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When a team goes 2-17 at home, it’s time to make some changes. For the Atlanta Braves that’s exactly what they did Tuesday morning as manager Fredi Gonzalez was fired after 6 years at the helm of the Braves going 434 and 413.
As a journalist first I’m supposed to remain as non bias as possible but, as Braves fan and Atlanta native second I have one thing to say “IT’S ABOUT TIME”. This year’s team is about as bad as it gets, here’s a stat on how bad 2016 has been: on April 25th there were 45 players in the majors with more home runs than the Braves. So there is no offense, and the pitching has been suspect, these things aren’t all Fredi Gonzalez’s fault but he’s the easiest person to point the blame at.
There’s so many questions that revolve around Fredi.
Was Fredi Gonzalez going to make it past 2016? No. The Braves are ready to move into a new era and Fredi was never going to be apart of that. Next year the team moves up the road to a new stadium, it’s going to be a new beginning. A new house, with a new emerging star in local product Dansby Swanson, and now a new man leading them on the field.
Did Fredi Gonzalez ever have a chance to be successful. Not. At. All! Being the man to take over the Braves after Bobby Cox who led the team to 14 straight division titles, wasn’t going to be easy. He was always going to be in the shadow of “Well Bobby wouldn’t have done that” or “Remember when Bobby did”. In all honest it sucks for the guy, and the only thing he could have done to change that was win a world series. But when you’re sub 500, and the front office is constantly trading away players you’re not gonna have that parade down Peachtree Street that we’ve been waiting for since the Braves last won in 1995.
So as a Braves fan take it from me, we knew we all knew, deep down I think even Fredi Gonzalez knew.
Now, the question remains what do we do with the rest of the season? As it stands today the team is 9-28, the worst in baseball. Can they salvage anything or do they just throw their hands up in the air like a confused emoji? It’s all questionable, the one thing we do know is Brian Snitker Braves AAA manager has been handed the title of interim manager for the rest of the 2016 season. As Atlanta now goes through a search for their next manager to led them into a new era.
As devoted Braves fan, this team makes me sad. It’s their last season playing at The Ted with the backdrop of downtown Atlanta behind them and the stands are empty. The team is losing badly, and the only bright spot on the season comes halfway through each home game. When the team trots out a Braves legend to count down how many home games are left before Turner Field is closed for good.
With that all being said now it’s up to you, Brian Snitker. Give us something to make us do the tomahawk chop again.
