Braves Brian Snitker Undecided on Future, Players Support Return

The Atlanta Braves manager will likely decide soon if he wants to run it back or walk off into the sunset

Brian Snitker wanted to wait until the season's end to finally decide | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

It is yet to be determined if we have seen the last of Brian Snitker as the Atlanta Braves manager. He’s been giving proper consideration, but he chose to wait until the season was over to make a final decision. 

When someone has been at it for nearly 50 years, knowing if it’s time to walk away takes proper consideration. 

“I’ve never been through this before, so I wasn’t sure how to navigate it,” he said. “I talked to a lot of people that been through it and got some good advice, so I just tried to stay in the moment pretty much.” 

Snitker didn’t specifically name who he had spoken to, but he said that they were other managers. He said that he and the Braves haven’t discussed it much yet, but a talk is going to happen this week. 

At the current time, he still ensures that he feels good. Previously, he’s talked about next season as if he’ll be there and discussed how he feels there is unfinished business. Right now, the oddest feeling for him is that he’s not preparing for the postseason. It’s the earliest he’s been done in nearly a decade. 

“We’re not going to sit in the room and try and pick a playoff roster and start that journey,” he said. “That’s how, probably more than anything.” 

The next few days of thinking it over, when he’s not having to think about a game, could sway his decision-making. Perhaps he’ll sit around not having to think about it and like it. On the flip side, he could look back at the season, see what could have been and want a last dance in year 50. 

Based on what Snitker has let on, we’ll likely know shortly. The Braves would likely want to know quickly, so they can begin their search. They put feelers out to who the potential candidates are, and knowing who the manager is can help in their pitch to free agents. 

For what it’s worth, his players signed off on him coming back if he chooses to. 

“Absolutely,” Chris Sale said, via the AJC. “ We didn't have a celebratory sendoff for him, so he can't go." 

Along with Sale, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin both reportedly gave their approval of another year under Snitker. 

Sale easily could have said something along the lines of the decision being up to Snitker, and it will be respected, but instead went to the length to say that he can’t go. 

It lends an implication that they genuinely want him to stay. The Braves went on their longest winning streak after leaving the playoff picture. That’s a sign that a manager can get his players to rally. 

Maybe one more chance to go on a run is in the cards. Even making the playoffs one last time would make saying goodbye to the game that much easier. Being able to say he got to a round number of 50 years would be a nice thing for him, too.

Even if he does ultimately depart this winter into retirement, he’s still a World Series champion and a Manager of the Year who left a long-lasting mark on the organization.