We have learned that Charlotte manager Antonio Zuniga has been fired. Zuniga is being replaced by bench coach Angelo Jimenez. Jimenez will be joined by Manuel “Crunchy” Diaz, who has been serving as the manager of the Adirondack Beaver since 2054.
Zuniga has been the manager of the Flyers since the start of the 2054 season. He had a record of 345-414 during his time with the team. His firing comes as the team sits 9 games over .500, 8 games out in the Atlantic Division, and 1 game out of the final wildcard spot in the Johnson League.
There have been rumors of tension between Zuniga and the Charlotte front office for some time now. Sources have told us about several heated discussions between Zuniga and Charlotte General Manager Nathan Garrison since the latter took over team control in late 2055.
Jimenez takes over after serving as the team’s bench coach during Zuniga’s entire tenure. Prior to that appointment, he held the same position for the Buenos Aires Brisas in the GBC from 2051-2052. While with the Brisas, he helped lead the team to a championship. He served as the bench coach in Tripoli, making the playoffs in 2050. His coaching debut was in 2047, when he briefly served as Valencia’s bench coach. That first assignment lasted only 13 games.
A replacement for Diaz has not been named yet. There is an expectation that a new manager for the Beavers will be named in the next few days. Adirondack’s season is nearly over and the current coaching staff will keep things moving until a replacement is in place.
We are also being told that there could be more coaching changes coming. Details are sparse at this time, so we will not speculate on those for now. When we know more, me will certainly pass it on to you.