The Atlanta Braves led the National League with 53 victories as of the 2024 All-Star break. With that sum, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker now has 699 career victories as the team’s manager.
As Snitker approaches 700 career victories, his journey to become a successful MLB manager is nothing short of remarkable. The soon-to-be 69-year-old, who now ranks third in team history for managerial victories, is expected to finish this season in the mid-1990s and is hardly listed among the top 100 managers in MLB history. Just a few wins separate him from former Braves third base instructor and current Los Angeles Angles manager Ron Washington as the ninth-winningest active manager.
As the Braves’ manager for the past eight seasons, Snitker has guided the team to seven division titles, a World Series victory, and six top-four finishes for NL Manager of the Year, including a triumph in 2018.
After he turned sixty, he accomplished all of these things.
Snitker is a Braves fan for life, although the story has been repeated many times. Snitker, who joined the organisation in 1977 as a catcher, has worked at every level of the organisation for the majority of the previous 60 years as a player, manager, coach, and travelling instructor.
Williams Perez, Matt Wisler, and Alex Wood all started 20 or more games during the Braves’ previous complete season without Snitker serving as team captain.
This is the point at which we begin to editorialise.
When I watch the Braves play and consider Snitker, I try not to get caught up in some of his choices with the bullpen or starting pitchers. I don’t really have any concerns about the way he put his lineup together. However, I can’t seem to get rid of one question. One question still stumps my understanding.
