Brian Snitker hasn’t decided on his future yet, but Buster Olney is planning ahead with some potential options.
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker is debating retirement for the first time in his career. At 70 years old and in the final games of his current contract, he’ll have to decide soon if his “unfinished business” will keep him around or if he decides it’s time.
Sticking around is far from off the table. He said he felt ready to head to Spring Training next season. However, the uncertainty fuels the discussion on a possible successor.
ESPN’s Buster Olney listed four potential new Braves managerial candidates on Wednesday. He named bench coach Walt Weiss, former Cubs manager and Braves catcher David Ross, former Braves utility player and MLB Network analyst Mark DeRosa and former manager of the year for the Marlins Skip Schumaker.
Weiss previously managed the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2017. He finished his time with a record of 283-365 (.437). He finished fewer than 70 wins twice. Much of that can be attributed to the fact that he managed a not-so-good Rockies team. He’d inherit, regardless of how this season has looked, a much better Braves roster.
He knows this team well, making him an obvious candidate. A major downside comes from what makes him an obvious candidate. It can be seen as a continuation of the same instead of a fresh start.
All other candidates, even those who previously played for the team, would still be considered a change of pace.
Ross played for the Braves from 2009 to 2012, backing up All-Star catcher Brian McCann. After his time with Atlanta, he won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2013 and the Cubs in 2016. He would become the manager of the latter in 2020 after they parted ways with Joe Maddon.
He finished with one postseason berth in the COVID-shortened season and two winning seasons. Like with Weiss, there is an argument that he was managing a team that didn’t have the best roster. Key World Series players were sold off at the 2021 deadline while he was the manager.
DeRosa played for the Braves from 1998 to 2004. His experience as a manager comes from the World Baseball Classic. He was at the helm for the 2023 tournament and will hold the position again in 2026.
Schumacker managed the Marlins for two seasons from 2023 to 2024. He led the Marlins to their first postseason appearance since 2020 and their first in a regular-length season since 2003.
He earned the honor of manager of the year. The Marlins took a step back the following season, and he chose to step away before the end of 2024 due to a family emergency and announced to the players, as he was departing, that he wouldn’t be back for 2025.
This could give Schumaker a chance to resume his award-winning role after taking time away from the game.
