ANAHEIM, Calif. – If you follow the Braves closely, you likely have asked yourself this question this season: How much are the Braves missing Ron Washington and Eric Young Sr.?
Well, let’s ask Washington. The Braves are, after all, in Anaheim. And he now manages the Angels.
Is there credence to the idea that the Braves are feeling the loss of him and Young?
“I think the only thing me and EY brought that may be missing, and it could be inexperience, is that we never let them guys too much into themselves,” Washington told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We never let them try to do something that they wasn’t prepared to do. And that was the difference. I think maybe (Austin) Riley tried to do too much early because of the injuries, (Matt) Olson tried to do too much early because of the injuries.
“And that’s why me and EY was there – to keep them in the moment that they’re in, do good and that moment and it’ll build. Instead of trying to get there, and you haven’t put in the work to be up here (raises hand). This is where you are (hand goes down), so do the work here. And then you’ll end up there. So that might be what they’re missing, but other than that, those guys are champions.”
What does that all mean specifically?
“Being able to be patient and take what the game is offering you in the moment,” Washington said. “We all get to the point where we visualize who we are and what we can do, but if you’re not that, then you gotta do the work in the moment that you’re in, and you’ll get to tell yourself, ‘This is who I am’ because then you’ll be doing it. But when you’re not doing it, you gotta stay where you are. So that’s all that means. It’s nothing more, it’s nothing less. I think (manager Brian Snitker) does a great job of being patient. And he’s got a damn good group to be patient with. And he’s been around them for going on nine years. If anyone knows their team, it’s Snit. I’ve been keeping up and he hasn’t changed who he is, and that is gonna rub off on those guys – because they don’t have a reason to panic, because the leader never panics.”
As Washington says all of this, he dons a red cap and shirt. He is the Angels’ manager – not the Braves’ third base coach. Minutes ago, he finished addressing local media on numerous topics. And before that, he caught up with former colleagues on the field at Angel Stadium.
But in the dugout during this interview, he discusses the Braves and his new role. Something you should know: He seemed confident the Braves would make the postseason.
Washington’s thoughts about what him and Young brought to Atlanta make sense. But to drill down on it even further: How much can a clubhouse miss personalities like theirs? They’re one-of-a-kind individuals – especially Washington.
“Well, the only thing they’re missing out of me and EY, is we brought it every day. And we had them LOUD about bringing it every day,” Washington said, putting extra emphasis to make his point. “Now, maybe the loudness is not in that clubhouse. But that’s what we brought. We brought the challenge every single day, and they brought the challenge back to us every single day – in a LOUD manner. You see what I’m saying? Personalities change and they might miss our personalities, but our personalities are not what’s stopping them from winning or losing.”
It’s fair to wonder whether the Braves would be in a better position if they still had Washington and Young. But in fairness to the club, it has missed many key players due to injuries. And certain stars have struggled – sometimes at the same time.
Still, the Braves have the pieces to win. They have the talent. They have a well-regarded manager. They have an experienced coaching staff full of baseball men.
But they’re not performing up to expectations.
Is it bad luck? Are guys pressing?
“All of the above. All of it,” Washington said. “Because everyone wants to do what they’re capable of doing, and when you’re not doing what you’re capable of doing, what are you doing? You’re searching, you’re working. You see what I’m saying? But because they’re searching and they’re working, at some point they’re gonna find it. But if they didn’t search and didn’t work, they would never find it. And sometimes that work might take you to the end. Sometimes that work might catch up in the middle. But that work is gonna pay off. They don’t know nothing else than work, so it may take them to the end.”
Washington gave the example of 2021: The Braves grinded through the season and their work caught up to them at the end – in the form of a World Series title. As he speaks, it’s clear he still respects and holds the Braves in high regard.
Especially Snitker.
Washington praised Snitker’s patience and calm demeanor.
“Well, that’s who Snit is,” he said. “That’s how that team, for the past six years, won the division, because the players take on the manager’s demeanor. If Snit gets crazy over there, they gonna crazy. Again, he knows what he has, and his patience will allow them to come out of all that stuff that they’re in. That’s experience. I’ve never known a man as patient as Snit, and his patience is because he knows his personnel. And I know he’s hearing all the noise out there, but he’s the only one who knows what’s happening on the inside. … He believes in his players, and that’s why those guys have been performing the way they’ve been performing the last six, seven years – and I don’t see anything different.
“The bottom line is, when the season ends, are you in the party? And I believe those guys are gonna be in the party. They may not win the division, but they’re gonna be in the party.”
Speaking of all that …
Washington saw a quote from Snitker a couple months ago. It came from the time an out-of-town reporter insinuated the Braves might benefit more from not having five days off before beginning postseason play this time around. But the reporter made it seem like the Braves were locked into the wild card in June.
Snitker firmly stated that the National League East was still the goal. “That’s their mentality,” Washington said. “Their mentality is not the wild card, their mentality is the top. And that’s why they’ve been so successful.”
Washington added this:
“He told people that mentality, but they didn’t hear it. When I read it, I heard it. And when I read it, I said, ‘You’re right, Snit. That’s who the Braves are. We don’t settle for less.’ Now if we fall into less, we fall into less. But our intent is not to fall into less.”
Since early July, the Braves have been without pitching coach Rick Kranitz as he deals with a family issue. Snitker on Friday said the Braves don’t know when Kranitz will return.
Washington made it clear that going without Kranitz is a huge loss.
“Well, Kranny has a relationship with every one of his pitchers,” Washington said. “He also helps (bench coach) Walt (Weiss) and Snit in strategy – giving them a vision ahead. He’s always in Snit’s ear about things. And now they gotta new pitching coach that’s taken over, I don’t know if that kid is doing that, but that’s the part that Kranny played. He always let him know when he felt like a pitcher was losing it. He always let him know who he thought we needed to bring it right here. And it wasn’t just Kranny telling Snit that. They had a discussion and made a decision. But he was there.
“He was somebody that Snit had tremendous trust in. He was somebody that Snit could sit there and watch the ballgame and not miss anything because Walt and Kranny, they’re seeing stuff that maybe he’s not seeing, and then they bring it to his attention. So that’s what they’re missing.”
Yeah, the Braves have dealt with a lot.
No doubt about that.
“But, they’re still in the hunt,” Washington said. “I, personally, sitting here today – I would like to be where they are. And I think the scenario would be sounding way different.”
Instead, Washington’s Angels are fighting to stay out last place in the American League West. The Athletics could finish ahead of them this season.
On the other side, the Braves are trying to gain, and maintain, momentum. They have battled this all season. They reported to spring training with World Series aspirations, and while those still exist, the journey has looked a lot different than anyone imagined.
The Braves have traversed it without Washington and Young.
How much would any team miss them?
“I don’t know,” Snitker said. “Those guys were a big part for a long time.”
