Jason Getz – USA TODAY Sports
After the 2014 season, it seemed that Atlanta Braves president John Schuerholz had had enough of former GM Frank Wren after a horrendous seven-year stint. While it appeared manager Fredi Gonzalez was on his way out as well, he was retained.
The rumor behind keeping Gonzalez is that former manager Bobby Cox stepped in and saved his protégé from getting the proverbial axe. If this is indeed true, Gonzalez should thank his former skipper as his on-field performance suggests that a changing of the guard should definitely take place.
Whatever your thoughts on Gonzalez are, the fact of the matter is he has grossly underachieved. The 2013 division title, perhaps his crowning achievement, was nothing but a charade as the NL East was riddled with injury-plagued and underperforming teams, and the Braves just happened to take advantage.
I’m quite sure Gonzalez is grateful to Cox, but it’s possible that he has been set up to fail. The Braves will most definitely have an uphill battle to climb, and save for the pitching staff, there’s not a whole lot to be excited about in 2015.
Even still, it is imperative that Gonzalez utilize every coaching tool he has to figure out a way to win with this team. The Braves will be opening up a new stadium in 2017, and there is no way fans will support a coach who has been unsuccessful on the field in a brand new ballpark. It may be unfair, but fans deserve better than what they’ve had to endure under Gonzalez, and his one-and-done postseason exploits are not enough to inspire fans.
Anything less than a significant step in the right direction will not suffice for Gonzalez this year. Does it have to be a postseason appearance? Not quite. For any reasonable Braves fan, they understand a winning season is about as likely as Kanye West behaving at an award ceremony. A .500 winning percentage and a team that shows passion is all any fan wants.
If Gonzalez is unable to instill a sense of pride and competitiveness in this group of players, he may not make it past the All-star break. He was fortunate to still be where he is now, but another season of disappointment devoid of leadership should be his last in a Braves uniform.
Brandon Williams is an Atlanta Braves writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter, @BfreshAlum4UA, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
