Braves new General Manager, John Coppolella
photo by MLB.com
ATLANTA -- After watching John Coppolella do most of the heavy lifting that encompassed the massive reconstruction process their organization has undergone over the past year, the Braves will reward him by naming him their general manager.
A formal announcement will be made during a Thursday afternoon news conference at Turner Field. 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.
When the Braves dismissed Frank Wren as their GM on Sept. 21, 2014, they opted not to fill his position immediately. Hart was given his current title and the assignment to help mold Coppolella as he served as an assistant GM, performing many of the same duties as a GM.
Coppollella did much of the legwork to arrange the trades that sent Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Evan Gattis and Craig Kimbrel elsewhere and the mega deal that brought Hector Olivera from the Dodgers to the Braves on July 30. As he manufactured those deals, which helped reshaped the farm system, compiled Draft picks and created financial flexibility, he worked hand-in-hand with Hart, who served as an accomplished advisor.
Along with providing guidance, Hart was the authoritative figure who provided final approval of those trades and harnessed the actions of the tireless and aggressive Coppolella, who has been a part of Atlanta's front office since leaving the Yankees at the conclusion of the 2006 season.
The Brewers and Mariners both expressed interest in Coppolella as they moved toward filling their GM vacancies earlier last month. But the Braves recognized Coppolella's value and made sure to keep him by providing him the same distinguished position with their organization.
Coppolella, 37, served as Atlanta's director of baseball operations from 2006-10 and then was promoted to director of professional scouting in 2011. The Notre Dame graduate was elevated to the assistant GM position near the conclusion of the 2012 season, when the Astros were recruiting him to fill the same role in Houston.
---- Source: MLB.com