AJC Q&A With Fredi Gonzalez

Q. What about if you were let go, wouldn’t doing it now potentially help you possibly land another job rather than if you were fired a month from now?

A. I don’t think I’m a hot commodity out there, OB.

Truth.
 
Q. It seemed like you had five or six guys slumping at once a lot of the time, sometimes even more, such as in September. That’s unusual.

A. That’s why I said “collectively.” You can’t say, ‘Take this guy out of the lineup and put this guy in, it’ll be better.’

Yes. Yes, you can. :facepalm:
 
Q. Was this season as big a challenge as you’ve had trying to put together a lineup?

A. There was a lot of stuff that happened. We led off Jason (Heyward) for a little bit. I think we started leading off Jason in that series against the Nationals at home, in August. We win two out of three there, lost three out of four against the Dodgers – I may be wrong; it may be before that (when he batted leadoff) – and then we swept Oakland. Pittsburgh, we win two out of three there. Cincinnati, we split…. And then all of a sudden we lose (Evan) Gattis, and now we’ve got to figure out, put Jason in the fifth hole, leaving Miami. And we were scuffling for a leadoff hitter the rest of the way.

So, the answer is yes, it was a challenge every single day.

In other words, Fredi put the team in a tailspin after losing Gattis by moving Heyward to 5th.
 
Q. Seemed like you had a legit No. 3 (Freeman), and maybe Justin (Upton) and Jason fit there at 4 and 5, or Jason at the top, but it just seemed the other guys didn’t fit specific spots.

A. Yeah, you could say that. I’ve been told that before. We didn’t have a prototypical leadoff hitter. We had to deal with what we had. You can’t have six guys hitting seventh, you know?

LOL He pretty much says the lineup has six #7 hitters. :happy0157:
 
Q. But was there ever a closed-door meeting where anyone really laid into the guys, let them know as a unit they needed to step it up?

A. You mean players only (meeting)?

Q. Players only, or you talking to them, or…

A. Well I told you in Seattle, I had it. Three minutes, at the end of the last game in Seattle. Prior to that series, yes, there was one meeting in San Diego where the guys got together and tried to — some of the veteran guys spoke. I don’t know exactly what the message was, but I’m pretty sure it was, “We’re a good club, relax and let’s go out and play some baseball.”

Sounds like he basically did nothing to try to help. One THREE-MINUTE meeting. That's pathetic.
 
I've criticized Fredi plenty around here, but I thought that was a very thoughtful interview.
 
Wow, the "Fredi Kills Babies" crew ridiculing every syllable out of his mouth. I am shocked. SHOCKED I tell ya.

I don't think Fredi is a great manager, but the outright hatred for the man by people on this board is quite hilarious. Especially considering that most of you probably work at Dairy Queen screwing up my banana split. After reading the game threads and anti-Fredi threads, where people here actually think they have original ideas or could actually manage a little league team....I am convinced 90% of you can't find your way home work without a Garmin Nuvi. I am starting a company on kickstarter where I hire writers to follow internet sports fans around their jobs and report every wrong thing they do. You would be surprised how many times Dalyn forgets to put pickles on the Big Mac....can't believe they promoted him from the fry station.
 
Mad Dog Murph said:
Wow, the "Fredi Kills Babies" crew ridiculing every syllable out of his mouth. I am shocked. SHOCKED I tell ya.

I don't think Fredi is a great manager, but the outright hatred for the man by people on this board is quite hilarious. Especially considering that most of you probably work at Dairy Queen screwing up my banana split. After reading the game threads and anti-Fredi threads, where people here actually think they have original ideas or could actually manage a little league team....I am convinced 90% of you can't find your way home work without a Garmin Nuvi. I am starting a company on kickstarter where I hire writers to follow internet sports fans around their jobs and report every wrong thing they do. You would be surprised how many times Dalyn forgets to put pickles on the Big Mac....can't believe they promoted him from the fry station.
Click to expand...

Complete bull****. I always remember to plop my pickle on your Big Mac, Murph. What do you think that special sauce is, or are you one of those people who think it's Thousand Island dressing mixed with mayo?
 
Mad Dog Murph said:
Wow, the "Fredi Kills Babies" crew ridiculing every syllable out of his mouth. I am shocked. SHOCKED I tell ya.

I don't think Fredi is a great manager, but the outright hatred for the man by people on this board is quite hilarious. Especially considering that most of you probably work at Dairy Queen screwing up my banana split. After reading the game threads and anti-Fredi threads, where people here actually think they have original ideas or could actually manage a little league team....I am convinced 90% of you can't find your way home work without a Garmin Nuvi. I am starting a company on kickstarter where I hire writers to follow internet sports fans around their jobs and report every wrong thing they do. You would be surprised how many times Dalyn forgets to put pickles on the Big Mac....can't believe they promoted him from the fry station.
Click to expand...

No, some of us are tired of having a guy that is clueless when it comes to managing a team. I am not saying he plays to lose but he sure as hell does not play to win A lot. The guy plays every game like it is game 10 of the season. Some times you have to manufacture runs when it is close. The guy does not know what that means. Until he is gone we will never be better than mediocre.
 
I don't get the phrase " he doesn't play/ manage to win"
I disagree with some of his moves and even throw things at times but not for a minute have I ever thought he was trying to purposely lose.
Some posters ought to measure their words a little more thougtfully

He's won more games than any MLB manager in the past number of years.
Please don't trot out Uggla or BJ.
of course he plays to win BUT there are situations he doesn't do what I would do
Last I checked this Braves Fan hasnt won, his first MLB game.

Yet
 
jason27nc said:
No, some of us are tired of having a guy that is clueless when it comes to managing a team. I am not saying he plays to lose but he sure as hell does not play to win A lot. The guy plays every game like it is game 10 of the season. Some times you have to manufacture runs when it is close. The guy does not know what that means. Until he is gone we will never be better than mediocre.
Click to expand...

We discussed at length this roster was not blessed "manufacture runs" runs players.
Fredi/ Ned Yost/ Gardenshire/Cox etal are only as good as the players
 
57Brave said:
We discussed at length this roster was not blessed "manufacture runs" runs players.
Fredi/ Ned Yost/ Gardenshire/Cox etal are only as good as the players
Click to expand...

The same players that won him the NL East championship the year before? You know the ones he screwed over by not bringing in Kimbrel in the 8th inning against the Dodgers? You know, not playing to win. Are these the same guys you speak of that are soooo bad? When a team dosn't believe in a manager it does not matter what he does after that. The team does not like him and that comes from someone inside that locker room. There, does that make it more clear for you? The guy sucks and he will never be better than mediocre and we as a team will only be as good as his managing style/ability.

There is no doubt in my mind we have the talent and players in that locker room (minus Bj) to at least win the wild card ever year. There is also no doubt in my mind that the mindset of the players approach at the plate rest heavily on Fredi. You bunt when you need to bunt, you hit and run when you need to hit and run, you take pitches when you need to take pitches. If the guys can't bunt you practice bunting before the damn game. I just taught my 8 year old girl how to bunt in fastpitch softball. She can bunt better than 90 % of that team. Now you tell me, who's fault is it that they can't bunt? The manager has a job. It is to make every player perform at his maximum potential. Fredi does not do that. He needs to go so we can get a guy in here to do these things.
 
I guarantee if a MLB manager even attempts to use a Big League player's time for mandatory bunting instruction in the middle of a 162 game season he will not be around to manage 6 years of MLB baseball. That could be a trivia question. Who was Eddie Haas?

A game in April or May 2014 Gonzalez bowed to public opinion and brought Kimbrell in - in the 8th then attempted to use him in the ninth. Emphasis on attempted.
One of the voices Gonzalez rightly holds in respect on matters of handling the bullpen is Roger Mcdowell. Carlos Tosca my bet is threw in his two cents on holding Kimbrell out of the ninth last year. My other guess is that April or May game Fredi won that arguement 1 to 2.

So many of these games come down to luck. Suppose the Braves mounted a rally in their half of the ninth and won that game ala the Royals last night where luck bailed out Ned Yost (a name I hear as a desired replacement for Fredi) . They (KC) traded the best player in their farm system for Big Game James and Ned pulled him after 88 pitches. Royals won - bet it is all water under the bridge this morning

I don't think anyone on the Braves past or present (outside of Charlie Puelo of old or FSU Alum Scott Proctor) are sooo bad. Each is a Big Leaguer and got to be one on the word of people that know far more about the game and talent evaluation than any of us that post on a message board.

Jason, stick to 8 year old girls softball . Sounds to me like you are doing a good job
 
57Brave said:
I guarantee if a MLB manager even attempts to use a Big League player's time for mandatory bunting instruction in the middle of a 162 game season he will not be around to manage 6 years of MLB baseball. That could be a trivia question. Who was Eddie Haas?

A game in April or May 2014 Gonzalez bowed to public opinion and brought Kimbrell in - in the 8th then attempted to use him in the ninth. Emphasis on attempted.
One of the voices Gonzalez rightly holds in respect on matters of handling the bullpen is Roger Mcdowell. Carlos Tosca my bet is threw in his two cents on holding Kimbrell out of the ninth last year. My other guess is that April or May game Fredi won that arguement 1 to 2.

So many of these games come down to luck. Suppose the Braves mounted a rally in their half of the ninth and won that game ala the Royals last night where luck bailed out Ned Yost (a name I hear as a desired replacement for Fredi) . They (KC) traded the best player in their farm system for Big Game James and Ned pulled him after 88 pitches. Royals won - bet it is all water under the bridge this morning

I don't think anyone on the Braves past or present (outside of Charlie Puelo of old or FSU Alum Scott Proctor) are sooo bad. Each is a Big Leaguer and got to be one on the word of people that know far more about the game and talent evaluation than any of us that post on a message board.

Jason, stick to 8 year old girls softball . Sounds to me like you are doing a good job
Click to expand...

You are saying a manager can't teach his hitters how to bunt in the middle of a 162 game season? That is a load of BS! If he can't he needs to be shown the door. It don't take 15 minutes to practice bunting in the cages. Get someone that knows how to do it and go through a cage session. As for Kimbrel. If you remember back to when he was used in April and the first of May he was not on like he was at the end of last year. Again, YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR PLAYERS!!!!! Anyone on this board knew Kimbrel was shaky during the first couple months. Kimbrel had a WHIP of 1.26 in April and a 2.61 ERA. Not really what he had at the end of last year hu? Well he had a 1.66 ERA and a .88 WHIP. Big difference in the two you are trying to compare.

As for Yost, that was a bonehead move last night and he did get lucky to win it. I have never said I wanted him in the first place. I want someone in here that can make this team perform and get in their ass when they need it. IMO Yost or Fredi is not that guy.

Oh and for the record. I have coached 18U travel baseball and finished 5th in the country. So I know baseball and I also know how much a manager has to do with the outcome of games.
 
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