A former Brave returned to Atlanta in November when Walt Weiss was announced as the team’s new bench coach.
Here are three things to know about Weiss:
Playing career: Weiss was the 12th overall pick in 1985 as a University of North Carolina standout. He broke into the majors two seasons later with the A's and became the starting shortstop by the next season. He won rookie of the year in 1988, becoming the third consecutive Oakland player to do so after Jose Conseco and Mark McGwire. But Weiss' Game 4 error helped cost the A's the World Series that year, losing to the Dodgers in six games.
Weiss would win a ring the following season. But the bat never developed, and he was flipped to the expansion Florida Marlins in 1993. He joined the expansion Colorado Rockies the next season, where he spent three seasons. Weiss became a Brave in 1998 and earned his first All-Star appearance. He retired after the 2000 season.
Previous jobs: Weiss rejoined the Rockies in 2002 as a special instructor and adviser. He retained that role until 2008, but left to spend more time with his family and coach high school baseball.
The Rockies hired Weiss as their manager in 2012. He went 283-365, resigning after a 75-87 campaign in 2016, his most successful in Colorado. Players came to his defense, given that the Rockies were in a rebuilding period. Colorado earned a wild-card berth last season under first-year manager Bud Black.
Something you didn't know about him: Weiss has an unfortunate tie with metro Atlanta. During his first season with the Braves, his 3-year-old son contracted the E. coli virus at White Water park in Marietta at midseason.
Brody Weiss was put into a coma with his life at risk. As you’d imagine, Walt couldn’t enjoy his only All-Star season while concerned with Brody. His son would go on to heal, and ultimately play college baseball at the University of California-Santa Barbara.
