John Schuerholz enjoyed serving as the Braves’ president the past 8 1/2 years, but he has no regrets about letting that job go.
“I’m delighted,” Schuerholz said at a Turner Field news conference officially announcing that he is leaving the job of team president for an advisory-type role as vice chairman. “This is a remarkably well-timed and perfectly suited role for me to be in. I’m happy with it.”
He added, “I think it’s a great move for the organization. I commend Terry (McGuirk, the Braves’ chairman and CEO) for that.”
Schuerholz said he still plans to be highly engaged within the Braves organization, particularly on the baseball operations/player personnel side of the business.
“I’m excited to be able to focus back on what I love most about the game, and that is the playing of the game, forming a team, working with (president of baseball operations) John Hart and (general manager) John Coppolella not on a direct basis but on an advisory and consulting kind of basis.”
Schuerholz also emphasized that he will take advantage of the change to spend more time with his family.
“I’ll have a better balance in my life. And at 75, going on 76, I think that’s fair,” Schuerholz said. “Terry understands that. He wants me here a lot, and I’ll be here a lot. I may be here on the phone a lot. I may not be quite as physically present as I have been.
“I’m going to spend time with my family, quality time, and this gives me a chance to do that. So if you see me smiling more than you’ve ever seen me smile before, that’s why.”
Schuerholz was the Braves’ general manager for 17 seasons before becoming team president in October 2007.
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