A look at key moments in Snitker's career

A little more than a week after winning the World Series, Brian Snitker was back in the same recliner he had sat in while watching other managers celebrate a world championship over the past few years.

This year’s celebratory conclusion added to the splendor of Snitker’s career. Five years ago, he wasn’t envisioning being a big league manager, let alone a World Series-winning manager. Yet, he now stands as the Braves' second-winningest manager and the only manager other than Bobby Cox to win a title since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966.

Snitker also holds the distinction of being MLB’s only manager to win a division title each of the past four seasons. This incredible success wasn’t predicted when he was finally given his first big league managerial role, albeit on an interim basis, seven weeks into the 2016 season. His first game was a 12-9 loss, during which the Pirates scored seven first-inning runs against Aaron Blair.

Snitker was 60 years old when he finally became a big league manager. The assignment was given 39 years after he had first joined the Braves organization as an undrafted catcher. His playing career concluded three years later, but then-farm director Hank Aaron kept Snitker around by making him a roving instructor and then a Minor League manager in 1982, at 26 years old -- a year younger than Max Fried’s current age.

Aaron’s decision created what has been one of the most influential careers in Braves history. During his 40-plus- year tenure with the franchise, Snitker has played a part in the development of stars ranging from Tom Glavine to Ronald Acu?a Jr.

With the contract extension provided earlier this week, Snitker has an opportunity to continue managing the Braves through the 2024 season. This would keep him in this role until he is 69, which coincidentally is the same age Cox was when he concluded his Hall of Fame career.

Here is a look at some of Snitker’s most significant moments:

Snitker receives one-year contract with an option for 2018 (Oct. 11, 2016)
The Braves were 9-28 when Snitker became the Braves’ manager. After his career began with the ugly first inning in Pittsburgh, he jokingly told then-bench coach Terry Pendleton, “I’ll be honest, I think nine wins might have been an accomplishment.”

But the veteran leader created a positive mindset within the clubhouse while guiding an overmatched club through the ugly, early portion of a rebuild. His approach drew the respect of veterans Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis, who made it clear they wanted him to serve as the club’s manager beyond the “interim” season.

Freeman and Markakis’ influence served as a key reason the “interim” tag was removed after the Braves went 59-65 with Snitker in 2016.

Snitker’s option for 2018 exercised (Oct. 5, 2017)
As the 2017 season neared its end, it was clear the team’s former president of baseball operations John Hart and former general manager John Coppolella were ready to go with a new manager. By the regular season’s final weekend, Snitker had determined he had no desire to continue working for Coppolella and Hart.

But an MLB investigation of the Braves’ illegal activity on the international market led to Coppolella being removed from his job a day after the season ended. The Braves quickly attempted to restore order by exercising the option for Snitker, who would begin forming a great relationship with Alex Anthopoulos, when the latter was brought in to run the club’s baseball operations department the following month.

Braves win National League East title (Sept. 22, 2018)
Like Cox and John Schuerholz in 1991, Snitker and Anthopoulos captured an unexpected division title during their first season working together in Atlanta. Acu?a's rookie success highlighted this memorable season that showed why Snitker had long been beloved by his players at both the Minor and Major League levels.

Snitker was rewarded with the 2018 NL Manager of the Year Award.

Braves win the World Series (Nov. 2, 2021)
Snitker guided the Braves to a fourth straight division title, despite being burdened by a number of significant injuries, including the right knee ailment that forced Acu?a to miss the second half of the season. The faith Snitker showed in closer Will Smith and some other relievers paid off during a triumphant postseason run that concluded with the Braves winning their first World Series title since 1995.