After weeks of waiting, the Atlanta Braves made the most underwhelming hire possible, promoting from within. While this isn't meant as an intentional slight at Walt Weiss, it is the reality of hiring a bench coach who was sitting behind Brian Snitker as the roster imploded. Braves fans were hoping for a former player or fiery option that would bring a bit of life and energy to the roster. Again, it is important to note that this isn't a shot at Weiss, but the reality of choosing an in-house option after a dumpster fire of a 2025 season.
While some of the issues are firmly on the shoulders of ownership and the front office, there is no denying that Snitker's staff had few answers. Whether it was trusting failing relievers for far too long or trotting out the same lineup that wasn't getting the job done, there was no shortage of complaints about the management style. To take this a step further, we now have four years of frustrations with three straight first-round exits setting up this year's failures. There was a consistent lack of fire and clear leadership for a team that fell flat when it mattered most.
Braves' Underwhelming Manager Hire Met with Frustration from Tired Fan Base
Fans can only hope that there is a sense of urgency with offseason moves that sets up a better chance to contend. There is no question that the roster and leadership both needed to be drastically improved after four years of failures. It isn't as if the expectation is World Series or bust every season; the issue has been the lack of fire and feeling that Atlanta never truly had a chance. In each of the team's last three postseason appearances, they appeared indifferent to the moment and had zero fight.
Even against division rival the Philadelphia Phillies, the Braves were helpless, suffering back-to-back exits in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Fast forward a year later, and the same story played out as the San Diego Padres sent the Braves into what has been over a year of obscurity. Weiss has been there for this every step of the way and just hasn't had a counter to offer.
While more of this falls on the shoulders of Snitker and an increasingly cheap front office, there is still no question that Weiss isn't going to inspire a great deal of confidence that things are going to change. This is the most predictable outcome and doesn't suggest a sense of urgency to seek that change out. A concerning sign for a team that finished far out of playoff contention and clearly needed a drastic offseason move. The first big decision made in hiring Weiss leaves every reason to question whether the Braves will be content embracing mediocrity. Something that has been a theme of the previous two offseasons and led to their current mounting frustrations.