. OH lets not forget, Bud black basically managed the Braves team in San Diego this year and they suck…. good chance the braves team of last year was more of a players issue than a managerial issue…..
Ho-Hum…Yaaawwwnnn!!!