The Biggest Question Facing the 2011 Braves

Is Fredi Gonzalez the guy who got canned by the Marlins or the next Bobby Cox? There is no doubt that with all the questions surrounding the Braves this season, the biggest question is at the top. Bobby Cox was the consistent voice of the Braves for the past twenty years. Bobby Cox lead the Braves to the playoffs in 15 of those seasons. Bobby Cox is going into the MLB Hall of Fame as a manager, so to expect Fredi Gonzalez to repeat what Cox has done in Atlanta would be asking too much. However, Gonzalez is a good manager. Last season, Gonzalez stood up the most talented player on his team, Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez wasn't giving the effort that Gonzalez felt like he should give, so he benched him until his attitude improved. Does this situation sound familiar? Early in Andruw Jones' career, Bobby Cox removed him from a game because of the lazy way he fielded a fly ball that he ended up dropping. The difference in the two situations is that the Marlins ownership didn't stand behind their manager, and they fired Gonzalez in the middle of the season. The Marlins will regret that decision, and the Braves benefited from it. Gonzalez has a team that will be good enough to win the division, his job will be to make the necessary tweeks that have to be made throughout the long baseball season. He has already chosen his center fielder in Nate McLouth. He has already chosen his fifth starter in Brandon Beachy. Chipper Jones has made Gonzalez's job much easier by looking amazing in the spring, leaving no doubt who will play third and bat third for Atlanta on Thursday. Perhaps the biggest test for Gonzalez will be managing the ups and downs of the season as well as Bobby did. Gonzalez also went public with the Hanley Ramirez incident, which Bobby rarely did. Gonzalez will have to be his own man, but in the world of sports, its all about winning, and I believe that the 2011 Braves are built to win. Not making a long-term prediction for Fredi Gonzalez's career with the Braves, but I think he will have this team exactly where Bobby Cox left them in 2010: The playoffs. Tuesday: American League Predictions Wednesday: NL West and NL Central Predictions Thursday Morning: NL East and Playoff Predictions For a sports fan, its the most wonderful time of the year!