What I Did
At the end of the 2021 regular season, I wrote some filler about where Brian Snitker stood in the history of Braves managers and his chances of being named to the Braves Hall of Fame. Braves Journal had been making various adaptations of Bill James’s Keltner List, and that was my attempt to modify it for Braves managers. My conclusion was that another 140 wins would move him into 3rd place all time, and that a World Series title would help. Snitker was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame on Saturday, and I don’t think it was even close. Here’s an update on the original.
Q. Was he ever regarded as the best manager in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best manager in baseball?
A. Snitker was National League manager of the year in 2018.
Q. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?
A. He won 6 consecutive division titles.
Q. Was he a good enough manager that he could continue to manage regularly after passing his prime?
A. He was 60 when he started managing the Braves, and he won 6 consecutive division titles, had 811 wins (3rd most in Braves history,) and a .548 winning percentage in 10 seasons. So I’m going with yeah.
Q. Is he the very best manager in Braves baseball history who is not in the Braves Hall of Fame?
A. Frank Selee went 1004 – 649 from 1890 – 1901 and won 5 NL pennants. His win total is 2nd in Braves history, his .604 winning percentage is the highest in Braves history (minimum 162 games,) and he is in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, you know, the one in Cooperstown. (Selee never won a World Series, however I’m sure his apologists will have some kind of excuse.) Anyway, this one is going to be a “No.”
Q. Are most Braves managers who have comparable career statistics in the Braves Hall of Fame?
A. Selee is probably the Braves manager most comparable to Snitker.
Q. Do his numbers meet Braves Hall of Fame standards?
A. The only* manager in the Braves Hall of Fame is Bobby Cox. The bar is high but this is no. (*We all know Eddie Mathews is not in the Braves Hall of Fame as a manager.)
Q. Is there any evidence to suggest that he was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?
A. Every season Snitker made literally hundreds of decisions that did not work out. It is astounding in light of this that the Braves immediately got better the week he took over and went on to win 6 consecutive division championships /end sarcasm.
Q. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?
A. In addition to being named NL manager of the year in 2018, he finished 3rd in 2019, 2022, and 2023, 4th in 2020 and 2021, and 6th in 2024.
Q. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the other managers who played in this many go into the Hall of Fame?
A. Snitker managed the 2022 National League All-Star team and was named as a coach for the 2019 All-Star game.
Q. If this man were manager, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?
A. I have it on good authority that no team is likely to win a pennant.
Q. What impact did he have on Braves history? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?
A. I always look at this as the question that means “notwithstanding all that, is there some reason we can put him in the Hall of Fame anyway?” Brian Snitker is living and if you’re going to have a Hall of Fame ceremony, you might as well have someone who could show up. I don’t think 40,000 people were going to show up to see Frank Selee’s induction.
What I Was Supposed To Do
Sunday’s matchup featured 2 veteran pitchers, Chris Sale and Aaron Nola. Nola hasn’t really been good since 2024 and today was no different. Matt Olson put the Braves on the board 3 – 0 in the bottom of the first with his 8th home run of the season, and Eli White added a 2-run homer in the 2nd. Conversely, Sale threw 6 one-hit innings, with 9 strikeouts and picked up his 150th career win. Sale walked 2 and hit a batter. 3 of the 4 baserunners reached in the 3rd inning, but Sale struck out Bryce Harper to end the 2-out threat.
Ronald Acuna Jr. and Drake Baldwin had 2 hits apiece, and Ronald scored 2 runs. Kyle Schwarber added a 2-run homer against Aaron Bummer.
The Braves still have not lost a series this season and move to 20 – 9. The Phillies fall to 9 – 19. Atlanta is off Monday. Detroit comes to town on Tuesday, 7:15pm Eastern, to be determined vs. Casey Mize. Photo credit AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez.
I forgot about that list… Thanks, Rusty.
Those of you wondering whether or not Chris Sale has ever lost a six run can rest easy… the answer is no. But in his rookie season he did lose a 5 run lead once. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ANA/ANA201406070.shtml
I predict that if Walt Weiss keeps up his Braves manager winning percentage (.690) for the next several years he will be in the Braves HOF.
To answer your question from the last thread, no negotiations with Fried were ever made public to my knowledge, but it’s possible AA explored it and found out fried wanted to become a free agent to maximize his earnings or wanted something far higher than we were gonna go. Hard to believe he was offered what Nola was offered and flatly declined but maybe so.
Thanks, stampton. IIRC, Fried’s deal with the Yankees is an AAV of 27 million, about the same AAV the Braves are rumored to have offered Nola. Of course the critical difference is a six year offer to Nola and an eight year deal for Max. AA was never going to agree to eight years. We may never know if he was willing to offer Fried the Nola offer.
Strider had a good start, looks like, but still averaging 95.9 mph on the fastball (according to Google ai, but I couldn’t find a better source). That seems to be a half notch or so better than last year, but not particularly close to his 97.5+ avg before the injury.
I hope he’s good.
I think the idea of him making his first 2026 start at Coors Field is asking for trouble. You’d think an ex-Rockies player and manager of all people like Walt would know better.
My conspiracy theory is that they want Lopez in the pen, and that’s why they didn’t let him really have much leash to work through his problems and his last outing. It’s not like he’s been absolutely terrible, but they certainly are not giving him a tremendously long leash.
He does have the worst ERA and 2nd worst FIP out of the 6 current starters.
And looked worse in his last two starts.
You are correct Rob. Lopez to the pen to “iron some things out” – Weiss. I think that’s the correct move.
There are 2 teams in the majors who have not yet won 10 games: the Mets and Phillies. The Mets had 2 chances to join the rarified 10-win club today but got swept out of a double header by the Rockies, who to be honest are playing perfectly respectable baseball despite being historically bad last year. Neither club is the worst in baseball, but as we’ve seen, if you get in a deep hole, your expected win total can’t necessarily get you out.
MLB is listing JR Ritchie as the to be determined for Tuesday.
Now CJ says Perez on Tuesday, Ritchie on Wednesday, and Elder on Thursday.
Looks like the kid goes Wednesday night & gets to face Tarik Skubal & his changeup of doom.
Welcome to the big leagues kid
Don’t fret too much Detroit has not been so good on the road….. When Strider returns even if Lopez goes to the bullpen, someone has to go out. Anyone think it might be Carrasco?
And the memes begin… https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BNziLazGU/
Rob Thomson out as Phils manager. Don Mattingly in as interim manager.
Good. I was starting to like Philadelphia too much.
That is ideal. My least favorite manager for my least favorite team. Now if the Mets could somehow get Tommy Lasorda.
Wasn’t Brandon Gaudin gushing about what a great guy Mattingly is and how he wished he’d won that “elusive” World Series ring with the Blue Jays last year? Read the room, BG.
Ronnie better get industrial grade armor when Braves play Philly again. He’s going to get it every time, just like he did when Mattingly managed the Marlins. Ugh.
Then, Schwarber & Harper better pad up as well.
Apparently, Alex Cora turned down the Phils job. I’m guessing he’s waiting for Mendoza to get his pink slip in Flushing, so that he can squeeze Uncle Steve for a few more bucks.
Thing is, Cohen’s smart enough that if he axes Mendoza now, the only common thread between all the Mets’ woes in the last few years is him. The Athletic’s already written a piece about what a disappointment he’s been as an owner. Can’t fire Mendoza, just a couple years after anointing him as his top choice, without admitting that he screwed up just as much as the guy who had to fall on his sword.
I think that, ironically, the Phillies collapsing this dramatically may help give Carlos a bit more breathing room. Obviously, if they’re still mired in the basement in June, it could be hard for him to save his job. Maybe he’ll be on double secret probation for the rest of the month.
FWIW, the natives are beyond restless & I was a tiny bit surprised that Mendoza survived that Colorado sweep at home.
Personally, I feel the same way I always feel about a rival that’s floundering — keep the faith, stay the course, keep doing what you’ve been doing in losing ground to us.
As a manager, it’s hard not to believe that Cora would be a step up from Mendoza. And their GM? Let’s just say that his off-season isn’t looking great at the moment. (Remain patient, please!)
Of course, the bigger problems with the Mets now are 1) their roster & 2) the fact that their 2nd-best player may be on the shelf for awhile. This team just cannot score — the Mets remain last in MLB w/ only 92 runs.
Meanwhile… the Braves currently lead MLB in runs scored & team ERA. Amazin’.
You feel like if they would just spend a little money on offense, the Mets could really go places
I know you’re being amusing, Stampton (and you are!) but they let Alonso and McNeil and Nimmo go. I know they thought there were chemistry issues, but that’s 8.3 WAR to replace. That’s a lot! It’s not that adding Bichette and Robert and Semien can’t get you 9 WAR, but counting on it is another thing altogether. And of course as we sit today, Robert leads those three at 0.2 WAR, with 1/6th of the season played.
Maaan, if Ronnie gets going too…
That second run is what I’ve wanted the Braves to be doing for years. Double, move over, sac fly – mfr’d run.
Not that I like seeing Mize go out but had to comment on that second run.
Organist plays the Monkees theme for Spencer Torkelson in honor of handsome Monkee Peter Tork. Nice.
And how ’bout Didier Fuentes?
Helps when they swing at the 1st or 2nd pitch, of course…
This team is SO bad at challenges.
recapped