Mark Bradley gets it; Re: Brian Snitker

[WaitingFor2017]

http://markbradley.blog.myajc.com/2017/09/20/why-brian-snitker-isnt-the-right-manager-for-the-braves-future/

Why Brian Snitker isn't the right manager for the Braves' future:


I don't really disagree with anything in the article except for just giving Ron Washington the job. Snitker has made several blunders this year, and he doesn't need to make blunders once the waves of talent start coming into Atlanta in droves. Let's just say that Mark Bradley may have lost his clubhouse access (granted he had one anyway) once the John's see this article.

[CJ9]

Wasn't it Bradley who wrote a month or two ago that they were likely to keep Snitker?

Reading this, my mind immediately goes to who wanted him to write this. Feels kind of like the front office wanting him to put this out there.

[Enscheff]

Snitker not being the manager in 2018 isn't really a hot take haha.

I also find it a bit naive to think that Porter and Washington are currently sitting in the dugout all year not advising Snit to make better moves....yet they will suddenly make better moves if they are put in charge. Nobody else is beating down the door to hire these guys as managers...shouldn't that be a sign?

Many around these boards wanted Bud Black. Luckily for Colorado the Braves decided to make yet another sub optimal move.

[CJ9]

Just go outside the organization and hire someone that Bobby Cox doesn't have a personal relationship with. This Braves Way groupthink in the organization is infuriating.

[bravesfanMatt]

Just go outside the organization and hire someone that Bobby Cox doesn't have a personal relationship with. This Braves Way groupthink in the organization is infuriating.

Better yet, go ask Bobby who he doesn't want and then go out and immediately hire him. Then maybe Bibby will get the cue and just leave already.

I mean how many more bobbyheads and Bobby blowjobs are we going to have to endure. I am so tired of living on past successes of the 90's. I mean you have to applaud him for winning all those games with a team of 4 Hof'ers and 1 very close HOF'er.. but time to move on...

[striker42]

Look for Snitker to be "promoted" to some kind of vice president role.

[BeanieAntics]

I hope we go outside the organization, but if we still find it necessary to promote from within I hope that we go the Bo Porter route. Not ideal, but at least he is at least somewhat forward thinking.

[cajunrevenge]

The only thing a new manager will accomplish is we get a few month break from complaints about the manager. There are no less than 20 fanbases who think they have the worst manager in their league.

[Chico]

If it were me I'd want to go with Eddie Perez.

[steveAKAslick]

Frenchy defended Snit basically with the “you’ve never played so what do you know” argument...

https://twitter.com/jefffrancoeur/status/910738100099403776

[Knucksie]

If somebody feels ambitious enough to search, bet that most of the comments were positive/approving toward retaining Snitker. For those if you who that he's there because of Cox and 90's nostalgia, get real. He got the job mostly because of reputation for being player-friendly from Freeman and others in the clubhouse.

[Enscheff]

Frenchy defended Snit basically with the “you’ve never played so what do you know” argument...

https://twitter.com/jefffrancoeur/status/910738100099403776

Well...Francoeur also said, "If OBP is so important, why don't they show it on the scoreboard when I come up to bat?"

The announcing crew added one of the few people dumber than the guys already on the staff.

[The Chosen One]

910914588354531328

[Deester11]

910914588354531328

Ouch. So much ouch!

[Bluedevilruss]

Savage. Well played FF

[Southcack77]

Frenchy defended Snit basically with the “you’ve never played so what do you know” argument...

https://twitter.com/jefffrancoeur/status/910738100099403776


I take this less as "you've never played" than "you never show up at the ballpark" to have any feel for the situation.

Maybe an equally invalid criticism as Bradly is paid to pontificate about lots of things he doesn't actually cover.

[CyYoung31]

Better yet, go ask Bobby who he doesn't want and then go out and immediately hire him. Then maybe Bibby will get the cue and just leave already.

I mean how many more bobbyheads and Bobby blowjobs are we going to have to endure. I am so tired of living on past successes of the 90's. I mean you have to applaud him for winning all those games with a team of 4 Hof'ers and 1 very close HOF'er.. but time to move on...

Ironically, Bobby is a better baseball mind than anyone we could hope to bring in.

[WaitingFor2017]

Based on the replies to Francoeur's post, it worries me that the casual fan is still misted by the Cox administration. Unfortunately, the FO has to somewhat pander to the casual fan because they are the ones buying seats at SunTrust up to 81 times a year.

[The Chosen One]

I think some people are really overestimating Cox's role in all of this, let alone his role in the operations of the club.

[CyYoung31]

I think some people are really overestimating Cox's role in all of this, let alone his role in the operations of the club.

This. Bobby pretty much has a title and that's it. His input holds some weight, naturally, but it's not like they have a WWBD handbook that they're using to make decisions.

[cajunrevenge]

I am fine with Cox being involved in the decisions so long as it's not a discussion about when to take a starting pitcher out of the game.

[Southcack77]

This. Bobby pretty much has a title and that's it. His input holds some weight, naturally, but it's not like they have a WWBD handbook that they're using to make decisions.

Cox's resume is a little more than just one title.

I doubt he's calling the shots to any degree in the front office now.

Taking shots at Bobby Cox is one of those things that I just don't understand about people. I liked to grouse about decisions as much as anyone but at the end of the day he was steady hand at the wheel of maybe the most consistent winner ever. Hard to feel too bad about that.

[Hawk]

"Dumbest article ever"

Lol.

[bravesfanMatt]

Cox's resume is a little more than just one title.

I doubt he's calling the shots to any degree in the front office now.

Taking shots at Bobby Cox is one of those things that I just don't understand about people. I liked to grouse about decisions as much as anyone but at the end of the day he was steady hand at the wheel of maybe the most consistent winner ever. Hard to feel too bad about that.

I doubt Cox is calling shots at all.. but because he was lucky enough to be manager of one of the most talented teams in Atlanta history, a culture was set that we now must live by 15 - 20 years later. The whole "Braves Way" is a battle cry still being said. The rebuild was done around pitching and I would bet a large sum it was because the archaic powers of JS and Cox wanted it that way. (and I am not diss'in the rebuild).. I think the Braves are trying to relive the 90's and they will never get there. So in the mean time we get mediocre crap and continue to celebrate the accomplishments of the 90's so we won't forget and accept this 'Braves Way' mantra.

[jpx7]

Cox's resume is a little more than just one title.

I doubt he's calling the shots to any degree in the front office now.

Taking shots at Bobby Cox is one of those things that I just don't understand about people. I liked to grouse about decisions as much as anyone but at the end of the day he was steady hand at the wheel of maybe the most consistent winner ever. Hard to feel too bad about that.

By "title" he meant "named role with little responsibility" in the front office, not "World Series victory" on his résumé.

[ramadon101]

Rosenthal at his new outlet (the Athletic- subscription required) doubles down on his prior article about some muted turmoil in the Braves FO. The more I read, the more I'm increasingly critical of current management. Their promotions scream of pressure out of desperation - as others here have pointed out - and that is a piss poor way to run a ballclub much less one who doesn't have a top 5 operating budget and cannot therefore afford gross mismanagement.

The scapegoat narrative will only work for so long.

Here's Rosenthal's latest: https://theathletic.com/108130/2017/09/22/rosenthal-tensions-are-rising-in-atlanta-where-the-disappointing-braves-are-mulling-changes/

[Southcack77]

By "title" he meant "named role with little responsibility" in the front office, not "World Series victory" on his résumé.

Ha. Yes, I see that now. Never mind.

[50PoundHead]

Rosenthal at his new outlet (the Athletic- subscription required) doubles down on his prior article about some muted turmoil in the Braves FO. The more I read, the more I'm increasingly critical of current management. Their promotions scream of pressure out of desperation - as others here have pointed out - and that is a piss poor way to run a ballclub much less one who doesn't have a top 5 operating budget and cannot therefore afford gross mismanagement.

The scapegoat narrative will only work for so long.

Here's Rosenthal's latest: https://theathletic.com/108130/2017/09/22/rosenthal-tensions-are-rising-in-atlanta-where-the-disappointing-braves-are-mulling-changes/

Watch out. rico might drag this post out in a couple of months and insinuate that you are an idiot to think this way.

[chop2chip]

Woof... this isn't a pretty light on the team, though Rosenthal doesn't ever shy away from interjecting his own opinions in the midst fact reporting so it's hard to disentangle what's conjecture and what's reality.

[mfree80]

Woof... this isn't a pretty light on the team, though Rosenthal doesn't ever shy away from interjecting his own opinions in the midst fact reporting so it's hard to disentangle what's conjecture and what's reality.

This is true. Lots of people have bones to pick for whatever reason, and use their resources to push their perspective. I don't know about Rosenthal, but I am not impressed that he keeps bringing this up, since we tend to hang on every word and try to make it mean something. Time will tell I am sure, but this type of rumor spreading bothers me.

[Southcack77]

Woof... this isn't a pretty light on the team, though Rosenthal doesn't ever shy away from interjecting his own opinions in the midst fact reporting so it's hard to disentangle what's conjecture and what's reality.


I think the through line is supposed to be that the Braves are sacrificing an organizational yes man who shouldn't have been hired in the first place (demoted by Wren) to distract from the fact that the team the FO put together this offseason played pretty much to their true talent level.

Second through line is that the Braves may not find someone like Snitker who is willing to be a "yes man" in their next search?. I didn't really get that whole coda.

...

My comment would be that it really just depends on what the front office expects from the manager. If what they expect is a manager who players young players, who takes advanced stats into consideration, and doesn't let Jim Johnson wreck game after game because he's the veteran pitcher with the closer tag then I feel like some folks might love a yes man.

Again, something like this could just be a matter of getting the organization rowing in the same direction.

Or it could be mismanagement from the top.

I'm glad my job isn't navigating the politics of the Braves/Liberty right now.

[CyYoung31]

Cox's resume is a little more than just one title.

I doubt he's calling the shots to any degree in the front office now.

Taking shots at Bobby Cox is one of those things that I just don't understand about people. I liked to grouse about decisions as much as anyone but at the end of the day he was steady hand at the wheel of maybe the most consistent winner ever. Hard to feel too bad about that.

I was talking about his job title.

EDIT: Nevermind, I see jpx cleared things up.

[CyYoung31]

I doubt Cox is calling shots at all.. but because he was lucky enough to be manager of one of the most talented teams in Atlanta history, a culture was set that we now must live by 15 - 20 years later. The whole "Braves Way" is a battle cry still being said. The rebuild was done around pitching and I would bet a large sum it was because the archaic powers of JS and Cox wanted it that way. (and I am not diss'in the rebuild).. I think the Braves are trying to relive the 90's and they will never get there. So in the mean time we get mediocre crap and continue to celebrate the accomplishments of the 90's so we won't forget and accept this 'Braves Way' mantra.

"Lucky enough"

You realize that Bobby built that team and organization, right?

He also built the Blue Jays into a perennial playoff contender, and they likely wouldn't have won those two World Series in the 90's without him.

[VirginiaBrave]

Shocked at the continued calls for the abandonment of the Braves Way. It won before it will again just have to show patience.

[dak]

Bradley interviews Coppolella. A lot of interesting info here.


First things first: The Braves are believed to be leaning toward keeping Brian Snitker as manager for next season. No final decision has been made, but Saturday’s luncheon meeting between Snitker and upper management generated, in general manager John Coppolella’s description, “productive conversation.”


On whether the Braves feel comfortable with in-house rotation options for 2018: “It’s safe to say we won’t be playing in big free-agent pitching waters. We need to make a decision on R.A. Dickey’s option; he needs to make a decision on whether he’s coming back. He’s had a great year for us. He’s a great person. Out of respect for him, I think we have to see what happens on both sides. I don’t think we’re locked in either way. But we’re going to see our young players make their way up to Atlanta, and they’re going to be given opportunities.”


On Jim Johnson, defrocked closer: “You might think I’m crazy, but I think Jim Johnson is going to have a big bounce-back year. Jim was really good up until around the break, and then he started to struggle. Jim’s in great shape. He’s got great stuff. He’s a good person … We think he’s going to have a much better season next year.”


On the biggest offseason need: “I think we need bullpen. For sure one viable piece, possibly two.”

http://markbradley.blog.myajc.com/2017/09/24/the-braves-in-2018-snitker-could-return-but-much-will-change/

[dak]

I have mixed feelings abut the Snitker situation. I would definitely prefer a proven, top-tier MLB manager . . . but I have a hard time thinking of a anyone we could realistically lure here that fits that description. Absent that, Snitker is a reasonable option, albeit an uninspiring one.

This may be far-fetched, but I wouldn't mind somewhat of a conditional re-up with Snitker. In addition to ensuring that he'll cooperate with the FO on some basic analytic approaches to lineup construction and bullpen usage, Coppy should also insist that if he doesn't make the playoffs in 2018, he'll resign. Not sure Snitker would go for that, but I bet he might. The one scenario that I definitely want to avoid would be signing Snitker to a long-term contract this offseason.

[Horsehide Harry]

The whole Snitker thing really doesn't mean much either way. If he isn't here in 2018 it will be because the FO thought they needed a head to serve to Liberty and the public and no one in the FO was interested in it being theirs.

And, as far as rotation options it looks like he's lining up for a trade to acquire pitching. If you figure the top end FA SP to be Darvish and Arrieta followed by Lynn and Cobb and that they are out of the price range, then that leaves guys like Sabathia (Hart connection, 2018's Colon), Tillman, Lackey, Garcia, etc. Not really anything that moves the needle and certainly not obviously better than Dickey.

Coppy might be right about Johnson. He better hope so since they are paying him anyway. I just hope they don't do something stupid like throwing Krol to the curb without getting a long look at him in ST. Krol is cheap and LH and has had some success in the past. Relievers can be pretty volatile and holding on to Krol at least into ST is a smart move.

As for adding to the pen, I have said in the past that with the current market value for relievers that a smart rebuilding team would try to corner the market on the best relievers. To me, that makes sense IF you are rebuilding. If you are contending it probably also makes sense but only if you can afford the luxury.

The interesting thing to me is what he didn't say: how they will improve the OF from nearly worst in baseball to something much better; how they will address the hole at 3B; what they will do with Matt Adams; etc. Maybe he's getting smarter and not laying out everything that comes through his mind for public consumption. I just hope that is it and he doesn't not see the needs at those spots.