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While rumors continue to circulate about potential changes in the Atlanta Braves front office, the job status of the team’s current manager remains uncertain.
Snitker appeared safe to return for 2018 earlier in the season but that appears to be less uncertain with each passing day as we draw closer to the final week of the season. USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reports that Snitker will soon sit down to discuss his status with Braves officials, perhaps even as soon as Saturday.
Brian Snitker expected to meet with the #Braves front office, perhaps as early as today, to learn if his managerial fate is already decided.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 23, 2017
Snitker told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s David O’Brien on Friday that he wants to return to the bench in 2018.
“Yeah, I’d love to be here,” he said. “I want to be here. So, we’ll see.”
Even if Snitker isn’t brought back as manager, the feeling is that he will remain in the organization. Braves CEO Terry McGuirk praised Snitker on Friday to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman but didn’t offer any insight into his status for 2018. McGuirk did offer some insight on one potential move saying that he expects president of baseball operations John Hart to return. Hart’s contract is also up at the end of the season.
How Hart’s status will effect the decision on Snitker is unknown but Bowman does mention that their relationship was briefly strained after Hart berated Snitker on a bullpen decision involving Jim Johnson.
If Nightengale’s report is correct, Snitker may soon learn his fate. For now it appears to be just one of several moving pieces in the team’s front office.