In Atlanta, Jeff Schultz writes Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was fired yesterday because the club needs "somebody to blame" for their 9-29 start to the '16 season. The Braves are a "steaming pile of humiliation." But no front office exec "has stepped forward and admitted, 'We miscalculated our readiness this season.'" Schultz: "Don’t take ownership and admit wrongdoing because that would plant seeds of doubt in fans’ minds about the blueprint moving forward. We can’t have that, not with the public sale of season tickets in a new stadium having begun" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/18).
GET WELL SOON: ESPN N.Y.'s Adam Rubin reported Mets GM Sandy Alderson "underwent surgery last Wednesday as part of his scheduled treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer." Alderson "described the procedure as successful." He added that he remains on course for a "full recovery." Alderson: "The surgery itself was, I'm going to say, fantastically successful. The doctors were able to do everything they had hoped to do and were able to avoid everything they hoped to avoid. So, from that standpoint, everything worked out extremely well" (ESPNNY.com, 5/17).
RETAIN & REWARD: YAHOO SPORTS' Chris Cwik noted by "handing out extensions to their young players, the Pirates have found a way to keep their payroll relatively low while retaining elite talent at reasonable, cost-controlled prices." That strategy "was on display" yesterday when the club signed C Francisco Cervelli to a three-year, $31M extension. Cervelli "became the fifth member of the Pirates core to sign an extension with the club." Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen and LF Starling Marte "have already outperformed their extensions," while 2B Josh Harrison and RF Gregory Polanco should, and Cervelli "looks like a bargain after building on last year's success." All five of those players "are under team control through" the '18 season (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/17).
