Fredi González

Fredi Jesús González (born January 28, 1964) is a Cuban-born American baseball coach and manager who is currently the bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles. He managed the Florida Marlins from 2007 to 2010 and the Atlanta Braves from 2011 to 2016. González was fired from both managing positions. For four seasons prior to 2007, he was the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves. Despite never reaching the playoffs with Florida, González nearly led the Braves to a playoff berth in his first season as manager in 2011. He then guided the Braves to the postseason in 2012 and 2013.

For the Colombian cyclist, see Fredy González.

Fredi González
González with the Atlanta Braves
Baltimore Orioles – No. 57
Coach
Born: (1964-01-28) January 28, 1964
Holguín, Cuba
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB statistics
Games managed1,402
Win–loss record710–692
Winning %.506
Teams
As manager

As coach

Biography

Gonzalez was born in Holguín, Cuba to Fredi and Caridad González.[1] He grew up in Miami, Florida, where he attended Southridge High School.[2] He was signed by the New York Yankees after being their 16th selection in the 1982 amateur draft. He spent six years as a catcher in the Yankees farm system, though never advancing above the AA level. After two years as a graduate assistant coach for the University of Tennessee Volunteers he began his managerial career in 1990, taking over the Miami Miracle of the Florida State League.[3]

González continued with the Miracle into 1991 until he joined the Florida Marlins organization in 1992. He was chosen to be the first coach to instruct the first Marlins prospects of the franchise assigned to the Erie Sailors minor league team. González coached throughout the Marlins organization, including a 1997 stop as manager of the Portland Sea Dogs, the AA Eastern League affiliate of the Marlins; he managed the Sea Dogs to a first-place finish in the Eastern League's Northern Division, with a record of 79–63. He moved to the big league club in 1999 as third base coach for the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

After leaving the Marlins, González spent 2002 with the Braves' Richmond affiliate, and moved up to the major league Atlanta club early in the 2003 season.[4] On October 3, 2006, González was named the manager of the Florida Marlins within hours of Joe Girardi being fired. González was named as a coach for the 2007 NL All-Star Team, replacing Willie Randolph who was undergoing shoulder surgery.[5][6] After the 2008 season, Gonzalez was named the Sporting News Manager of the Year.[7]

After a victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010, González had won more games than any other manager in Marlins history. On June 23, 2010, González was fired as Marlins manager.[8] González led the Marlins to winning seasons in 2008 and 2009, despite working with the lowest payroll in the Major Leagues. The Marlins decided to replace González with Edwin Rodriguez as the interim manager.[9][10]

On October 13, 2010, González was officially named the new manager for the Atlanta Braves, succeeding the retiring Bobby Cox.[11] In his first season managing the team, he led the Braves to an 8+1⁄2-game lead in the National League Wild Card race on August 26, only to suffer a historic collapse and lose the spot to the eventual World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals on the final day. González was criticized for overworking his bullpen during September.[12]

González in 2014

González was able to rebound Atlanta the following season, finishing with a 94–68 record and a wild card berth. On October 5, 2012, González managed his first postseason game as a Major League manager. It was a 6–3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2012 National League Wild Card Game at Turner Field. González put this game under protest after the infield fly rule was called by umpire Sam Holbrook on a ball that fell in shallow left field in the bottom of the eighth inning. González earned his first major league postseason win on October 4, 2013, in a 4–3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.

After a 9–28 start in 2016, González was fired by the Braves on May 17.[13][14]

On November 7, 2016, the Miami Marlins hired González as their third base coach.[15] González did not return to the Marlins for the 2020 season.[16] On December 5, 2019, it was reported that González would join the Baltimore Orioles as a major league coach;[17] this was confirmed by the Orioles on December 23.[18]

Managerial record
As of May 16, 2016
Team From To Regular season record Post–season record
W L Win % W L Win %
Florida Marlins 2007 2010 276279.497  —
Atlanta Braves 2011 2016 434413.512 14.200
Total 710692.506 14.200
Reference:[19]

Personal life

Shortly after leaving the Braves, González moved to Malvern, Pennsylvania, to be with his fiancée.[20][21] He is now married to Patrica.[22][23] González has two children from a previous marriage with Pamela Miller,[3] Gabrielle and Alex.[1]

References
  1. Hyde, Dave (April 3, 2007). "Gonzalez Family Sacrifices Pay Off". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  2. Healey, Tim (November 7, 2016). "Marlins to announce 2017 coaching staff Tuesday; Fredi Gonzalez expected to be among hires". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  3. Berardino, Mike (October 9, 2006). "Fredi Was Ready". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  4. "Fredi Gonzalez #33". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2011.
  5. "Gonzalez picked as NL All-Star coach". USA Today. Associated Press. June 29, 2007. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  6. Gorten, Steve (June 30, 2007). "Gonzalez to All-Star Game". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  7. Rodriguez, Jaun C. (October 24, 2008). "Gonzalez earns 'Sporting News' award". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  8. Frisaro, Joe (June 23, 2010). "Players shocked by Gonzalez's dismissal". MLB.com. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  9. Capozzi, Joe (June 23, 2010). "Florida Marlins fire manager Fredi Gonzalez". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  10. Dodd, Mike (June 26, 2010). "Marlins fire Fredi Gonzalez; name Edwin Rodriguez interim manager". USA Today. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  11. Bowman, Mark (October 13, 2010). "Braves act quickly, name Gonzalez skipper". Atlanta Braves, MLB.com. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  12. Kepner, Tyler (February 23, 2012). "Braves Sticking to Their Blueprint". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  13. "MLB-worst Braves fire manager Fredi Gonzalez". ESPN.com. May 18, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  14. O'Brien, David (May 17, 2016). "Braves fire Fredi Gonzalez as manager". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  15. "Fredi returning to Marlins to be 3B coach". MLB.com. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  16. Frisaro, Joe (October 10, 2019). "González not returning as Marlins coach". MLB.com. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  17. Meoli, Jon (December 5, 2019). "Orioles adding former Marlins, Braves manager Fredi González to Brandon Hyde's staff as major league coach". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  18. Kubatko, Roch. "Orioles announce 2020 coaching staff". School of Roch. MASNSports.com. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
  19. "Fredi González". Baseball Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 18, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  20. Gelston, Dan (May 18, 2016). "Former Braves manager Gonzalez laughs off clumsy firing". Associated Press. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  21. "Fredi Gonzalez begins life after Braves". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. May 19, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  22. O'Brien, David (March 4, 2017). "Fired as Braves manager in May, Fredi returns as Marlins' third-base coach". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
  23. O'Brien, David (May 13, 2017). "A year after Braves fired him, Fredi Gonzalez in a 'good place'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 29, 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fredi González.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Miami Miracle Manager
1990–1991		 Succeeded by
last manager
Preceded by
Barry Moss
 Erie Sailors Manager
1992		 Succeeded by
Preceded by High Desert Mavericks Manager
1993		 Succeeded by
Phil Hannon
Preceded by
first manager
 Brevard County Manatees Manager
1994–1996		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Portland Sea Dogs Manager
1997		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Charlotte Knights Manager
1998		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Florida Marlins Third Base Coach
1999–2001		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Richmond Braves Manager
2002		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Atlanta Braves Third Base Coach
2003–2006		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Miami Marlins Third Base Coach
2017–		 Succeeded by
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