Multiple sources have reported that the Braves have fired their manager Fredi Gonzalez. The team has named Triple-A manager Brian Snitiker as the interim manager. Among the sources to report the news is Joel Sherman who tweeted:
Can confirm @DOBrienAJC Gonzalez fired by #Braves. I heard Brian Snitiker is the interim replacement.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) May 17, 2016
The Braves Fire Fredi Gonzalez
The Braves have struggled all season thus far as they currently have a major league worst 9-28 record. This record includes going a poor 2-17 at home.
While there was not much hype around the success of the team this season due to the current rebuild mode that the team is in, few expected Atlanta to do this poorly. The Braves goal at the beginning of their rebuild was to be competitive by 2017 which will be the inaugural year of their new stadium, SunTrust Park.
The Braves may be looking at Bud Black and Torrey Lovullo among others to replace Gonzalez long term. According to Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller, Black may be the most likely choice:
The #Braves have fired manager Fredi Gonzalez, per @DOBrienAJC. Bud Black a strong candidate to manage Atlanta this year or next
— Scott Miller (@ScottMillerBbl) May 17, 2016
The 52 year-old Gonzalez has been with Atlanta since 2011. During this stretch he has seen some success with the team. From 2011-2013 he finished in the top five for the Manager of the Year award.
During the first year of his tenure in 2011, Gonzalez almost led his team to the playoffs, but infamously missed out on the last day of the season after holding a significant lead in the standings. The next two years resulted in more success as he led the Braves to the playoffs. In 2012 the Braves made the playoffs via the Wildcard and they lost to the Cardinals in the one-game playoff in part to a controversial infield fly call. In 2013 the Braves surprising beat out the Nationals by winning the division. They however, fell 3-1 to the Dodgers in the NLDS.
The Braves downfall began in 2014 when they finished the season 79-83. It had been the first losing season in Atlanta since 2008 when the team finished 72-90. The team fired their GM Frank Wren at the end of the season and hired current GM John Coppolella soon after. Although they were slow to commit to a rebuild they soon were selling off parts from seemingly everywhere on their team.
Gonzalez’s 10-year managerial record now stands at 710-692 with a 1-4 record in the playoffs between both the Florida Marlins from 2007-2010 and the Braves from 2011-2016.
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