By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Major League managers are simultaneously the most overrated and underrated members of a baseball team, depending on the team’s record.

If the team is winning, then the manager is probably being over-credited. If the team is losing, then the manager is probably getting over-blamed.

This isn’t to say that managers don’t have an important role on a team’s success beyond simply penciling in a lineup, just that sometimes the role of a guy who isn’t actually participating in the game can be overexaggerated in one way or another.

I bring this up because I want to discuss Atlanta Braves’ manager Brian Snitker. Specifically, I want to discuss whether or not he’s actually a good manager for the team of which he is currently at the helm.

I’ll go ahead and spoil the ending: I think he is – which isn’t to say there is nothing to discuss, but there are ways in which he seems to be failing the team.

Let’s talk about the obvious first:

Bullpen Usage. All managers are judged most often and often most harshly on how they implement their bullpen.

It’s the easy thing to criticize, as it’s the primary way in which a manager influences the game while it’s being played.

The inspiration for this article is, in fact, because of Snitker’s sometimes flabbergasting use of his relief corps. Specifically that he brought in Charlie Culberson, a position player, to pitch in the second game of a doubleheader when the Braves were down by just one run.

Charlie Clutch delivered, easily getting the one out he was tasked with getting, but the question is still begged…what?

Especially egregious was this move in light of the fact that A.J. Minter, arguably the Braves’ best bullpen pitcher (in a veritable overflowing pot of good ones) was wasted in Game 1 when the Braves were up 7-1.

There seems to be some kind of a disconnect between Snit and any analytics or forethought in this regard.

Taking that same example as a for instance: he knew they had a whole second game to play that day, so why burn Minter and put yourself in a position to then use a position player on the mound in a tight game? Did the Phillies offense worry him that much?

The bullpen has been overused, certainly, and that’s no fault of Snit’s; the starting rotation has got holes on holes on holes, but why use your talent unnecessarily in a blowout when you have to play another game less than an hour after the first one ends?

There’s also the constant, unending use of Luke Jackson in high-leverage situations.

Now, Jackson’s numbers at a glance aren’t awful (though they also don’t warrant how he’s often used), but he’s constantly getting himself into jams through walks or hits.

Jackson was the saving grace of the bullpen for the first two months of 2019, but it seems almost like Snit still feels indebted to the righty when there are better arms available.

Moving away from the ‘pen, there’s also the curious reliance on guys like Ender Inciarte.

Inciarte has played primarily when Acuna has been hurt. But Ender is so bad at the dish now that any start he gets is a head-scratcher.

Even if the normal starting trio of Acuna, Adam Duvall, and Nick Markakis needs a day of rest, then isn’t even Marcel Ozuna’s sub-par defense overshadowed by his bat?

Ender should be a defensive replacement and nothing else at this point. But Snit keeps running him out there nonetheless.

All that being said, I still think Snit is a good manager or maybe it’s more accurate to say that he’s a good leader, since some of his actual managing leaves a little to be desired.

Why do I say that? Well, two primary reasons: one, his players absolutely love him.

Freddie Freeman has long advocated for Snitker to remain as the team’s skipper, and wanting to play for your manager is not nothing.

Two, his record pretty much speaks for itself. He’s won two straight division titles and has a third in sight. And at the end of the day, winning is what he’s supposed to do.

I don’t know if Snitker is the manager in five years, but for now, so long as the team tries their hardest to win for him, and do, then he’s still the guy.