Freddie Freeman goes to bat again… hits homer for his manager
At the end of the day it’s all about the players – and they have made their own leadership choice for 2018.
Last Fall, the team lobbied hard to have the Atlanta Braves drop that “interim” tag from Brian Snitker‘s 2016 business cards.
Ender Inciarte made his feelings on the matter public. So did Nick Markakis. So did Freddie Freeman.
Did that matter?
Well, when most of the core of your team – including veterans that expect to be hanging around for quite a while – choose to go out of their way to lobby for their own leadership, it carries weight.
The front office went ahead and conducted their interviews – ultimately also landing Ron Washington for the 3rd base coaching role – but the players got who they wanted. Snitker was named manager on October 11th.
Has 2017 Changed Anything?
So after most of an entire season at the helm of a ship that outwardly seems to both glide along and flounder at various times, has anything changed?
Apparently not.
It’s at this point that perennial curmudgeon Jeff Schultz of the AJC picks up the story:
"“I went to them a couple of weeks ago and expressed to them that we love Brian in here,” Freeman said Friday night. “That’s all I can do is tell them how I feel about a guy who’s put in all the time and done everything possible to help us win. He deserved the managerial job when he got and we all hope that he’s back.”"
Snitker is under contract for 2017 with an option for 2018. But as Schultz tells it, the pickup of that option is now just a formality:
"The way Snitker has gone about his job has made an impression on not only Freeman and teammates but president of baseball operation John Hart, whose comments strongly suggest the decision has all but been made."
Quoting John Hart from Schultz’s full treatment of the subject:
"“I’m not going to say anything (definitive) now,” Hart continued. “But I think you hear me loud and clear. I’m very happy with the job he’s done and who he is. He’s authentic. He likes players and players respond to him. He has a manager-player relationship, but players also trust and respect him. There are times we go out there and the other team has greater talent. But from an X’s and O’s perspective, Brian doesn’t get caught. He really checks all the boxes for me.”"
That sounds like the decision is already made.
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Managers only do about 10 or 20 percent of their work in the public eye during games. It’s still a testimony that John Hart is telling us that he approves of that work as well, but what he – and Freeman – are also telling us is that Snitker is excelling at all roles of the job. Enough to stop thinking about how this part of next season is going to be dealt with.
That should help 2018 in another subtle way as well: free agent pursuits.
Atlanta may or may not be targeting certain free agents to fill some roles for 2018, but having certainty about future team guidance will tell them that there is stability about what could still be a bumpy road ahead as talented rookies push their way onto future rosters.
Next: Ventura shown the Highway
This news will generate mixed reviews from Braves Country… such news always does. But do recognize this: Freddie Freeman has made his choice. And he knows better than we do.