March 31, 2006 - International League (IL) Gwinnett Braves
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. --- Brian Snitker became a Brave in 1977 when Bob Didier signed the University of New Orleans catcher as a non-drafted free agent to fill out the Kingsport roster. Four years later, after wringing every ounce of opportunity out of his washcloth of a playing career, Snitker received an opportunity to stay in the game when then-farm director Hank Aaron extended him a job offer."I played real hard to be mediocre, and I was fortunate when Hank offered me the coaching job," Snitker said. "I was single and living out of my car, so I gave it a try to see what happened."
More good fortune followed Snitker when he earned a spot on the Atlanta staff as the bullpen coach in 1985 and from 1988-90. Otherwise, he has managed 16 seasons in the minors, heading clubs from the rookie leagues to Double-A, in Anderson, Sumter, Durham, Macon, Danville, Myrtle Beach, Greenville and Mississippi. Last November the veteran manager was named skipper of the Richmond Braves for the 2006 campaign.
It will be his 30th season in Atlanta's organization as a player, roving instructor, coach or manager.
"The players are the one thing that keeps you coming back," said Snitker, 50. "And that's because we have good players. The Braves always get guys who are good people with strong work ethics and great makeup. They have the intangibles that make them the best players they can be. And that's what makes it fun to go to work everyday."
Snitker replaces Pat Kelly, who has been moved into a scouting role. Derek Botelho replaces pitching coach Mike Alvarez, who will become a roving pitching instructor. Hitting coach Rick Albert will return for a fourth season. Albert will be starting his 35th year in the organization.
The Braves were 199-229 in three seasons under Kelly. His 2004 Richmond club won the International League South Division and advanced to the Governors' Cup final. Last year's team went 56-88.
Snitker, who played in six games with Richmond in 1978 and served as a roving instructor with the R-Braves in 1981, began last season with the 11th highest win total among the active list of managers, having compiled a career mark of 1,083-1,059 (.506). Five of his clubs advanced into post-season play and he has won two championships (back-to-back titles with Myrtle Beach of the Carolina League in 1999-2000) and two league Manager of the Year awards (also 1999-2000 in the Carolina League).
Atlanta farm director Dayton Moore called Snitker "the most highly respected manager we have in our system."
"[Triple-A] is a different animal," Snitker said. "I've got a lot of friends who have done the same thing I'm going to do, and they've survived. The whole business is about treating people well so they can perform, and not making it about you."
Despite the years of managerial experience under his belt, Snitker says he still hasn't developed a true "style", because minor-league managers don't choose their players.
He sounded more likely to crack a smile than to crack a whip when asked for a self-portrait. "I guess my style is...enjoy yourself, have fun, relax," Snitker said. "Life's too short to make this a big deal, even though it is. But I think you have to enjoy yourself to be competitive and to get the most out of your players.
"I kind of like to turn the thing over to the players and let them play. They're here for a reason; they have a lot of abilities, a lot of talents, and I think probably the more I can stay out of their way, the better they'll do."
But make no mistake, there is something to be said for winning games at the minor-league level. In fact, if you ask the R-Braves manager, there's a lot to be said about winning at the Class AAA level.
"You should expect your team to win," said Snitker. "Winning needs to be a priority at this level. Results need to be a priority. You've got to have results to show you can play in the big leagues. Pitchers need to win games, and hitters need to produce in key situations."
The hope is those challenges will bring out the best in the 2006 Richmond Braves, but . whether or not this year's crop of R-Braves will be a winner in the International League South Division is virtually impossible to predict.
"We're all competitors," said Moore. "We don't push our minor-league managers to try to win championships, but we expect them to compete. If players are doing the right things, winning usually takes care of itself."
The Braves farm system as a whole, is loaded with high-profile prospects, such as catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, left-handed pitcher Chuck James (6 starts with Richmond in 05'), righty hurler Anthony Lerew (13 starts with Richmond in 05'), and 2005 First-Round Draft Pick Joey Devine. All of these players could see significant playing time in Richmond this season.
"We'll have talent," Snitker said, "who knows, we could end up being one the youngest teams in the league when all is said and done. "We might get our butts kicked once and awhile, but I think we have a chance to be a pretty good club once we take off."
That's what happened to Snitker's Greenville, S.C., team in 2004. The G-Braves struggled through the first half, then made a playoff charge in the second half before falling short.
"I think the Braves do care about winning, and I know Brian does," said Mississippi Braves general manager Steve DeSalvo. "They always say that the No. 1 thing is development, and there will always be times when moves are made that might not make sense to the average fan. Keeping a pitcher in a game when he's getting his brains beat in or playing a .180 hitter when there's a guy hitting .300 on the bench, things like that.
"But winning is important, too. They want to instill that attitude in them. You want a good, competitive club. There are a lot of lessons to be learned when the team is winning."
Mel Roberts, who served as hitting/first base coach under Snitker and having known him since the early '80's, said Snitker's main asset is his communications skills.
"He doesn't do anything that's just, 'That's the way we do it,' "Roberts said. "Whatever it takes to get it done, that's the way he's gonna do it. When you relate that to these players, they relax, and they're able to be a little more susceptible to what you're trying to get them to do."
At least a handful of last year's Mississippi squad could move up to Richmond this year, Snitker has estimated. In an ideal world, players would find a new manager at each step up the organizational ladder, because each coach or manager had something to teach, agreed Snitker. Still he was thrilled to get the promotion.
"I'm really excited about coming up the road and getting an opportunity here," he said. "Just like for a player, it's kind of a step up the ladder rung for me, and I'm excited about the challenge and a new season."
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Bruce Wells is a freelance sportswriter based in Richmond, Virginia. His work has been featured in among others, The Palm Beach Post, The Dallas Morning News, The Baltimore Sun, and Baseball Digest.
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