Rosenthal: Atlanta Braves Fredi Gonzalez has “Lost the clubhouse”
Aug 30, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez (33) reacts in the dugout against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning at Turner Field. The Yankees defeated the Braves 20-6. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The Main Point
While I do have to question what seems to be an oddly penned piece by Rosenthal, I don’t want to miss his main point, either:
"One theory on why the Braves extended manager Fredi Gonzalez through next season is that they wanted him to serve as a one-year bridge to the opening of their new ballpark in 2017. Once Gonzalez completed that task, the team could thank him for his services, then enter the new park with a more heralded manager."
This is certainly possible regardless – especially if the team fails to show significant upside in 2016. Rosenthal does wonder out loud if waiting until 2017 will do more harm than good, but he should honestly have a bit more substance to his thoughts to back up the assertions.
Looking for Confirmation
Sure, there are probably confidential sources involved, whispers off the record, etc. But usually phrases like “a well-placed source” or “a source directly familiar with the situation” are included in stories such as this. That’s not here, and there’s been no support for Rosenthal’s position – as in ‘none whatsoever‘ – from the writers most familiar with the situation (AJC’s David O’Brien and MLB’s Mark Bowman):
To wit, this from David O’Brien just this morning:
"BravesFan10 Q: Ken Rosenthal published an article today, in it saying he’s been “hearing all season that players are frustrated with Gonzalez, that he essentially has lost the clubhouse”. Have you gotten that sense in the clubhouse? Thanks. DO’B Answer: No, but it doesn’t surprise me that that kind of thing would start to be heard. You can’t lose at the rate the Brave are losing without some people starting to talk off record about discontent, etc. Just comes with the territory[s]."
Additionally, as we quoted from DOB this morning, Coppolella himself is withholding blame from the coaching staff. He declined to declare that those jobs are safe, but he does seem to be consistent – giving credit for the early start and not judging for the subsequent failures due to personnel matters induced by the front office.
Whether you like Fredi Gonzalez or not, that appears to be at least a rationally better argument than the one Ken Rosenthal has set forth.
Nonetheless, I do expect to continue to see rumblings about such things in the future. Hopefully they will be better documented.