Here are the three reported finalists for the Braves' managerial opening
The Braves are said to be picking between Brian Snitker, Bud Black, and Ron Washington
By
Mike Axisa
•
1 min read
It appears the Atlanta Braves are entering the final stages of their managerial search.
According to Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball, the Braves are down to three finalists for the job: interim manager Brian Snitker, former Rangers manager Ron Washington, and former Padres manager Bud Black. A decision is expected fairly soon, perhaps this week.
Snitker, 60, served as Atlanta's interim manager this season after the club fired Fredi Gonzalez in May. The Braves went 59-65 (.476) under Snitker, including 37-35 (.514) in the second half, after going 9-28 (.243) under Gonzalez. Snitker has been with the organization in various capacities since 1977, including player, minor-league manager, and big-league coach.
The 64-year-old Washington is currently the Athletics' third base coach. He managed the Rangers from 2007-14, during which time Texas went 664-611 (.521) with two first-place finishes and two trips to the World Series. Washington stepped down following the 2014 season, citing personals reasons. He rejoined the A's in May 2015. Washington is a highly-regarded infield instructor, among other things.
Black, 59, managed the Padres from 2007-15 before being let go. The club went 649-713 (.477) under his watch and only once finished as high as second in the NL West. That had more to do with the lack of talent on the roster than Black's shortcomings as a manager though. Black is currently working in the Angels front office as a special assistant to general manager Billy Eppler.
The Braves are a young team on the rise with a load of high-end talent, plus they're opening SunTrust Park in 2017. You can be sure the team wants the right man in dugout leading the club and helping develop all that young talent into productive big league ballplayers. Picking a new manager is a crucial decision.
