Manager Brian Snitker has his contract extended. The Atlanta Braves officially announced the extension that now goes through the 2025 season. He has spent 46 years in the Braves organization as a player, a coach, a bullpen coach, a minor league manager, and since 2016, an MLB manager.
Released as a Player
After being released as a player in 1980, he was signed as a roving instructor. He was hired as a minor league manager for the Anderson Braves in 1982. He led the team to its only winning season of its then-five-year existence.
Snitker also managed the Macon Braves, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Greenville Braves, Mississippi Braves, and Richmond Braves—all in the Braves farm system. In his 15-year tenure as minor league manager, he won two championships.
Braves Manager
Manager Brian Snitker has had his contract extended to 2025. He took over as interim manager on May 17, 2016, replacing Fredi Gonzalez, who was let go. On October 11 of that year, Snitker was named the Braves full-time manager for the 2017 season.
Under Snitker, the Braves have won five straight division titles. They won the 2021 World Series. Snitker has a 542-451 win-loss record. He is the fifth manager in Braves history to achieve that milestone.
Communicative Approach
Snitker is an old-school manager and does not embrace analytics very much. He likes to use his communicative and enthusiastic approach. His players have embraced that approach. They come out prepared and ready to play baseball for him. In today’s game where continuity and communication are needed, having a manager that has your back makes the players want to win for him.
Ability With Players
As a manager, Snitker has shown an ability to get along with and encourage players from various cultures and all ages. Consider inexperienced pitcher Spencer Strider, who made his debut in October 2021. Then he became a quality starter in 2022 and was named National League Rookie of the Month for July. Then there is superstar Ronald Acuna Jr., an MVP-level player. He’s in store for a great 2023 season. Finally, 38-year-old seasoned veteran Charlie Morton signed a one-year contract extension for the 2023 season. He has already won 23 games for the team in two years.
Snitker treats his players the right way. He is the type of manager who is always there for his players. He gets on the umpires when he needs to defend them. Snitker also makes sure everything is going the right way. If there’s something he doesn’t like, he communicates with the player(s) privately about it instead of letting everyone know.
Proven Winner
Manager Brian Snitker has had his contract extended and at 67, is the third-oldest manager in baseball. Never mind that at no time did he play in the majors. He is a proven winner. The Braves players and fans are lucky to have such a popular, productive, and successful manager to lead them to a possible sixth straight NL East title.
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