John Hart leaving Braves to pursue opportunities outside organization

The Atlanta Braves announced on Friday that John Hart is stepping down from his senior advisor role to pursue other opportunities outside the organization. His departure is effective immediately.

“This was a difficult decision, but it’s one that I made with the best interests of the Atlanta Braves in mind. With the hiring of Alex Anthopoulos as general manager, this organization is in great hands. I believe that the talent of the Major League players, combined with the young talent soon to arrive, makes the Braves poised for a great run of success.

This is a good time to step aside and let Alex and his group put their stamp on this great franchise. I still have a tremendous passion for this great game, and I plan to stay active and contribute to the game.

I want to thank Braves fans – the best fans in baseball – for your patience during this rebuilding time. You will soon see the winning team that you deserve.

I also want to thank my beautiful and supportive family. I am very excited to see how the next chapter of our life unfolds.

Finally, I want to thank my longtime friend, John Schuerholz, for convincing me to come to Atlanta to oversee the rebuild. And especially to our leader, Terry McGuirk, who has shown such passion for returning to a winning place. Thank you all, and Go Braves!”

The Braves earlier this week announced the hiring of Alex Anthopoulos as the team’s Executive Vice President and General Manager. That announcement also included that Hart was relinquishing his role in baseball operations.

Hart came under fire in the wake of MLB Investigation into the Braves regarding alleged rules violations on the international market. That led to the resignation of general manager John Coppolella and special assistant Gordon Blakeley.

Hart’s knowledge of those transgressions is still in question but the Braves elected to move on and apparently Hart did as well. At this point, that is probably best for both sides.