Braves extend Frank Wren and Fredi Gonzalez. WOOOOOOO!!!

[mossy]

Both deserved extensions.

We must have the whiniest fan base in professional sports. Hell, I whined too when I had time for it. Now that I'm working two jobs so I can get my wife thru nursing school, I'm just glad we have a baseball team in Atlanta.

Imagine it's 1989, and you'll all be happier.

[goldfly]

so depressing to see Fredi get an extension

[AUTiger7222]

Not sure how Fredi can get an extension after that showing in the playoffs last year. I'm willing to see if he grows as a manager but this is now a win-now team. Can't have a manager making insane decisions that potentially costs us playoff games (KIMBREL!)

That was an insanely dumb move but if you can't tell that Fredi Gonzalez has greatly improved from 2011 until now then you've not been paying attention. Fredi's management skills, particularly when it comes to the bullpen, the Kimbrel move aside, has been the area where he has improved the most.

[AUTiger7222]

Didn't Bobby have a few collapses there in 2007 and 2009 I wanna say?

2007 for sure. Braves started off that year 24-12 but then Chipper and Smoltz got hurt and the season went down the drain. Braves ended up with only 84 wins that year. 2009 was different. 2009 the Braves played .500 ball all season until they got Adam LaRoche, then they took off like a house a fire and came from at least 5 games behind if not more, nearly making the playoffs. Once they were eliminated they tanked it by losing their final 6 games of the season.

[AUTiger7222]

Managers of playoff teams get the boot on occasion. See Baker, Dusty for a recent example.

I do think the expectations for this team are a bit higher than just making the playoffs.

Dusty Baker has also been an MLB manager forever (It's not really that long but it feels like it) and has never won anything in all those years as a manage. That's one of the reasons the Reds let him go.

[AUTiger7222]

This is nothing new. I wish people could dig up the archives on scout of how often people complained about Bobby Cox, and that was a hall of fame manager.

I miss Bobby's fire and presence in the dugout more than I miss him actually making the managerial decisions.

[NinersSBChamps]

Dusty Baker has also been an MLB manager forever (It's not really that long but it feels like it) and has never won anything in all those years as a manage. That's one of the reasons the Reds let him go.

20 seasons as a manager is a pretty long time.

[AUTiger7222]

I totally thought that was Roy Williams at first glance.

So did I. LOL.

[AUTiger7222]

20 seasons as a manager is a pretty long time.

Yeah and Baker has never won anything in how many trips to the playoffs? It was the same reason the Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer after 2006 in which the Chargers posted a 14-2 record. It's because they, and the rest of the NFL, realized that Schottenheimer, no matter how good the team is/was, was never going to get the job done. The Reds, and the rest of baseball, finally realized the same thing on Baker. Fredi Gonzalez isn't there year. He's only been an MLB manager for 7 years with 2 trips to the playoffs.

[NinersSBChamps]

Yeah and Baker has never won anything in how many trips to the playoffs? It was the same reason the Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer after 2006 in which the Chargers posted a 14-2 record. It's because they, and the rest of the NFL, realized that Schottenheimer, no matter how good the team is/was, was never going to get the job done. The Reds, and the rest of baseball, finally realized the same thing on Baker. Fredi Gonzalez isn't there year. He's only been an MLB manager for 7 years with 2 trips to the playoffs.

I don't know and I don't care to look up Dusty Baker's record in the post season. So when the Braves get eliminated in their next playoff series again this season, if they are lucky enough to make it what happens to Fredi?

[Oklahomahawk]

Not sure how Fredi can get an extension after that showing in the playoffs last year. I'm willing to see if he grows as a manager but this is now a win-now team. Can't have a manager making insane decisions that potentially costs us playoff games (KIMBREL!)

Hmm, great regular season manager, suckier than sucky in the postseason. Hmmm, where did he learn that.........Hmmmm...........

[jason27nc]

Can't say as I am happy with the Fredi part but I am glad for Wren. Fredi is a good manager but he does not have that "IT" factor. Maybe this year he proves me wrong. I sure hope so.

[yeezus]

I don't know and I don't care to look up Dusty Baker's record in the post season. So when the Braves get eliminated in their next playoff series again this season, if they are lucky enough to make it what happens to Fredi?

Dude, you are the worst fan. "When they lose again." For real? Kick rocks.

[Hawk]

Fredi ain't flashy, but he's consistent.

[ChapelHillMatt]

You say that like its a good thing but I guess you're just happy with division titles?

Not completely satisfied but yes I do think winning your division is an accomplishment. I also think Fredi can improve as a manager.

[zitothebrave]

Can't say as I am happy with the Fredi part but I am glad for Wren. Fredi is a good manager but he does not have that "IT" factor. Maybe this year he proves me wrong. I sure hope so.

Well Terry Francona won 2 world series so you never know. Francona is a worse manager than Fredi so you never know.

Problem is that you don't like having a weakness at manager because poor planning can put you in a bad position where you're totally reliant on your players to dig you out of a hole. For example, the time Fredi didn't bring in Kimbrel with the season on the line and the meat of the order coming up.

[Julio3000]

Not completely satisfied but yes I do think winning your division is an accomplishment. I also think Fredi can improve as a manager.

He's already improved. He just often seems to be reeeeeaaaaalllly slow to figure stuff out, like that Zeus or John J. McGraw isn't going to hurl a lightning bolt at him if he uses his backup catcher to PH instead of, like, Paul Janish.

[BremanFan88]

like that Zeus or John J. McGraw isn't going to hurl a lightning bolt at him

Fredi prays to both the Old Gods and the New...

[NYCBrave]

So from what I've learned in this thread, we have so much talent that our manager has no impact on the team, and this guy would do a better job than Fredi:

[thethe]

So from what I've learned in this thread, we have so much talent that our manager has no impact on the team, and this guy would do a better job than Fredi:

As long as he can point to Kimbrel then he just might be.