Jeff Wren Fires Back at Shanks

[chop2chip]

Check out @mlbgrapevine on Twitter. Former Braves executive Jeff Wren is going after Shanks for his "inaccurate reports" attacking the Wren family. I felt this was relevant to post as its own thread due to the majority opinion of his board that Wren was a cancer and much of that opinion was due to Shanks'' reporting.

A few highlights:

@MLBGrapevine: @BillShanks I'm guessing you did the same amount of research on the draft as you did on your hit piece of my family. That would be NONE!

@MLBGrapevine: @BillShanks You obviously have no problem writing whatever is whispered into your ear. I've got the verifiable docs to prove you are a shill

@MLBGrapevine: @BillShanks With numerous factually inaccurate falsehoods and lacking the journalistic integrity of fact checking. Again provably false!

@MLBGrapevine: I have a problem with any journalist that writes an attack piece taking only one sides position and never asking the attacked for comment.

@MLBGrapevine: my national journalist friends thought he was just the ghost writer for the new regimes position. #shill

I guess we now know a source the front office uses to blast former Braves. It's our old pal Shanks.

[keithlaw]

I guess Keith Law is a shill for the homeboys upstairs too since he echoed most of Shanks' criticisms.

[chop2chip]

I guess Keith Law is a shill for the homeboys upstairs too since he echoed most of Shanks' criticisms.

I think it's apparent that Wren was terrible boss that drive people away. You don't have so many people quit on your watch just to have them come back the second you quit. But I think it is also apparent Shanks has thrown out all objectivity covering the team. Wren intimidated that there is a different reason Clark left the Braves the first go around and I'm curious to hear his family's side of went down.

[The Chosen One]

Wren was changing the philosophy of how the team was going to be run. We were transitioning from a Top 10 to Mid-Mid Low Market payroll team and he was changing it from the Top to Bottom in terms of drafting, personnel, etc.

I don't know if Fredi was Wren's hire or a forced hire from JS-Bobby. I don't know if Clark and Co leaving had all to do with Wren.

[keithlaw]

The rumors that Wren was running people off because he's an asshole aren't anything new. They've been around for years. His brother comes off as an asshole too.

[CyYoung31]

Anyone who goes at Shanks is okay in my book. And Jeff is 100% right.

[chop2chip]

The rumors that Wren was running people off because he's an asshole aren't anything new. They've been around for years. His brother comes off as an asshole too.

The irony of (sour) grapes being used for his avatar is great.

[Julio3000]

Anyone who goes at Shanks is okay in my book. And Jeff is 100% right.

He is not one bit wrong.

[jpx7]

His brother comes off as an asshole too.

Maybe, but Shanks is no less of an asshole—and, at least in this situation, seems to be more of one.

[Julio3000]

Back in the day, Shanks was always the guy to enlighten us about the character issues of guys leaving the organization. It was like clockwork.

[jpx7]

Back in the day, Shanks was always the guy to enlighten us about the character issues of guys leaving the organization. It was like clockwork.

Was it Marcus Giles that was just suddenly an alcoholic?

[chop2chip]

Back in the day, Shanks was always the guy to enlighten us about the character issues of guys leaving the organization. It was like clockwork.

This to me is the most enlightening part of this exchange. I remember specifically from the Mazzone thread a few weeks back about how we were all recklessly speculating by suggesting the Braves organization slanders the exiting. This is at least one voice that suggests the Braves feed at least one mudraker (and Bowman is unquestionably another).

[Tapate50]

Where is the "hit piece" he is referencing ?

[nsacpi]

Without being privy about an of the inner workings of this saga, it seems to me the following is more likely than not:

1) Wren (and Manno) were difficult to work with, which led to the loss of some valued personnel or sub-optimal use of such personnel.

2) Shanks had a better relationship (and better sources) in the pre-Wren regime and current post-Wren regime.

There are some things that might or might not follow from the above. The contention about quality of the drafts (and farm system) can be analyzed independently of whether Wren (and Manno) were awful micro-managers or not. One need not follow the other. But it is plausible to postulate a relationship.

As for Shanks and his possible motives, we can only speculate as to whether any of his writings are personally driven or related to how much access he was given by the various regimes. Certainly from the perspective of journalistic ethics, we can hope not. But he would not be the first journalist to allow himself to be used by sources. The relationship between journalists and sources is often a tricky symbiotic one.

[thethe]

Well, I can tell you one thing. Jeff Wren does not hold back either and when asked will share just about anything that has a negative slant against JS.

[MadduxFanII]

We've covered this before, but all of the Wren stuff would be more persuasive if it had come out during Wren's tenure. I have no problem believing Frank was a wee bit of an asshole, but we heard none of this when Wren was the GM of a team winning 96 games.

Second, it would be nice if there were names attached to these sources. After all, Wren's not in power any more. He can't retaliate against anyone calling him a jerk. Sources shouldn't be granted anonymity to castigate Wren if there's no reason to believe they can be retaliated against for their comments. Basic journalism there.

[nsacpi]

Well, I can tell you one thing. Jeff Wren does not hold back either and when asked will share just about anything that has a negative slant against JS.

Not surprising. And interesting to follow from a fan's perspective. I don't believe Jeff claims to be a journalist does he.

[Julio3000]

We've covered this before, but all of the Wren stuff would be more persuasive if it had come out during Wren's tenure. I have no problem believing Frank was a wee bit of an asshole, but we heard none of this when Wren was the GM of a team winning 96 games.

Second, it would be nice if there were names attached to these sources. After all, Wren's not in power any more. He can't retaliate against anyone calling him a jerk. Sources shouldn't be granted anonymity to castigate Wren if there's no reason to believe they can be retaliated against for their comments. Basic journalism there.

Yep.

[MadduxFanII]

The MadduxFanII Rules For Granting Anonymity

Sources should be granted anonymity:

1. Rarely
2. Only when absolutely necessary to tell
3. A story of importance and weight
4. And the source has a legitimate fear of retaliation as a result of speaking to the reporter

"Anonymous sources say former Braves' GM Frank Wren is a jerk" doesn't qualify on any of those fronts.

[thethe]

Not surprising. And interesting to follow from a fan's perspective. I don't believe Jeff claims to be a journalist does he.

No, but personally I found it odd how willing he was to share information to a complete stranger on twitter.