Atlanta Braves hire Walt Weiss as their new manager to succeed Brian Snitker (Credit: AP)
The Atlanta Braves promoted their 2021 World Series winner Brian Snitker’s successor, Walt Weiss, as manager on Monday. Weiss, who turns sixty-two on November 28, has been the Braves’ bench coach since 2018. He was a member of Snitker’s staff four years before to the team’s fourth-ever championship. Snitker was also an internal hire, joining from Triple-A Gwinnett in 2016 to take Fredi González’s place in the middle of the season before being promoted to full-time the following year.
After leading the Colorado Rockies to a 283-365 record in four seasons from 2013 to 2016, this is Weiss’ second major league managerial position. During that period, they failed to qualify for the playoffs. Weiss got back into a dugout when the Braves hired him in ’18. It was a return to Atlanta, where he played shortstop for the Braves from 1998 to 2000, where he was a starter and made an appearance in the All-Star Game.
From 1987 until 2000, Weiss, a native of Tuxedo, New York, spent parts of 14 seasons with Oakland, Florida, Colorado, and Atlanta. In 1989, while playing with the Athletics, he won the World Series. From 2002 to 2008, Weiss served as the general manager’s special assistant for the Braves.
Early in October, Snitker, 70, declared that he would not be rejoining the team for an 11th season. At the time, general manager Alex Anthopoulos stated that he wished to make a hire as soon as possible but did not have a list of applicants.
David Ross, a former Braves catcher, stated last month that he was prepared to manage once more and that it “would be wonderful” to be hired. Before Weiss was hired, it was unclear how seriously—if at all—Ross was given consideration for the position. A combined news conference between Weiss and Anthopoulos is planned for Tuesday at Truist Park.