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The Atlanta Braves had some big news for us this morning. They decided to fire their General Manager of seven years, Frank Wren. Wren made some questionable decisions in his tenure. Those decisions include the signings of Dan Uggla and BJ Upton, both players have been absolute busts. The Braves where eliminated from the playoff race on Sunday after the Mets beat them 10-2. The Braves where just a half a game behind the Nationals on July 29, as of yesterday the Braves are 15 games back and fighting to stay in second place. We knew changes would be made after the Braves had that atrocious meltdown. Wren had been with the Braves since 1999, he started as an assistant to John Schuerholz before being promoted to GM in 2007.
The Braves released Dan Uggla in July and will owe him 13 million next season. BJ Upton sill has three years left on his five-year $75.25 million contract. Those two contracts to go along with Derek Lowe four-year $60 million probably did it for Wren. Upton has been the biggest disappointment of the three he has hit a total of 20 home runs in his two years as a Brave, after hitting 28 in 2012 for the Rays. Upton has hit an awful .196 in those two seasons.
John Hart will be the interim GM for the Braves. I wouldn’t be surprised if he the Braves promote assistant GM John Coppolella to GM with Hart as his mentor, but we’ll probably have to wait a few weeks before we find out. It does look like Fredi Gonzalez will get another year as manager for the Braves, I find that very surprising if true.
