Brian Snitker’s promotion to Braves interim manager wasn’t a typical scenario. Then again, it’s not like it’s never happened before.
Snitker moved from being the Braves’ Triple-A manager to replace Fredi Gonzalez on May 17. He has held his own in in the majors, as he had a 22-30 record at the All-Star break after Gonzalez won nine times in the team’s first 37 contests. Snitker, who has been with the Braves’ organization for 40 years, could be in play for the full-time position if the team finishes the second half strong.
An MLB team promoting its Triple-A manager to the big leagues midyear has happened several times over the years. While the goal of earning the job on a full-time basis isn’t always realized, several coaches still carry lessons from their stints as major league managers.
Edwin Rodriguez once was an interim manager and also has something else in common with Snitker. In 2010, he replaced Gonzalez, as Rodriguez went from Triple-A New Orleans to the Florida Marlins when Gonzalez was relieved after 70 games.
Rodriguez knew the Marlins’ system well, having spent the previous six seasons as a coach at various levels of the minors. That familiarity made the transition much less complicated.
“I would say I managed close to 70 percent of the players on the big league roster at one point in the minor leagues,” Rodriguez said. “In that situation, it was very easy for me to manage that team. The problem was we didn’t have much margin for error.”
The past experience with the major league players was something Tom Lawless felt helped him when he replaced current Braves third base coach Bo Porter as Astros manager in September 2014. Lawless had been a roving instructor with the Astros before stepping in at Triple-A to fill in for the team’s manager earlier that year. Two years earlier, he was at Double-A Corpus Christi.
“I’ve managed at every level of the minor leagues,” Lawless said. “I had most of those kids in Double-A, then I had them in Triple-A. I would say over half of the big-league team when I took over was kids I was familiar with. I just had to get to know a few of the new guys from spring training.”
Spring training also helps Triple-A managers get to know the major league coaching staff. Several coaches from affiliate teams assist during spring training and work closely with the coaches at the top level. It’s helpful in making sure the coaches up and down the system are on the same page. It can also be beneficial when the assistant coaches suddenly have a new face leading the way.
Tony DeFrancesco attested to the importance of getting to know personnel during spring training. DeFrancesco, who happened to be the Triple-A manager Lawless stepped in for in 2014, moved up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to replace Brad Mills with the Astros in 2012.
“I was at the major-league camp for the two years we were there,” DeFrancesco said. “Once they made some changes to the major league staff, they brought up some guys with me that I knew very well. We all meshed together and were all on the same page from Day 1.”
Once a manager settles into his new role, he has to adapt to working with the team’s front office. It’s an adjustment that is painless for some and a work in progress for others.
For Rodriguez, the front office’s constant involvement led him to phone a friend, who happened to be the man he replaced.
“At one point, I called Fredi,” Rodriguez said. “I said, ‘Fredi, this is the situation here. Does it happen a lot?’ He said, “Well, that’s daily there. That’s how they handle everything.’ I’m not saying it was good or bad. I’m saying I was surprised.”
DeFrancesco had his voice highly valued by the Houston brass. Because he knew the Triple-A roster so well, he often advised general manager Jeff Luhnow on which players were ready to help the team win now. His strategy seemed to work, as he went 16-25 and helped the Astros take series from playoff teams such as the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies.
DeFrancesco said he ignored the idea of just being an interim manager only to make progress. He said his successful minor league record, which included three league championships, spoke for itself; it was a matter of showing the Astros’ front office he could earn the same achievements at the highest level.
“Once you walk into that role as the leader, you have to do your thing,” DeFrancesco said.
Neither DeFrancesco nor Lawless were retained after their stints as interim manager. The 24-game stint Lawless served in Houston may have been short-lived, but it left him with sound advice for those like Snitker.
“Enjoy the experience,” Lawless said. “First of all, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Brian doesn’t know if he’ll have the job next year or not. You have to enjoy the experience and get the most out of it because that’s why you’re in the game of baseball.”
Rodriguez was a rarity in that the Marlins retained him after his time as interim manager. While he resigned 71 games into the 2011 season, Rodriguez credited his relationship with the team’s young talent for being offered the job.
The support he received from players such as Chris Coghlan, Gaby Sanchez and Giancarlo Stanton helped the team finish .500 under his watch, which convinced the front office he could handle the job.
Rodriguez said every situation in major league baseball is different. However, he offered one piece of advice for those who find themselves in Snitker’s shoes, the same shoes Rodriguez tried on six years ago.
“Whatever you were doing in the minor leagues was working because they called you to the big leagues,” Rodriguez said. “Don’t try to be someone else. I think that worked for me. The players know when you’re faking it and trying to be someone else. Eventually, they will follow you.”
