Will Fredi Gonzalez guide the Braves to the Eastern Division title in 2013
Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez will be managing his seventh big league season in 2013. He managed the Marlins from 2006-2009, and of course, the Braves in 2011 and 2012.
The 2013 Atlanta Braves season will bring Gonzalez’s biggest expectations ever as a major league manager.
Gonzalez has been good in his big league managing career. As I noted in an earlier Atlanta Bullpen article that compared his record as Braves manager to Bobby Cox, Gonzalez has a .565 win percentage in Atlanta.
What you may not know about the managerial record Gonzalez has compiled in the major leagues, is how consistent he has been, particularly the past four seasons. Maybe not outstanding, but consistent.
Gonzalez finished third in the National Manager of the Year Award in 2008, seventh in 2009, fifth in 2011, and fourth in 2012. If he can win the award in 2013 it will probably mean that the Braves have beaten out the Washington Nationals to win the Eastern Division.
Gonzalez has never won a division title in the major leagues. He has finished fifth, third, second, fourth, second and second. To use horse racing terminology, he has shown once and placed three times, but no wins.
The Braves need Gonzalez to be outstanding in 2013. In Gonzalez’s own words, the 2013 Braves are the most talented team he will have ever managed. But the Nationals are everyone’s favorite to win the Eastern Division, division rival Philadelphia still has an outstanding starting rotation and sock in the middle of their line-up, and NL competitor Cincinnati is loaded. The path to the 2013 World Series is extremely challenging.
Based on the excellent way he handled his pitching staff, and massaged his batting order in 2012, I think Gonzalez can guide the Braves to the Eastern Division championship, and take Atlanta deep into the playoffs in 2013. But he will have to be outstanding in 2013 in addition to consistent.
About Jim Hart
With the lackluster, and often inconsistent, offense that Fredi has had to deal with the past couple of years, I think that he has done a marvellous job. Has he made mistakes? Yes, but who doesn’t. The difference between winners and losers is learning from one’s mistakes and not making the same mistakes over and over again. In this respect, Fredi has distinguished himself as a winner.
Now, with the opportunity to use just a few different line-ups all season, instead of the 100 he used last season, Fredi has the enviable job of guiding one of the most talent-laden and powerful teams in MLB to the post-season. If the Braves manage to advance deep in the playoffs, Fredi is a lock for 2013 Manager of the Year Award!
Fredi has done a very good job with the Braves. I don’t know if I would term it “marvelous” when you consider the 2011 September collapse and legitimate bullpen criticisms that seasons. However, it was his first year with the Braves and he was getting used to the personnel and had some young players in key positions. He learned from 2011 and made the necessary adjustments. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say he did a marvelous job in 2012, but can we use that term when nary a playoff game was won?
I don’t understand your questioning of the word: marvelous. Merriam-Webster offers this definition (among others) for that word: of the highest kind or quality : notably superior
To take an often underperforming offense in 2012 and win 94 games is “notably superior” to what other teams did whose offense often went on hiatus. With Atlanta’s starting rotation coming unglued for over half the season, managing a team that won 94 games is “of the highest …quality”.
People often neglect the fact that Managers do not play the game, they simply manage the players and the situations that arise in the games. Sure, the 2011 melt-down was bad. Fredi overworked the bullpen, but they won 89 games. Fredi couldn’t “force” the players to get key hits that would have prevented the melt-down. If the Braves had managed only 1 hit in each of 2 different key situations in 2011, we wouldn’t even have a meltdown.
So, yes, I think Fredi has done a marvelous job.
As far as the playoffs are concerned, I don’t remeber Fredi calling for Chipper to commit an error. So, again, I say marvelous, notably superior and of the highest quality.
Why no new articles? Is it something I said?
Your opinions are very interesting and welcome. I’ll be back posting articles either today or tomorrow on a consistent basis from here through the season barring something unexpected.
I guess we disagree somewhat on Fredi’s level of “marvelousness” in his two years with the Braves. I’m looking forward to this season with a lot of anticipation.