6:23pm: O’Brien adds further details in a full column on the situation, most notably that Gonzalez’s dismissal took an awkward turn on Monday evening. O’Brien reports that Gonzalez actually learned of his firing last night when he received an email confirming a Tuesday afternoon flight from Pittsburgh to Atlanta, despite the fact that the the Braves’ four-game series with the Pirates runs through Thursday. The Braves weren’t planning on informing Gonzalez of the decision until Tuesday morning, when president of baseball operations John Hart had planned to fly to Pittsburgh to join GM John Coppolella to break the news go Gonzalez in person. Instead, Atlanta officials had to confirm to Gonzalez last night that the decision had been made.
11:45am: The Braves have brought an end to the speculation by officially firing manager Fredi Gonzalez, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was first to report (Twitter link). Gonzalez becomes the first skipper to lose his post this year.
Atlanta has named Brian Snitker as an interim skipper, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported via Twitter. He is expected to keep the position through the end of the 2016 season, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. Long the Braves’ third base coach, Snitker had been managing the club’s top affiliate, Triple-A Gwinnett, since 2014. Atlanta has also fired bench coach Carlos Tosca, Bowman adds on Twitter. Terry Pendleton will take over his duties, with Eddie Perez moving to the first base coach job and Marty Reed becoming bullpen coach.
Gonzalez has long been rumored to be on shaky ground, and the organization finally pulled the plug after last night’s loss to the Pirates. Atlanta never expected to contend in 2016, but the team also certainly expected better than its brutal 9-28 start to the season.
The 52-year-old skipper has seen good and bad times with the Braves, but it’s been much more of the latter of late. He was at the helm from 2011-13, racking up 279 regular season wins against 207 losses. Things went south from there, as the Braves fell shy of expectations in 2014 and haven’t sniffed .500 since.
Of course, even when the club was in position to contend, there were plenty of disappointments. While it bounced back from an epic collapse late in 2011, the 2012 team lost in controversial fashion in the Wild Card play-in game after the Nationals ran away with the division. The Gonzalez-led Braves rebounded to take the NL East in 2013, but were bounced by the Dodgers in the first round of the postseason. And a late-season collapse doomed the otherwise-competitive 2014 iteration, spurring greater organizational change.
Gonzalez previously managed the Marlins, but he was let go in the middle of 2010. He had risen through that organization as a coach and manager after never moving above the Double-A level as a player.
It appears that Atlanta will not undertake a search for a permanent replacement during the present season, instead rolling with Snitker for the time being. It seems likely, though, that the Braves will at least begin a soft hiring search sooner rather than later in order to get a jump on the market. That being said, it’s worth noting that the division-rival Phillies ended up installing their own mid-season interim replacement, Pete Mackanin, on a long-term basis.
It certainly doesn’t help the Braves that the Mackanin-led Phils are off to a surprisingly winning (albeit questionably sustainable) start to 2016. If anything, the hope was that Atlanta might overplay projections a bit, with the organization installing numerous bounce-back veterans and possessing numerous young pitchers at and near the majors. With a new park set to open next year, there was at least some possibility that a solid campaign could allow the team to ramp up toward contention as soon as 2017.
Instead, the Braves will keep pushing on with a tough rebuilding process that began in earnest with the firing of GM Frank Wren in September of 2014. John Hart took over as the club’s president of baseball operations, eventually passing on day-to-day general managing duties to young executive John Coppolella. That pair has engineered several bold trades, stockpiling youthful talent in exchange for veterans.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
it was only a matter of time
Braves Management: “The only way to get back to the top is by tanking and pretending we’re not tanking. We can ensure that fans think we actually care about winning this season by firing the manager! That always works!”
Yeah, I’m sure having Simmons’ bat would help right now. $180 million-man, Jason Heyward, still doesn’t have a HR…or an AVG above .250. Upton’s not impressing, and definitely not worth the money nor leading his team. Tanking gets you nowhere in baseball. There’s little difference between a #1 and #3 pick — they’re all going to need some seasoning. Fortunately, we have a great development team installed by Coppy/Hart, that’s already getting a lot from our prospects.
Which Upton you talking about? Cause Melvin is killin it, lol.
Pretty certain no one was complaining when Melvin was traded, who he was traded with (Kimbrel) yes.
Well 1. its melvin, history dictates that its not sustainable 2. He hit below the Mendoza line for his career in Atlanta. 3. he’s still swinging at every single first pitch he sees. Which goes back to #1
I’m going to guess that a .352 BABIP isn’t sustainable by him.
Speed guys tend to have higher BABIPs. there’ll be some regression but he’s having a good year, getting on base, playing good defense. He’d be the best position player on the Braves if he was still with them. Although that Francouer guy is pretty good.
Yeah, figured he didn’t get off to as good a May as expected or hoped.
Won’t find many people crying over this. He’s not the reason the team is God awful this year but after multiple late season collapses in past years, it’s a miracle he’s held the job as long as he has. Best of luck to him in whatever he chooses to do next, but I must say I’m looking forward to seeing someone else be the head of the team for a while.
Ha. That will fix them team! Smh.. Can’t give a guy lemons and ask him to make orange juice!
This just made my day/month/year
Go die
No you
Lol. I was kidding.
Weird joke bro…
Seems to me we as fans never really know why a manager was fired, especially by a team that wasn’t expected to compete and has had its share of problems falling well outside of the manager’s area of control. Mostly these firings seem to represent a breakdown in the relationship between the clubhouse and the front office.
The front office likely always envisioned bringing in a new manager once they felt ready to contend again anyway. Now that the Braves have some of those kids playing everyday they probably wanna start the search early, and let Fredi get on to whatever unfortunate club hires him next.
Could be, I don’t claim to know much about this specific situation, only that lots of stuff is always going on under the hood that we as fans are never going to see. Those are the real reasons for firing managers, mainly, not the W-L record.
He got fired because of the late season collapses with talented team, his mismanagement of the bullpen, his line up construction, his failure to recognize when to play certain platoon players, his failure to know when to take a pitcher out or leave him in and he didn’t have any fire. He didn’t take up or fight for his players when a umpire would throw them out. He could light a fire under them or get a reaction out of them. He got fired because he sucks! That’s just my opinion
Well said
Leave Snitker as interim skipper for the rest of the season and start fresh in 2017. The job will at least be more attractive by then. Who would want to inherit the 2016 dumpster fire.
A lot of people. Great franchise with increased money to spend, new ballpark/facilities (appeals to players), winning tradition, a lot of cornerstone options in young players, franchise player locked up (Freeman), trade pieces (Teheran), high draft pick, major players in international free agent signing period, relocating home to one of the most talent-rich baseball hotbeds in America (East Cobb has produced Jason Heyward, among many others), franchise has retained their last 2 managers for 6 years or more, whomever will not be a Bobby Cox-clone, etc.
Should I go on?
Freeman a franchise player lol. 1 trade piece if they aren’t trading freeman which they should. High draft pick who will be minimum 3 yrs away assuming he doesn’t bust. They have albies, they have Swanson. Literally nothing else in that system is all that impressive or close to ml ready. They should have traded freeman, now they are stuck paying him 20+ mil a year when they will finally be competetive.
You have no idea what you’re talking about. That was evident the moment you opened your mouth…. The Braves farm system is stacked from a-aaa. Blair is already in the starting rotation. Wisler has been part of it since last year. Newcomb, Jenkins, Ellis, Folty (who i still think is a closer) and Perez are either near or at MLB level. Rio Ruiz, Swanson, Albies will be called up either this year or next (Ruiz and Swanson more than likely next year or a spot on the rosters when they expand).
Just because YOU don’t find it impressive doesn’t = that it isn’t impressive. You’re not a scout, a coach, a gm, and clearly not a fan. Make sure you know what in gods name you’re talking about next time please
I like blair, wisler is a 5th starter at best, look at his k rate, newcombe has no control See bb rate, Jenkins also has no out pitch and is a 5th starter at best. Ellis era is low because of an unsustainable babip and homer rate it isn’t legit. Lol at thinking folty is good because he throws hard. Rio Ruiz has been 11% better than average in triple a due to an unsustainable babip, he offers no d or baserunning upside so he is an average starter at best. Notice the jump in his k rate and his bb rate being down this year, he isn’t ready. You named a bunch of names and offered no reason they are decent prospects. You see semi low era and say that’s a good pitcher, or a decent average 30 games in and say a guy is legit. Like I said swanson, albies are good, blair can be a mid rotation guy. Newcomb has upside but it’s 50/50 he ends in the bullpen at this point. The other guys just don’t have upside. Allard and austin Riley are the only other upside guys but they are way down. 2018 is the earliest they can compete with 2019 most likely hence why I said trade freeman. A rotation full of back end starters isn’t good without a Kershaw at the top.
you’ve asserted a lot by my words. Seeing how I never said anything about low ERAs nor did I use “low ERAs” to justify using these kids names. I’d point out that you have no idea what you’re talking about again but you clearly didn’t read the part where i said YOUR opinion of an entire farm system and the contributions said farm will make to the MLB club is just that, an opinion. Its not now nor ever will be ordained as fact. But hey keep sipping that kool-aid. Cheers
P.S. Noticed when i said “I think Folty will be a closer” isn’t because he throws hard you moron. Its because he’s lights out for an inning or 3 at a time. Once his starting experiment ends (unless of course he actually has figured it out) he’s going to the pen w/ an eventual 8/9 tandem of Viz and himself.
I’m saying it has to be based off their e.r,a because they don’t have tools. For instance Jenkins has a 60 fastball, 50 curve, 40 change and 45 command. There is one above average pitch there. Wisler doesn’t have any 60 pitches. So forgive me I assumed you used anything to base your opinion on other than age and level.
Hmm..I almost feel compelled to debate this with you but then I remember that every farm analyst disagrees with you on the Braves farm. That being the case, I struggle to take you seriously.
They have 2 top 20 prospects, that boosts any farm ranking. Blair, allard and Riley are legit guys. Ruiz can be an everyday player. I think Newcomb fits best in an andrew miller role but with a worse slider, he just doesn’t have the command to go deep in games while starting. Outside of my stance on Newcomb the rest is almost industry consensus, the industry also still had touki as a top 100 prospect so take that for what it’s worth.
lefties command always take longer to harness for some reason. Miller’s problem always was he couldn’t get thru a line up more than once. Newcomb is a bulldog and they have to be patient with him.
*YOU’RE
Dude just because you say a certain pitcher in a farm system will be a #5 pitcher at best doesn’t mean its true. Even the analysts get certain players wrong. Newcomb hasn’t even been in the minors for 2 years. You act like he can’t develop his curveball better or gain more control and command with more reps. Same for Ellis and Jenkins. You act like they can’t develop more or get better. Just because a certain site or analyst says a certain guy is a back end starter because he doesn’t have a plus pitch doesn’t mean he is going to be that and that he couldn’t develop one. You talk about Wisler being a #5, but he is pitching better than a number #5. He has only been in the bigs 1 year. He is learning on the job and pitched some really good games against the Dodgers (matching Kershaw pitch for pitch), the Mets hot line up and the Royals. It seems like Wisler is doing pretty well without an “above average pitch.” Because a pitcher lacks control now doesnt mean that he won’t develop it. You act like a player won’t develop into more than a relief pitcher or back end starter because he hasn’t been dominant in his first year of the minors or majors. If your trying to play scout then your not doing a very good job of it.
Also, how do you know that Ruiz offers no d? Have you went to see him play every game? His defense has got better each year. I agree with you that he isn’t ready now, but you can’t say that he wont be ready by the beginning of next year or half way through 2017. He could improve by the beginning of next year. Your not a scout so you dont know anything of what your saying. You proved that by labeling a pitcher that hasn’t even been in the minors for 2 years a “andrew miller type with a worse slider and he doesn’t have the command to go deep in games.” Like he can’t develop any of his pitches or gain better control and command to go deep into games lol
Of course people can add pitches, it doesn’t change who they are at this point though. Wisler has been exactly a number 5… If that, fip-103, xfip-123 those are park and league adjusted, 100 is average and below 100 is better. But low era in 8 starts means he has been better lol, it’s luck and sequencing that will even out. Why even discuss prospects of your argument is they can all get better….
You’re not getting what I’m saying, RunDMC. I said who would want to inherit the 2016 club. You and I are on the same page for 2017 and beyond. But this year is lost.
The Braves have two former managers on their staff (Carlos Tosca and Bo Porter) and they choose Brian Snitker? That seems odd to me.
Tosca was also let go. You are correct though Porter would not have been a bad option.
Carlos Tosca was Fredi’s first Minor League manager, with the Gulf Coast League Yankees in 1982. That’s how much Fredi thought of him – Tosca had no chance of staying around.
I think Snitker has the experience and knows most the young kids better than Porter will. It will benefit the call ups.
I am excited, he is from my home town. Took a small town school to state championship, was simply baseball version of Hoosiers.
What was he losing wrong?
When you accept that you’re losing, then it becomes wrong. Can’t let the rookies drink the water from his river.
You’d have to be delusional to believe that a rebuild wouldn’t mean losing a ton of games. So you’re looking for a manager who is out of touch with reality?
About 5 years too late.
Good luck to Brian Snitker, a real class guy and longtime faithful Braves employee. When he finally gets a shot (after about 25 years with the Braves), he inherits an absolutely horrible team. If the front office really expected Fredi to succeed at all with a roster made up 50% of castoffs and unemployed minor-league free agents – along with some good pitching prospects – they must have had blinders on.
The rest of the season will be real interesting – but unless a couple of bats are added, Brian has little chance to fare any better than Fredi.
“Snitker” is an anagram for “Stinker” which really suits these Braves more anyway.
That’s cute.
Fredi is an anagram for fired.
I am really surprised Eddie Perez didn’t get the nod. I am glad Freddi got fired a bout 3 years to late but finally done. Interesting to see how the youngsters perform for him the rest of the year.
Mark Bowman reports that both Terry Pendleton and Eddie Perez are going to be considered at end of year for manager position. I think either would be good but hoping for Tzp
My votes for Eddie. He was Greg Maddux’s catcher for a reason…and there’s a reason so many great managers were former catchers. I like Pendleton, but not over Perez.
Well most of the young Braves played for Snitker, so it was a good call. I think Eddie would be good, but that might come with quirks as Roger being the pitching coach. I could see Roger let go at the end of the season.
I actually can see Roger let go at the end of the year as well. I think the writing is on the wall for the Braves to look outside for their next manager by bypassing over Eddie and Pendleton. I could see Terry taking offense and leaving the team as well. Good luck to Snitker I hope he can get the most out of these young guys. I think the Bud Black rumors will come to fruition myself.
Can we bring Leo back? Would love to see him rocking in the dugout again.
Im surprised it took this long
My main issue with Fredi is that he seemed to make too many excuses and seemed too comfortable losing. Never got mad or fired up about it. He also did too many things by the book. He was never able to light a fire under anyone. Not that kinda guy. I wish him well, but Braves need someone with a little more energy/savvy/grit.
He should have been fired immediately after he issued his 3-prong ultimatum to management.
Snitker was awful coaching third for years. Maybe the guy has an amazing baseball mind, I don’t know. I do know I watched wave more slow base runners into outs at home plate than I care to think about.
I’m a Mets fan but why not Chipper,Smoltz or Javy Lopez as the next manager?
Because there’s a lot more to being a good manager than having played for the team. Chipper is particular would be a terrible manager. He’s far too laid back and seems to be enjoying retirement – all of those guys are more like guest instructors than managers.
Because none of them really have any coaching experience. It’s very likely that Chiipper will end up the Braves hitting coach soon. Smoltz has got a pretty cushy gig now. And not sure Lopez would make a good coach. Not all catchers automatically make good coaches.
Many do. Varitek may be a coach down the road, either if the Sox keep Farrell for a few years, or they find somebody who replaces Farrell for a few years first.
Many do, but it’s far from guaranteed. And even less of a guarantee to catchers that were mostly offensive players…like Javy Lopez.
Javy has been out of the game for a decade now. I’ve never heard of him making an effort to become involved in coaching. Being a guest instructor for a day or two in spring training doesn’t count. At this point I think it’s more likely he becomes a golf coach than a baseball one.
There’s a manager on the SOUTHSIDE of Chicago you could have. Sox fans can’t wait til his ass is hit by the door when he leaves.
Oh the irony. Fredi leaves his 3B coach position with the Braves, Snitker replaces him. Fredi is fired as manager, and Snitker replaces him again.
What? Guess I didn’t realize he was 3rd base coach. Good call.
If you rearrange the letters in Snitkers name you can come up with Stinkers
Fredi Gonzalez was a terrible manager. Fredi really cost the Braves their best years from 2011-2014. .
Welcome new angels pitching coach
This app is going to be reduced to simply normal trade talk now that the fire Fredi people are gone, and bigpapi4ever got removed! Such a shame
Bigpapi4ever was removed?
No, he was traded to the nfl and is now tombrady4ever
I like Snitker on an interim basis, but hoping that doesn’t become a long term solution. Would really like to see the Braves go outside their normal hiring methods. Probably why I like the idea of Lovullo more than other common names brought up. Atlanta needs to distance itself from the “Braves way” and start to form a new identity to go along with a new stadium and wave of new players.
If that means also distancing themselves from Bobby Cox and his meddling…then that’s just icing.
No way do I want Lovullo but the Braves have already started to move past the Braves Way and are forming their own identity. Coppy/Hart & McDowell all represent the new way of doing things.
The problem started when Schurholz didn’t step down until it was to late and Dayton Moore already left and instead gave the job to his buddy Frank Wren. Because as you say the Braves Way is working just fine in KC.
Except Dayton Moore adapted away from the Braves way. The only thing in common now is that KC tends to pick up the occasional (more than occasional when they weren’t doing that well) player the Braves release.
The Braves way will persist though with JS and Cox still firmly entrenched. That has to be resolved. Because I don’t think anyone can seriously believe that it was Coppy’s decision to keep Fredi for this long. He’s the polar opposite of Coppy.
No it was not Coppy’s decision you can tell that by interviews with him. But I don’t think it was JS or Cox either. I think John Hart said look no matter what we tell the media and fans we know that we are not going to compete this year. Let Freddie manage this year and take it from there. And now the decision with all the young guys coming up they need a motivator and a guy who feels like he can prove something and is fighting for a job.
Fredi knew he was a sitting duck and they now don’t want that rubbing off on the young guys. Losing being expected because they aren’t suppose to win anyway. I believe JS still has a hand but not as much power as you may believe and I don’t think Bobby Cox carries any power at all. If so I don’t think this total tear down would of ever even happened.
And as far as Dayton goes he is the epitome of the Braves Way. Developing from within. All around balanced ball club. Next man up philosophy. Only difference to me is the KC bullpen is the dominate force of the pitching staff and not the rotation.
The Braves got away from the Braves Way when they brought in Frank Wren.
Cox has long been talked about to being a major factor in Fredi continuing to be the coach even though other teams would have sacked him a long time ago.
Hart and Coppy both value prospect development, so I sincerely doubt they would have let it get this far with a coach that tends to prioritize veterans over up and comers. And one that has a history of badly mismanaged bullpens that has contributed to multiple issues with young pitchers.
And I really don’t think you understand what people mean when they talk about the “Braves way”. While people like JS and Wren have used it multiple times. When he used it it was empty PR nonsense. The “Braves way” that the media and fans tend to use is more about extreme nepotism and just an all around old boys club. Moore moved on. The Braves need to now too.
I am sorry, this was put in the motion when John Hart came aboard. If you remember a few years back, Bobby, John H and John S were a committee to help Wren. John H wanted to replace Fredi back then and John S. and Bobby supported Fredi. . John Hart is now a full time president of vp of the team and John S. and bobby have stepped more away from the organization. John Hart simply has the power to now do what he wanted to do when he was looking to replace Frank Wren. Fredi was a dead man walking when the other 2 stepped away and Hart was looking for any reason. He should fire himself if he thinks this is a good team.
Nepotism in the sense his old school Brave boy Ned Yost not only got the job in KC but also kept it when ppl were calling for his head. Yeah the Brave way sticking with guys maybe even for a little to long.
And do you really believe that with John Hart’s resume he would ever allow himself to take over without having the final say on his decisions ?
Do I believe Cox played a part in Fredi getting the job of course and I believe he played a part in keeping his job up until the rebuild. After that I believe they gave him the reigns to guide a veteran rag tag club that were put together to be moved at the deadline. Then once the young guys start coming up he would be replaced. I also believe Fredi saw the writing on the wall and he lost interest knowing he wouldn’t be here for the long haul and that played a part in him being dismissed to avoid accepting a culture of losing
Ned Yost does not equal the nepotism that the Braves have displayed over the years. Or do you think that the nepotism in the Braves is limited to one position in the organization? The “Braves way” has never been part of the Royals success.
And I absolutely believe at this stage of his career John Hart is fine with a position where he doesn’t have ultimate authority. Hell, the entire deal that he made with the Braves to come in as a bandaid kind of proves that. Coppy on the other hand is starting to become more confident in his own ability to make and enforce decisions. This shows especially since apparently Fredi was fired without Cox’s knowledge. If it’s true then that shows more promise than any of the trades he’s made (including the Miller trade).
Everything at this point is guessing and assumption, but in no way do I believe that Coppy wanted Fredi at all this year. I sincerely doubt he wanted him around last year. He was looking for an easy way to get him out of the organization with as little blow back from the old boys club as possible. The early results gave him exactly what he needed.
They already have the early members of the new youth movement with the Braves currently. A manager like Fredi would do them more harm than good whether they win or lose. They need to weed out the rest of the organization. And somehow convince Fox to can that fossil Joe Simpson too.
When you win as much and for as long as the Braves did you tend to see guys get chances and guys opinions carry weight within the organization. And also Coppy was in the organization long before Hart. You make it sound like he is a deciple of Hart when he actually worked under Wren and JS for how long ? Coppy, Hart,JS, Cox and probably Fredi himself all knew he wasn’t going to be the one to guide them all the way thru. It was a timing issue plain and simple the team had clearly accepted the losing culture and Coppy
I never even implied that Coppy was a disciple of Hart. Not sure where you read that. He has wildly different approach. Hart was brought in to bridge a gap. He accomplished that and now continues to provide guidance in areas that Coppy might not be as strong in as he is.
Coppy might have been around, but that doesn’t mean that he has the same methods. He very clearly doesn’t. He has displayed that continually from decision making all the way through public relations.
Nepotism might have been a good thing at one point. But that was when all of that circle jerk of old boys were at the top of their professions. The game has evolved so that nepotism has been bringing down the organization. Coppy has been bringing in a lot of new blood into the Braves ever since he took the reigns. Guys like McDaniels from Fangraphs are the core of what will be the new Braves way. Not just their buddies that value their friendships over competence.
Even Mark DeRosa commented yesterday on how the Braves need to move on from this nonsense. And they seem to be doing that…albeit slowly.
Sounds to me you are a saber metric type of guy who loathes the old school way of doing things which is fine if that is your opinion. But the Braves number 1 problem was Frank Wren and a close 2nd was Gonzalez. The new regime seen that in order to sustain success is to develop players. Mainly pitchers and as they come up and start to do well you will see Hart/Coppy sign them long term avoiding arbitration and a few years of free agency til their early 30’s and then let them walk and let the new guys filter in like Hart did in Cleveland/Texas. JS saw that with Liberty Mutual owning the team and payroll constraints a new way of doing things had to come about. He also saw Wren alienate the old school scouts and continually make bad picks and bad trades. You can say what you want about the boys club braves way nonsense all you want but fact of the matter their success speaks for it’s self. And if Ted Turner still owned the team there woulda been even more.
I am all for Coppy doin his thing but please don’t act like there are No other variables to the situation the Braves find themselves in other than Bobby Cox standing by his boy.
I agree Fredi sucked as a manager and he proved that with the collapses. I am old school these analytics bein spewed out nowadays are not the tell all be all.
That’s a horrible assumption. I’ve argued against relying on analytics on this site many times (especially prior to and after the Heyward trade). I believe the old school and new school should compliment each other to create a balanced system. Thankfully Coppy is a pretty big believer in that as well. Going too far in either direction is at best foolish.
Another horrible assumption made by too many fans stuck in the 90s is that things would be different if Ted Turner was still the owner. Reality is it is more likely that it wouldn’t be that much different on the payroll side. Atlanta’s attendance numbers were beginning to go through fatigue while the pennant streak was still ongoing. Too many years of being a regular season champion with very little success in the post season was wearing on the fanbase. Assuming that Ted would throw more money into that situation is deluded. The only thing that might have changed is that he might have moved the team more quickly. Fans love to romanticize about the Ted Turner days, but it’s just nostalgia.
The boys club is hopefully coming to an end. As I already said their successes were when they were at the top of their professions. Baseball evolved and they haven’t kept up with it..
Dale Murphy needs a job