Randy Ready is ready to be a manager again.
Ready was introduced as the Gwinnett Braves manager on Thursday at Coolray Field.
After spending eight years managing on the minor-league level, Ready spent the past 2-plus years as a hitting coach with the Padres and then Rangers. After Texas let Ready and several other coaches go, Braves assistant general manager Bruce Manno called to see if he was interested in joining the organization.
“I think that I’ve always had the desire to manage,” he said. “I think I have more to offer than just as the hitting coach, or opportunities to be in the batting cage all day long.”
The name Ready may be familiar to longtime Braves fans.
He was a career. 259 hitter in 777 games on the Major League level with the Brewers (1983-86), Padres (1986-89), Phillies (1989-91, 94-95), Athletics (1992) and Expos (1993).
He began his managing career in 2002 with Oneonta (Single A) in the Detroit system. He worked his way up to Triple A with Portland in the San Diego system. He has a 489-466 record and won the Texas League with San Antonio (Double A) in 2007.
He spent the 2012 season as a minor-league hitting coordinator with the Rangers. That followed more than two years as the Padres’ hitting coach.
Ready was hired on Nov. 12 last year to become just the second manager in Gwinnett’s history. Ready will report with the pitchers and catchers on Feb. 11, where he said he will immerse himself in meeting the players and learning the nuances of the Braves’ various calls and systems.
Ready said he believes his experiences as a well-travelled player will help him as he tries to prepare players to make the next step and contribute in Atlanta. He likened it to teaching them “shortcuts” that he hopes will help the players relax and focus.
“I had to learn every position by the book,” he said. “I had to be really consistent and I had to execute or else I wasn’t going to stay in the big leagues.”
Ready said he prefers an aggressive style of baseball, but said personnel will dictate his choices.When asked which prospects he's excited to see, he quickly said "Upton." When reminded Justin Upton, whom the Braves received in a trade on Thursday, is not a prospect, Ready laughed and said he's looking forward to watching Evan Gattis, Christian Bethancourt, J.R. Graham and Todd Cunningham.
He said it’s too early to predict the lineup that will open the season against Charlotte on April 4 at Coolray Field.
“Until we look at it I can’t say there’s one set way,” he said. “But we can prepare and be fundamentally sound and ask the players to give their best shot day in and day out.”
Ready’s Ready
Randy Ready was introduced as the Gwinnett Braves manager on Thursday. His managerial career:
Year/Team/League/Finish
2002/Oneonta (SS-A)/NY-Penn/47-27/4th
2003/Oneonta (SS-A)/NY-Penn/45-30/4th
2004/Fort Wayne (A)/Midwest/72-68/t-7th
2005/Fort Wayne (A)/Midwest/65-75/t-11th
2006/Fort Wayne (A)/Midwest/71-66/8th
2007/San Antonio (AA)/Texas/73-66/7th
2008/Portland (AAA)/Pacific Coast/70-74/9th
2009/Portland (AAA)/Pacific Coast/46-60/16th
