ATLANTA — Former Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker sat up behind the podium in the press conference room at Truist Park one more time, but for this occasion he was wearing a suit instead of a baseball uniform.
With his family in the front two rows, Snitker reflected prior to his induction as the 42nd member of the Braves Hall of Fame before the team hosted the Philadelphia Phillies in a National League East Division matchup Saturday night. Even his son Troy Snitker was unexpectedly in attendance; the hitting coach for the rival New York Mets, he caught a last-minute flight after his team’s home game against the Colorado Rockies was postponed earlier in the day.
“It’s humbling, and just it’s a great feeling,” Snitker said. “Honestly feels really good to be in the presence of all (the inductees), those legendary Braves guys.”
Now in a senior advisory role, the 70-year-old Snitker is in his 50th year with the organization, which includes managing the past 10 years. He skippered the Braves to the 2021 World Series title and reached the playoffs seven times. Atlanta won the NL East six straight years under Snitker from 2018-23, and his career record was 811-668.
Snitker’s scheduled pregame ceremony was moved indoors due to a steady drizzle at Truist Park that led to a rain delay. It was broadcast on the videoboard in center field and included speeches from former Atlanta players Jeff Francoeur, Chipper Jones and Terry Pendleton.
The Braves were besieged with injuries in Snitker’s final season as they went 76-86 last year and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. He stepped down on Oct. 1, and a month later the Braves hired his longtime bench coach, Walt Weiss, to be the new manager.
The transition has been better than even the staunchest Braves fan could have hoped for. Despite injuries to key pitchers and others, the Braves entered Saturday’s game with the majors’ best record at 19-8 and held a six-game lead in the NL East.
Center fielder Michael Harris II, whose pinch-hit double led Atlanta to a series-opening win against the Phillies on Friday, said that Snitker “was around in spring training, and he’s been around here during the season, so we do a lot of the same things that he was wanting us to do when he was manager. So yeah, it means a lot to this team, and most of the guys that are here (played for him). Walt’s done a good job. And I know that’s because he’s been tag-teaming with Snit over these years.”
As well as the Braves have performed this season, Saturday was about looking back at Snitker’s accomplishments in all of his roles with the organization, which includes time working in the minors as well as the majors.
“I wasn’t doing anything but trying to be me,” said Snitker, who spent time in Atlanta’s farm system as a player and never made it to the majors but was hired by the franchise soon after he was released. “I’ve never tried to put on airs. I’ve never tried to be anybody but me.
“As a manager, I was talking about this with somebody last night, we have to do things the way we do them, because that’s how we do them. And I didn’t want to change. I just want to be the same guy every day. I know how hard this game is.”