Braves GM Speaks Out On Decision To Make Surprising Coaching Change

It’s the first time while Alex Anthopolous has been a general manager - either with the Braves or the Toronto Blue Jays - that he’s made this type of midseason move. It’s apparent he wants to take action and help correct course while they still can. 

“We have to look at every area that we can get better,” he said. “Tough decision, but [manager Brian Snitker] and I talked about it initially on Sunday. Spoke again [Monday], talked at length [Monday] about it and finally came to the agreement that this was the right decision to move forward.” 

Tuiasosopo has been swapped out for the unideal results at third base recently. They wanted to keep him around because of the work he does with infielders. 

“He did phenomenal work with the infielder, it doesn't take anything away from that. But ultimately it’s the results at third base, and it’s not for lack of preparation, or effort or anything like that.”

One notable recent incident that wasn’t pointed to in this comment, but involved failing to score in a close game, was during the series opener against the Padres on May 23. Down 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Ozzie Albies got what looked like a game-tying single, or a hit that would at least give the Braves runners on first and third. Eli White got a good jump from second base and froze halfway to third. He then tried to go back because he was under the belief the ball had been caught, but he got tagged out trying to go back. 

The Braves have areas that they feel can be tweaked to help them win close games, and Anthopoulos sees a new third base coach as a key to making the necessary adjustments. 

“The opportunity to someone like him midseason is rare,” Anthopoulous said. “He wasn’t available in years past, and if he hadn’t been available, I can’t tell you we would have made this move.”

Anthopolous added that they weren’t going to make the move simply to get a new guy.

“It had to be the right person and something that could hit the ground running.” 

A move still could have potentially happened later in the season if González wasn’t available immediately. If they ultimately found another guy that they were confident in, they would make the move. 

González was the Braves third base coach for four seasons before succeeding Bobby Cox as manager in 2011, a position he would hold until replaced by Snitker during the 2016 season.  

Snitker was his third base coach during his time as manager and the two have been friends for a long time. They spoke to each other recently, but it was unrelated to this move.

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