The Atlanta Braves ARE building a winner. They’re not building it, though, for one or two years. The Braves want multiple seasons of October baseball, and they need to follow the “old formula” to do it, because it has yet to fail.
As die-hard fans of the Atlanta Braves, it’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of things as we watch them unfold before our very eyes.
It’s easy to be that arm-chair GM when something happens that we don’t like. My advice: Stay the course, this too, shall pass.
However, in keeping up with the last few seasons, we’ve known that the winning ways of the 1990’s were far behind us. Unfortunately, there is no warning or disclaimer given when tuning in to a game.
But over the last half-dozen years or so, many fans have been quick to second guess decisions, when losing seasons begin to be more common place than before.
Those of us who can remember the late 70’s and entire decade of the 80’s, have seen this movie before. We know there is light at the end of the tunnel.
For those who have never known Braves baseball without the 90’s, well, they’ve been spoiled.
But there is one blueprint to building a winner that has yet to really fail. The architect is now Dodger President, Stan Kasten.
Before the Dodgers, he was with Nationals, and to those of us who knew him when, weren’t too happy about this.
Stan Kasten used to be the Braves President during the “glory years”. His blueprint has produced sustained success, not just one year wonders.
He’s a Baseball Guy
Stan Kasten has been with LA now since 2012. The Dodgers were lost and a wandering pile of ‘oops’. He saw an opportunity in LA with Magic Johnson and the ownership group, Guggenheim Partners, to be a part of the LA rebuild.
Kasten helped form the Nationals to what they are today. He served with Washington from 2006 to 2010. In that situation, he took a team fresh off a move to the Nation’s Capital and built a perennial division contender.
In 1986, Kasten was named President of the Atlanta Braves. He left the Braves in 2003, turning the reigns over to now president, John Schuerholz.
It’s no fluke Kasten has had success at every stop. But Kasten rarely received credit from the fans. It was always about Bobby Cox and Schuerholz.
Kasten held the blueprints for success in Atlanta, and he gave the job of foreman to John Schuerholz in 1990, as the GM.
Schuerholz came from Kansas City, five years removed from guiding the Royals to a 1985 World Series win.
Kasten charged Schuerholz with the task of “building the Royals of the South”. Schuerholz may have put the puzzle together, but Kasten cut the pieces.
In 1991, just five years after being hired, Kasten and the Atlanta Braves began it’s string of 14 straight division titles.
Kasten’s Vision
In a recent column from Joel Sherman, in the New York Post, Stan Kasten gives a little insight about his philosophy with the Dodgers, though, I’m sure not much has changed.
I have no doubt John Schuerholz learned a great deal as Kasten’s GM in Atlanta. After Kasten’s hiring in 1987, it only took four years for Atlanta to play in October.
After his hiring in Washington, in 2006, the Nationals quickly became a legitimate force in the NL East.
The argument can be made that Stan Kasten has had more positive influence as the president of a baseball team than any of his peers.
In the article, Kasten admits that with LA, he took a more “win now” approach. He still worked toward long term success. Being able to sustain multiple years of promise isn’t easy.
However, Kasten knows the value of being patient and not expecting immediate success or overnight reward.
Kasten says, “We know the media and fans are going to be biased about winning tonight’s game. That is not a productive guiding vision for building a franchise. … If you only have short-term goals, you cannot have sustained long-term success”.
Schuerholz, Hart, and Coppy Have Multi-Year Plan
This creed … this mantra, still works. Fans can’t expect change at the drop of a hat. It doesn’t work like that. John Schuerholz observed Stan Kasten for decades in Atlanta.
Sometimes the blueprint isn’t as detailed as you would like it to be. Sometimes, players get hurt, get traded, or hit a wall.
It happens, but with all this, keep in mind that Kasten, and in turn, Schuerholz, more than understand the value in being patient.
John Hart, John Schuerholz, and John Coppolella will get this figured out … actually the plan is being realized now, albeit in small samples.
Still, the time will come when Atlanta once again gets to play in October. It won’t be in 2017, it may not even be 2018. However, when that time comes, the elation and gratification will be more than you could imagine.
Regardless, as the plan comes together, I think it will be fun to see the residue of Kasten in the newest edition of a Braves run at greatness.
We may even find the next Chipper Jones or Tom Glavine along the way. Either way, it’s going to be fun when it all comes together. But give it time. This plan is for the long haul, not the next season or two.
It’s like Kasten says, having short-term goals leads to long-term disappointment. If you want to win now, then go for it, but don’t expect to be in it for long.
If you do not mind taking a few lumps while waiting for the next dynasty, then build for the future with sustainability, and sacrifice a few years. You need to think and work toward long term achievements.
Getting irritated over a bad season, or four, is only natural. Just remember that there is something special just over the horizon.
Before you know it, it will be a regular occurrence again to see the Braves playing in October. Until then, take the lumps. Winning now is not always the best course of action.
I don’t know about you, but I’d really like to brag about another 10+ year run at the top of the NL East; but with a couple more World Series Trophies to show off.