Atlanta Braves exec: Fredi Gonzalez “deserves” to come back as manager

Since the Atlanta Braves elected to part ways with general manager Frank Wren while sparing the job of manager Fredi Gonzalez, it has generally been accepted that Gonzalez would be returning as the club’s manager for the 2015 season. On Sunday morning, however, that general acceptance appeared to be shifting to “definite”, as interim GM John Hart declared that Gonzalez “deserves” to come back for another year.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden (who is a former executive with the Washington Nationals) brings word of Hart’s comments, but honestly, they should not come as a surprise. The organizational dysfunction (or at least, apparent dysfunction) appears to begin at the top with John Schuerholz and the lasting influence of Bobby Cox in the process, but more than ever, it seems as if Fredi Gonzalez has the backing of management despite his mediocre (to be kind) performance over the last few seasons.

The Atlanta Braves are scuffling right now, but all signs point to yet another year under the tutelage of Fredi Gonzalez, and when the “man in charge” is making that declaration, it doesn’t exactly provide a great deal of optimism toward the future.