Atlanta Braves GM Coppolella Addresses Managerial Situation… Kinda
A Call for Leadership Results in Continued Uncertainty Around Braves’ Manager Fredi Gonzalez
This wasn’t exactly the strong leadership statement I had in mind.
On Thursday – the Braves’ off-day this week – I voiced an opinion that Atlanta General Manager John Coppolella needed to definitively address the situation with Fredi Gonzalez.
Even Gonzalez has asked for this kind of clarity. He vented that to reporters through obvious frustration with his boss while in New York before Wednesday’s finale against the Mets.
Yet in an interview with the AJC’s David O’Brien on Friday – specifically designed to answer these questions – we the fans are still left with… more questions and no answers.
Some key quotes:
- “I’m not into vote of confidence for anybody” [sic]
- “Every day that he fills out that lineup card and leads that clubhouse, it’s a vote of confidence.”
- “We understand that Fredi hasn’t had his full lineup” … “We’re also playing against the toughest schedule in all of baseball, by the numbers.”
The one real statement made that showed some actual force of will was this one: “Erick Aybar is a much better player than he’s showing. But if you want to lay that at the feet of anybody, lay it at my feet. Because at the end of the day, I made that trade. We expect Erick Aybar will get better.”
Head Games
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This is a man trying to walk a tightrope. If he were to actually want Fredi Gonzalez to manage this team for the foreseeable future, then he could easily have done one of two things: (a) picked up his manager’s option for 2017; or (b) declared here that the staff is doing a good job under the circumstances handed to them… and that he wants to see them continue in those roles.
Neither of those things happened. Coppy continues to “care” about Gonzalez. Of course while saying that, Coppolella also continues to have him in ‘lame duck’ status – without a contract beyond the end of the year.
Instead of making direct statements, Coppy was working around corners, ducking behind trees, and giving no promises about any future scenario.
"“We’re always talking, always evaluating, and Fredi’s a big part of that process. So, there’s no timetable, it’s not this weekend, it’s not next month, it’s not next year. It’s constantly evolving and constantly unfolding, and something we will always evaluate.”"
Well, if this is to be the case, then I believe I know how to respond.
John Coppolella has effectively named Fredi Gonzalez as the Interim Manager of the Atlanta Braves. He is now “day-to-day”, with a confidence level that extends for no more than 24 hours. I will therefore refer to him as such.
I don’t really know how one operates effectively in such an environment, but that’s essentially the fate Gonzalez has been handed. You can like him or not, but it is my own opinion that this is not a good way to operate.
Based on all of this, I expect that the Braves will change managers at year’s end… trying to limp through the year, perhaps thinking that Gonzalez is better than any (other) interim solution they can find. But this is still no way to run this railroad.
However, I expect that Gonzalez, for his part, will thwart that plan by resigning at some point ahead of that.
Next: Austin - is he the hitter we're looking for?
Hopefully the next full-time interim manager selected will be given better assurances.