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Atlanta Braves Extend Brian Snitker, Alex Anthopoulos

By Deke Lloyd

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 09: Brian Snitker #43 of the Atlanta Braves reacts against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning in game five of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 09: Brian Snitker #43 of the Atlanta Braves reacts against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning in game five of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves made news today by extending both Brian Snitker and Alex Anthopoulos. With the news this morning, the Braves continue to make smart moves that will help sustain the team’s success in this new decade.

It seems like a very long time ago when the Atlanta Braves were firing Fredi Gonzalez and naming Brian Snitker as their interim manager in 2016. It was the next season that Snitker would be named the full-time manager of the Braves. After a losing season in his first year as the full-time manager, the Braves kept the faith by giving Snitker a two-year extension. Over those next two seasons, the Braves would win the NL East twice and Snitker netted the Manager of The Year award in 2018. Today, the Braves awarded Brian Snitker a two-year extension, through the 2021 season.

The Braves did more than extend Brian Snitker this morning. The team extended Alex Anthopoulos through the 2024 season. AA was also promoted to the team’s president of operations. Since joining the team in 2017 as the general manager and executive vice president, Anthopoulos has done a great job of shaping the Braves roster with young, cultivated talent with a mix of big-name signings. AA is responsible for avoiding arbitration with Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies while locking the pair up for the most of the 2020s. This promotion and extension were earned and due for Anthopoulos.

With the Snitker and Anthopoulos locked down for the next few seasons, the Braves higher-ups clearly like the direction of the team. And it’s understandable to see why. Back-to-back NL East titles are no fluke. Sure, it would be nice to see a little more playoff success, but those woes don’t fall on the square on the shoulders of Snitker and AA. With the moves made this offseason, including the reconstruction of the bullpen and adding of Marcell Ozuna, the Braves are in prime position to be back in the playoffs next season.

With all of that said, the Braves management is making their wishes pretty clear. They want playoff success over the next two seasons. If Snitker, and the Braves, continue to bomb out in the playoffs, the Braves will make a change at the manager. While the extension is well earned for Brian Snitker, the Braves have made their expectations clear.

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