The Braves on Thursday promoted Assistant GM John Coppolella to GM after he did "most of the heavy lifting that encompassed the massive reconstruction process their organization has undergone over the past year," according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Braves President of Baseball Operations John Hart "will continue to oversee the department, but Coppolella will now have the title for the role he has essentially filled for the past year." Coppolella said, "It feels kind of surreal just to get that (GM) title because I was never really worried about titles or who was doing the work, you just want to be part of the team. But it's something now where, I don't want to say more accountable, but it's on you now." Braves President John Schuerholz said, "We didn't map out a plan, but we figured this is a really, really smart man." Bowman wrote as Coppolella "manufactured" the Braves' trades this year, which "helped reshape the farm system, compiled Draft picks and created financial flexibility in creative manners, he worked hand-in-hand with Hart, who served as an accomplished advisor and ultimate decision-maker" (MLB.com, 10/1). In Atlanta, Mark Bradley wrote it had been "unclear how much of the Braves’ wholesale rebuilding has been the work of Hart, as opposed to Coppolella." Bradley: "Here’s my guess: More than half the ideas have come from Coppolella, and I don’t think it’s a 51-49 split; I’d call it closer to 65-35." Baseball front offices "have gone heavy on layering," and while the Braves now have "two presidents -- Schuerholz being the other -- and one GM, I’d suggest the heavy lifting, both now and for the future, will be done by Coppolella" (AJC.com, 10/1). MLB.com's Bowman wrote under the header, "Coppolella's Creativity, Work Ethic Led to GM Role." It was "not surprising to learn the Braves will stick with this same leadership structure next year" (MLB.com, 10/1).
