Sports

Brian Snitker is Braves' full-time manager, no more 'interim'

By Zach Klein, WSB-TV

Brian Snitker, here making a pitching change in his second week as interim manager in May, has been hired as the Braves’ permanent manager after steering a midseason turnaround in the team’s performance. (Curtis Compton/AJC file photo)

By Zach Klein, WSB-TV

ATLANTA — After four decades with the organization, Brian Snitker finally has reached the peak of the managerial mountain.

"I'm excited, proud and honored they chose me to continue to lead the team,"
Snitker said Tuesday from Orlando. "It is a small fraternity of people in this job, so I'm very honored to have this opportunity."

Snitker had the interim tag removed, agreeing to a one-year deal with a team option for 2018. He went 59-65 after taking over for Fredi Gonzalez on May 17 and proved value by earning trust and respect in the locker room.

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“It kind of validates everything that we went through and did last year, and the guys that are speaking up are quality guys,” said Snitker. “I love the players. I love our group of guys and their tenacity and their ability to turn the page and the way they played hard.”

They definitely played hard over the final month of the season, when there was nothing to play for except pride. They were two games over, 500 after the All-Star break and won 20 of their last 30 games under Snitker.

"I think we went from a position last year of hoping we would win on a daily basis to expecting to win," Snitker said. "We're going to go into spring training with the sights on winning the division and getting into the playoffs. The way we finished
and where we are with our club, and our lineup, that they're going to expect to win and I expect nothing less."

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