Atlanta Braves: 5 Potential Replacements for Fredi Gonzalez
By Adam Greene
Aug 25, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of Atlanta Braves hat and glove in the dugout before a game against the Colorado Rockies at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Leo Mazzone
You want to keep the Bobby Cox managerial tree? Cool. Then let’s do it. Let’s bring back Mazzone and put on a clinic. We haven’t seen pitching in the league since the Atlanta Braves were in their prime, and a large part of that was what Leo Mazzone brought to the team. The Braves are ripe with pitching talent, and what better man to teach them than the man who built a pitching dynasty in Atlanta? He’s expressed his interest in coming back into the league, and he’s been doing a lot of nothing since his stint with the Orioles ended in 2007.
ESPN ranked Mazzone as the Number 1 Assistant Coach of All Time. That’s saying something. I believe that had he never left in 2005, the job would have been his whenever Bobby Cox retired. In a way, it would almost feel like Mcdowell might be passed up, but imagine them two together? The both have similar aggressive styles in which they preach hitting ground balls. To me, they would both develop young pitchers at an alarming rate. Seemingly, it would be a great move for Atlanta to at least give it a shot — especially if you’re trying to get the most out of your pitchers. They both have similar styles in which they preach getting ground ball outs. They would also step away from the aggressive approach of pitchers and give them more of a finesse approach as to keep their arms healthy
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