The Braves are "undoubtedly moving forward and shaking things up, having realigned their front office so rapidly and extensively that it’s clear the old-guard trio assigned to guide this overhaul was ready to turn the page," according to David O'Brien of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. GM Frank Wren and Assistant GM Bruce Manno were fired fifteen days ago, and it "became clear" yesterday how "extensive the changes would be and how swiftly the Braves were prepared to move." They "weren’t messing around." The three-person "transition team" of Braves President John Schuerholz, interim GM John Hart and Baseball HOFer Bobby Cox had "plenty of ideas and were clearly prepared to move on them." The Braves "added two of the most respected scouts and talent evaluators in the game in Roy Clark and Gordon Blakeley, both named as special assistants" to the GM, and "promoted one of their top scouts," Brian Bridges, to Dir of Scouting. Additionally, the club hired Dave Trembley as Dir of Player Development and named Jonathan Schuerholz -- son of John Schuerholz -- Assistant Dir of Player Development. The Braves also "realigned their scouting department with several moves." They have yet to name a permanent GM, but the "frenzy of front-office personnel moves" and last week's announcement that manager Fredi Gonzalez will return next season "seem like strong indications that the Braves are going to stay in-house" for their next GM. That would "presumably mean that Hart removes the 'interim' from his title ... or that assistant GM John Coppolella moves into the role." Coppolella "could do well" as GM now, but "could be even more prepared for that role after, say, a two-year tutorial under Hart" (AJC.com, 10/7).
