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Braves, Jim Johnson Agree To Two-Year Extension

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TODAY: Johnson’s contract is worth $10MM in guaranteed money, The Associated Press reports.  He will be paid $4.5MM in 2017 and 2018, with a $1MM signing bonus.  The righty can earn up to $1.75MM in performance bonuses each season based on games finished.  Johnson earns $250K for finishing 30 games, and then another $250K for hitting each of the 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60-game thresholds.

OCTOBER 2: Braves reliever Jim Johnson could have hit free agency during the offseason, but the 33-year-old will instead continue his career in Atlanta. He and the Braves have agreed to a two-year contract extension, according to a team announcement. Financial details are not yet available, but the deal will keep the Moye Sports Associates client under Atlanta’s control through the 2018 season.

Jim Johnson

Johnson is amid his second stint as a Brave after signing a one-year, $2.5MM deal with the club last offseason. That ended up being a bargain for the rebuilding Braves, as Johnson has logged a 3.11 ERA, 9.33 K/9 and 2.83 BB/9 over 63 2/3 innings. Johnson has also kept up a career-long trend of inducing ground balls, having posted a 55 percent mark, and added 19 saves on 22 chances. Overall, 2016 has been a major bounce-back season for Johnson, who fared poorly with the Tigers, Athletics and Dodgers during the previous two campaigns.

Despite his struggles elsewhere, Johnson has clearly found a home in Atlanta. Previously, he recorded a 2.25 ERA over 48 innings with the team in 2015 before it traded him to Los Angeles in July. Part of the reason for Johnson’s success with the Braves is his strong relationship with pitching coach Roger McDowell, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter link). Going forward, the longtime Oriole – who has 153 career saves – said Sunday the plan is for him to remain as the Braves’ closer, according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). That means Johnson will continue leading a bullpen cast that should include the likes of Ian Krol, Arodys Vizcaino and Mauricio Cabrera, among others, in 2017.

It’s unknown how much interest Johnson would have garnered as a free agent, of course, but playoff contenders were zeroing in on him as a trade target over the summer. In fact, a deal nearly came to fruition in late July, and the Blue Jays, Mets and Rangers were among the clubs that eyed Johnson in advance of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. An unidentified team also claimed Johnson on revocable waivers in August, but the Braves pulled him back after they and the other club weren’t able to agree on a trade. Now, after nearly joining his sixth major league team over the summer, he’s primed to stay in Atlanta for the next couple years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bo Porter Among Additional Possible Rockies Managerial Candidates

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Former Astros skipper and current Braves special assistant Bo Porter is receiving at least some consideration for the Rockies’ open managerial position, according to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. The report identifies a number of other possibilities on a growing list of names who appear to be on Colorado’s radar.

Another former Astros’ manager, current Indians bench coach Brad Mills, has also come up. His Cleveland staff mate, first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr., is another name to watch. Obviously, neither of those possible candidates can be pursued in earnest at present, with the Indians just opening play in the ALCS.

Two other bench coaches who could draw interest from the Rockies are Dave Martinez of the Cubs, who also is busy with his current position, and Ron Wotus of the Giants. We heard earlier today that Wotus had received contact from a team with a managerial opening. Given that the Diamondbacks — the other team with an opening — haven’t yet resolved their front office situation, it seems reasonable to suspect that it was the Rockies who came calling.

Today’s report significantly expands the group of names tied in some way to the Rockies’ top dugout post. Last we checked in, the scuttlebutt was that former Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke (most recently of the Angels), former Padres manager Bud Black (ditto), Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo, Braves first base coach Eddie Perez, and Rockies Triple-A skipper Glenallen Hill had some form of connection to the gig — though in some cases, the reporting involved interest on their behalf rather than the team’s.

All told, that slate largely represents a “who’s who” of skippers-to-be around the game. Those that haven’t yet taken managerial jobs at the major league level have at least interviewed for jobs with other organizations.

Still, the Rockies aren’t just looking to plug in an experienced hand. According to Harding, Colorado hopes to find someone “who will apply statistics and other research into managing and coaching, and who are adept at various methods for creating team chemistry.” In that regard, certainly, the organization seems to be participating in a near-universal trend leaguewide.

NL East Notes: Tebow, Mets, Kelley, Ramos, Washington

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The Mets not only gave former quarterback Tim Tebow a $100K bonus, but handed him a cherished spot in the Arizona Fall League, and ESPN.com’s Keith Law argues (Insider link) that both were mistakes. Tebow, 29, lacks the baseline skill of his fellow entrants in the prospect-heavy offseason competition, Law opines after taking an in-person look. The prospect guru panned Tebow’s contact ability at the plate and his instincts in the field, and took no prisoners in assessing the totality of the situation: it was, in Law’s words, “a craven, mercenary move befitting an independent-league team desperate for the added revenue from ticket sales, not something a major league team with postseason aspirations should be doing.”

Here’s more from the NL East:

  • Mets GM Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins sat down with Ken Davidoff of the New York Post this spring, talking through the season to come with the understanding that their comments wouldn’t be published until year end. At the time, none of the challenges that sprung up during the 2016 campaign were really evident, but both leaders noted the variability inherent in the game and acknowledged that the health of the rotation and lineup could never really be assured.
  • Outgoing Nationals free agent Wilson Ramos had successful surgery today to repair ACL and meniscus tears in his right knee, as the team announced and Jon Heyman of Fan Rag first reported. Estimates of his recovery timeline are ranging between six and eight months — which would obviously push into the early or middle portion of the 2017 season. Given that uncertainty, but also Ramos’s young age (he just turned 29) and top-level production (.307/.354/.496 batting line, 22 home runs in 2016), his free agent case will be among the more interesting in recent memory.
  • The Nationals not only suffered yet another heartbreaking NLDS exit last night, but also watched key reliever Shawn Kelley leave with what looked to be a potentially significant arm injury. He said after the game that he lost feeling in his hand after throwing his final pitch, but there seems to be hope that a major problem has been averted, as MLB.com’s Bill Ladson reports. Kelley suggested that he hopes “it’s just a nerve thing,” explaining that he experienced worsening numbness rather than suffering an acute injury. Kelley is owed $11MM over the next two years and just wrapped up an excellent 2.64 ERA showing in 2016, with 12.4 K/9 against 1.7 BB/9 over 58 frames. Needless to say, he’s an important part of the Nats’ relief corps, and the organization already will likely be hunting for a big pen arm with mid-season closer acquisition Mark Melancon hitting free agency.
  • Newly-inked Braves third base coach Ron Washington thought at one point he’d land the team’s managerial job, as John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group reports. “I thought my interview was good to the point I got that I had the [managerial] job, no doubt in my mind,” Washington said. “But you never know what the other side is thinking and how it will go. They offered me a different job in the organization.” Though he missed on the top post, and could’ve earned the same money on a two-year deal to stay with the Athletics in a coaching capacity, Washington chose to take a position that would put him closer to home.

Braves Outright De La Cruz, Lalli, Snyder

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The Braves have outrighted reliever Joel De La Cruz, catcher Blake Lalli and first baseman Brandon Snyder off their 40-man roster, according to Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Each of the three can and very likely will become minor league free agents this offseason.

Signed to a minor league pact this offseason, the 27-year-old De La Cruz made his big league debut with Atlanta in 2016 and wound up tossing a fairly substantial 62 2/3 innings for the Braves across nine starts and 13 relief appearances. In that time, De La Cruz worked to a 4.88 ERA with 5.3 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 43.1 percent ground-ball rate. The longtime Yankees farmhand, who has also spent time in the Brewers and Nationals organizations, averaged 91.3 mph on a sinker he threw for just over half of his offerings, per PITCHf/x data, also working in a slider and a changeup. Neither De La Cruz’s Major League nor minor league numbers stand out, but his 4.15 ERA in parts of three seasons (184 1/3 innings) at the Triple-A level is an identical match with his career 4.15 ERA across five minor league levels, so he can function as a serviceable depth piece in a club’s Triple-A rotation or bullpen.

The 33-year-old Lalli, meanwhile, returned to the Majors for the first time since 2013 and picked up 13 plate appearances with a pair of hits. He’s seen parts of three seasons in the Majors, though he has just 53 plate appearances and a .305 OPS in that time. He’s fared considerably better at Triple-A, where he’s a lifetime .265/.316/.376 hitter.

And Snyder, 29, tallied 47 PAs this season and hit .239/.255/.652 — one of the stranger batting lines you’ll come across anytime soon. The 29-year-old collected 11 hits but just one single, as he belted four homers to go along with five doubles and a triple in his brief stint, bumping his career batting line to .242/.279/.459. Clearly, as evidenced by the .217 ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) that he’s posted in the Majors, there’s some pop in Snyder’s bat, though he’s never been able to carve out a prolonged role in the bigs. Formerly selected with the 13th overall pick by the Orioles in 2005, Snyder is a career .274/.336/.437 hitter in the minors, including a .259/.319/.411 slash in parts of seven Triple-A seasons.

NL East Notes: Fredi, Harper, Strasburg, Phillies, Washington

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The Marlins are in talks with former manager Fredi Gonzalez about their third base coach vacancy, reports MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Gonzalez, who skippered both the Marlins and Braves (who fired him earlier this season), has had multiple conversations about the possibility with the team, per Frisaro’s report. Serving as a third base coach wouldn’t be anything new for Gonzalez, as he held that post with the Braves before being hired as the Marlins’ manager in 2007. Miami is also looking to find a replacement coach for hitting coach Barry Bonds, whose contract was not renewed, as well as bullpen coach Reed Cornelius. Frisaro writes that former big league third baseman Mike Pagliarulo, who played with Marlins manager Don Mattingly as a member of the Yankees, is under consideration for the hitting coach vacancy.

More from the division…

  • Scott Boras spoke with the Washington Post’s Chelsea Janes about a pair of his clients that have been the subject of plenty of injury news and speculation: Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci has reported that Harper is playing through a shoulder injury despite denials from the team, but neither Harper nor Boras has been willing to comment on the matter, leading to some degree of uncertainty. “He’s obviously played with limitations at times this year, no question,” said Boras of Harper. “… It’s a very different year when you lead the league in walks and intentional walks, making the adjustment about how to handle how the league’s decided to take away what you normally have instead of challenging you.” Boras wouldn’t give a definitive comment about Harper’s injury or lack thereof, stating only, “[I]f there’s anyone pushing Bryce, it’s Bryce.” As far as Strasburg, Boras voiced praise for the Nationals’ communication on the matter and didn’t appear to express any significant concern over Strasburg’s recent bullpen session (which was cut short by some discomfort in his injured forearm) or the fact that his client is attempting to return from a fairly recent injury to pitch in October.
  • In his latest Inbox column, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki answers several questions about the Phillies’ offseason and their 2017 outlook. Notably, Zolecki believes Odubel Herrera to be the only definitive lock for next season’s outfield and adds that he expects the Phillies to acquire an outfielder this offseason as well, though not necessarily one that will require an expensive multi-year commitment. Zolecki also has difficulty envisioning a trade of Cameron Rupp due to the fact that there aren’t any other experienced catchers in the organization (although speaking purely speculatively, I’ll suggest that the Phils could deal Rupp and sign a veteran to a one-year deal as a bridge to Jorge Alfaro and/or Andrew Knapp).
  • David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution chatted with Braves GM John Coppolella about the hiring of Ron Washington as his new third base coach and explained that the former Rangers skipper was initially interviewing only for the managerial vacancy. However, Washington impressed the Braves, and Coppolella and other Braves decisionmakers reached out to the A’s, where Washington served as a third base coach in 2016, about possibly hiring him. “It just happened where, as we spoke to Oakland, credit to (Athletics executive vice president of baseball operations) Billy Beane and to (general manager) David Forst — these guys told us, ‘We just want Wash to be happy, we just want good things for Wash,'” said Coppolella. “When he wanted to go for this opportunity so he could be closer to home, so he could get on a new adventure, those guys (Beane and Forst) didn’t stand in his way. Those are two high-character guys who really did a selfless thing all the way around with Ron Washington.”
  • Meanwhile, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Athletics did make an attempt to retain Washington by offering to match the Braves’ offer, but Washington’s ultimate preference was to be closer to his family in New Orleans, so the A’s respectfully allowed him to move to another team. Beane offered high praise for his departing coach, issuing a statement in which he said that Washington’s “professionalism and enthusiasm have left an indelible mark on everyone in our organization.”

Offseason Outlook: Atlanta Braves

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The rebuilding Braves didn’t show much improvement in the standings, ending up with a 68-93 record that landed them the fifth overall pick in the 2017 draft. But Atlanta ended the year on a 12-and-2 tear that represented a high note on which to finish. With a much-anticipated new ballpark on the horizon and an expectation of significant financial outlays at the major league level, hopes are high … but just how high should they be?

Guaranteed Contracts

Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; link to MLBTR projections)

Free Agents

Atlanta Braves Depth Chart; Atlanta Braves Payroll Information

In some ways, the task to date has been straightforward for Atlanta GM John Coppolella and president of baseball operations John Hart: with a prioritization of value over need, and talent over results, he set out to add as much controllable talent as possible. That has resulted in a highly-regarded farm system that is increasingly pushing players onto the major league roster. But now, the balance begins to get a bit trickier.

The Braves spoke of improving at the major league level in 2016, and that didn’t really occur. But Coppolella and company nevertheless intend to take a step toward focusing on major league results in the coming campaign. The first order of business was choosing a manager, with interim skipper Brian Snitker receiving the permanent nod after delivering solid results down the stretch.

The shifting mindset is most evident in regard to the starting rotation, where Coppolella says at least two additions are planned. Much of the rebuild has focused on adding pre-MLB arms, a fair number of them at the upper levels of the minors, but to date that hasn’t led to much productivity at the major league level. Atlanta’s rotation was one of the worst in all of baseball last year, with only Julio Teheran posting a full season’s worth of quality starts.

Whether or not Teheran and his appealing contract reach the trading block has long been the source of intrigue, but it may be that the Braves will no longer seriously pursue such a path — unless, at least, there’s a truly overwhelming offer to be had that includes major league-ready talent. Otherwise, Mike Foltynewicz seemingly showed enough (4.31 ERA, 8.1 K/9 vs. 2.6 BB/9 in 123 1/3 innings) to warrant a spot in next year’s rotation, but the rest of the staff seems to be up for grabs.

If Atlanta does add two established pitchers to its stable — no small feat on a barren market for starters — then that would appear to leave a single job available for the remaining internal options. Josh Collmenter, who was added late in the year, could take a starter’s role or end up as a swingman. Less-established hurlers such as Matt Wisler, John Gant, Aaron Blair, Williams Perez, and Tyrell Jenkins may also battle for jobs, but will need to impress in camp to avoid a trip back to Triple-A Gwinnett. Some pitchers who have yet to make their major league debuts could ultimately enter the mix as the season progresses, including Chris Ellis, Sean Newcomb, Lucas Sims, and breakout talent Patrick Weigel.

Looking at the market for the pair of arms that Atlanta desires, there are a variety of possible approaches for the team to consider. Following the Phillies’ plan a winter ago — targeting bounceback veterans on short-term, reasonably expensive contracts — could lead the Braves to pursue a pitcher such as Jason Hammel or Jaime Garcia via trade. There are bigger fish that could be available from other organizations, though indications from the team are that it won’t part with the top prospects that would be needed to land a true top-of-the-rotation arm. The free agent market does contain some options, of course. It would be surprising to see the Braves chase Rich Hill, the highest-upside arm available, but they could conceivably look into Jeremy Hellickson or Ivan Nova while also chasing value further down the market — where pitchers like Clay Buchholz, Charlie Morton, Edinson Volquez, and Doug Fister.

The bullpen could be a landing spot for a few of those pitchers, but seems likely to be anchored by Arodys Vizcaino — who’ll look to bounce back after a very rough second half that was impacted by shoulder problems — and veteran Jim Johnson, who just re-upped for two more years. Young fireballer Mauricio Cabrera has also likely locked up a spot, though his peripherals (7.5 K/9, 4.5 BB/9, 49.1% groundball rate) didn’t quite mach his ERA (2.82) and outrageous average velocity (an even 100 mph). Jose Ramirez showed well in his first extensive taste in the majors, Chris Withrow may have the track on a job if he can return to health, and Ian Krol will likely be the top lefty after a nice bounceback season. With other names in the mix as well, the pen doesn’t figure to be an area of focus this winter, though certainly a veteran arm could end up being added here as well.

Much the same holds true of the outfield, which received a boost from Matt Kemp after his mid-season acquisition. The veteran showed signs of a resurgence after coming over in a swap that allowed the Braves to jettison Hector Olivera. When the dust settled, Atlanta was left on the hook for $8.5MM annually over the next three years over and above Olivera’s own $28.5MM in remaining obligations. (They’ll still actually pay Kemp the $54.5MM reflected above.) The 32-year-old swatted a dozen long balls in 241 plate appearances, and more importantly raised his overall batting line to .280/.336/.519. He’d still be a better fit in the American League, but that’s reasonably-priced pop even given his defensive limitations.

The club will have some potential decisions to make in the outfield, though. Ender Inciarte remains the obvious choice in center after putting up another season of average hitting combined with stellar defense and baserunning. Nick Markakis remains entrenched in right. Though he returned to hitting low-double-digit home runs (13 this year), he’s still only an average producer on offense. His glove does continue to boost his value, but Markakis probably doesn’t profile as a first-division regular at this stage of his career. Whether the Braves can find a taker for a big portion of his remaining salary may be the difference in determining the near-term fate of Mallex Smith, who could end up opening the year at Triple-A after a solid but hardly commanding rookie-year performance.

It’s also not clear whether Atlanta will push hard to make changes in the infield — at least in the traditional sense of signing a free agent to plug a hole — though certainly creative possibilities can’t be discounted. Freddie Freeman is obviously a lock at first base, where he’ll aim to repeat a stellar 2016. And Dansby Swanson is nearly as good a bet to take the everyday job at short that he handled well upon his late-season call-up.

At second and third, the Braves have relatively little need to act, but certainly could if the right opportunity arose. The former is being held open for Ozzie Albies, who’ll compete for a job out of camp but may spend a bit more time in the upper minors before making his ascent — particularly since he won’t be able to play in the Arizona Fall League after suffering a late-season olecranon fracture. Though he struggled at Triple-A, Albies posted a monster .321/.391/.467 batting line with 21 stolen bases in 371 plate appearances at Double-A last year, playing at just 19 years of age. With Jace Peterson available at second and Daniel Castro on hand as a utility option, expectations are that Atlanta will keep relatively quiet in this area while waiting for Albies.

At the hot corner, Adonis Garcia probably showed enough down the stretch to obviate the need for a short-term signing. After a rough start, the 31-year-old posted a .293/.333/.456 batting line with nine home runs over his 301 plate appearances and drew more promising reviews of his glovework down the stretch. He could be pushed in camp, though, by youngster Rio Ruiz, who had a solid .271/.355/.400 campaign at Triple-A in his age-22 season. Though there’s not a need here, strictly speaking, it is an area where the team could look to upgrade if there’s a chance to add a high-quality player.

If there’s a spot other than the rotation that will almost certainly see some change, it’s behind the plate. Tyler Flowers will be back after a strong season in which he ran up a 109 OPS+ while appearing in 83 games. Journeyman Anthony Recker is controllable as well, and was even more impressive (.278/.394/.433) in his 112 plate appearances. But with Opening Day starter A.J. Pierzynski set to depart, and a mandate to improve, there has been plenty of chatter about the possibilities for an upgrade.

The free agent catching market took a huge hit with the recent ACL tear of Wilson Ramos, and it had already lost Francisco Cervelli when he agreed to an extension with the Pirates earlier in the season. But there are still at least a few near-everyday players set to reach the open market — chiefly, Matt Wieters (who has ties to the Atlanta area) and Jason Castro — and the trade market could provide some avenues as well. Atlanta has been connected, in particular, with long-time star Brian McCann, though it doesn’t seem as if the Yankees will part with him for quite as low a price as the Braves would prefer to pay. A bounceback candidate such as Derek Norris could also be pursued if the team’s preferred options aren’t achievable.

All told, there are a number of places on this roster that a clear contending team would deem in need of an upgrade. For Atlanta, though, there needs to be greater balance, lest future commitments again tie the organization’s hands. Coppolella has said that the club will have much more to spend than usual, but a truly all-in approach would be a major surprise. What investments the team does make figure to play a fairly significant role in dictating the team’s timeline to return to true contention.

Braves Name Brian Snitker Manager, Hire Ron Washington As Third Base Coach

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The Braves announced on Tuesday morning that they’re dropping the “interim” label from Brian Snitker’s title and naming him their full-time manager. Additionally, the Braves announced that Ron Washington has been hired as the team’s new third base coach, as Bo Porter will become a special assistant to general manager John Coppolella. Snitker receives a one-year deal for the 2017 season with a club option for the 2018 campaign as well.

Brian Snitker

In addition to those moves, the Braves exercised their 2017 options on bench coach Terry Pendelton, first base coach Eddie Perez, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and assistant hitting coach Jose Castro, adding that bullpen coach Marty Reed will return to the team in 2017 as well. Pitching coach Roger McDowell is the only 2016 coach that won’t remain with the club, as was reported last week, and he’ll be replaced internally by minor league pitching coordinator (and former Rays pitching coach) Chuck Hernandez.

“Brian earned this opportunity through his dedication to the Braves and to our players,” said Coppolella of his new full-time manager, via press release. “We are excited for the energy and momentum he will bring into SunTrust Park next season.”

The 60-year-old Snitker (61 next week) was named interim manager earlier this season after the Braves dismissed Fredi Gonzalez from the post that he had occupied since the 2011 campaign. The 2017 season, incredibly, will be the 41st year that Snitker has spent with the Atlanta organization, Atlanta notes in its release. He’s spent 20 of those seasons as a manager at the minor league level, overseeing clubs in Triple-A, Double-A, Class-A Advanced, Class-A and Rookie ball.

Suffice it to say, while Snitker may not have been a household name at the time he was named interim skipper earlier this year — and may still not be a household name now — he’s been a mainstay in the Braves organization and has earned the trust of Coppolella, president of baseball operations John Hart and vice chariman John Schuerholz over the life of his lengthy career with the team. Beyond his four decades of loyalty, the turnaround to which Snitker guided the rebuilding Braves in 2016 was indeed impressive. Inheriting a 9-28 club, Snitker saw the Braves finish at a much-improved 59-65 pace — including a 37-35 record in the season’s second half. While some of that success, certainly, can be attributed to the arrival of players like Dansby Swanson and Matt Kemp, in addition to rebounds from veterans Nick Markakis, Jim Johnson and others, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Mark Bowman of MLB.com have repeatedly reported on how well respected Snitker became in the clubhouse early on as they began to report over the past week that he had emerged as the favorite to land this position.

Snitker’s primary competitors in the search were longtime Padres manager Bud Black and the man who will now serve as his third base coach: Washington. O’Brien and Bowman have been suggesting that Snitker was the likeliest candidate to come away with the job over the past week, however, and multiple reports yesterday indicated that Snitker was the favorite, with an announcement expected in the very near future. Washington will depart the Athletics organization, where he also served as third base coach, to join the Braves, and Coppolella expressed excitement over the addition of the former Rangers skipper to his coaching staff in the aforementioned press release:

“Ron’s background and success as a Major League manager will be an asset to everyone on the club,” said Coppolella. “His tireless work ethic, up-beat attitude and tremendously high baseball IQ will benefit our players and our staff.”

Black, meanwhile, will have to wait a bit longer to find himself at the helm of another big league club, though his reputation, experience and industry-wide respect make it likely that he’ll land such a post at some point in the future if he remains interested in pursuing such opportunities.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Braves “Close” To Naming Brian Snitker Manager

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4:58pm: Atlanta appears to be close to naming Snitker the full-time skipper, per Bowman. An announcement is expected in the coming days, at a time that won’t coincide with the ongoing postseason action.

3:13pm: Snitker is indeed the favorite for the position, reports ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, citing a league source.

OCT. 10, 10:00am: MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets that the Braves are nearing the completion of their managerial search and believes that Snitker will ultimately land the job. David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution also expects news sooner rather than later and believes that Snitker will ultimately be selected for the job (Twitter link).

OCT. 8: The Braves are deciding among Brian Snitker, Ron Washington and Bud Black for their managerial position, according to FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, who adds that they’re likely to make a hire during the upcoming week.

Snitker has the least experience of the three, but as the only in-house candidate, he has much more familiarity with the organization than Washington or Black. The 60-year-old Snitker took over the Braves’ dugout on an interim basis after the rebuilding club fired Fredi Gonzalez in May. The Braves started 9-28 under Gonzalez, but the Snitker-led outfit rallied to post a respectable 59-65 mark. Impressively, Atlanta finished above .500 (37-35) after the All-Star break.

Washington has experienced more success as a manager than either Snitker or Black, though he had plenty of talent at his disposal in Texas. Between Washington’s hiring in 2007 and his resignation in 2014, the Rangers went 664-611 and made three playoff trips – two of which resulted in American League pennants. After leaving Texas, Washington took over as the Athletics’ third base coach in 2015. Notably, the 64-year-old has a connection that goes back nearly 50 years with Braves president John Schuerholz. When Washington signed with the Royals in 1970, Schuerholz was a member of the club’s front office. More recently, Braves president of baseball operations John Hart was an executive in Texas when Washington managed there.

The well-regarded Black, 57, grabbed the reins as the Padres’ manager in 2007 and held the position until the team fired him in June 2015. Black’s Padres won at least 89 games in a season twice, with the second successful campaign leading to 2010 National League Manager of the Year honors. That was also the final time the talent-challenged Padres finished above .500 in a season under Black, who compiled a 649-713 mark in San Diego. Black – who’s now part of the Angels’ front office – knows Schuerholz and Hart from his days as a pitcher in Kansas City and Cleveland (Hart also worked there previously).

Before whittling their search down to Snitker, Washington and Black, the Braves interviewed bench coach Terry Pendleton, first base coach Eddie Perez and third base coach Bo Porter. Perez is now a candidate for the Rockies’ job.

Orioles Claim Jed Bradley, Designate Paul Janish

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The Orioles announced this afternoon that they’ve claimed left-hander Jed Bradley off waivers from the Braves and designated infielder Paul Janish for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

The DFA of Janish is largely procedural, as the Orioles non-tendered him last December and had already outrighted him back off the 40-man roster once this summer before selecting his contract again late in the year. He wasn’t likely to be carried on the 40-man roster throughout the offseason, though if he again clears waivers — which is likely — he could re-sign a minor league pact to return to the organization with which he has spent the past two seasons. The 34-year-old Janish is a standout defender at shortstop and a nice depth piece for any organization, but his upside at the plate is limited; he’s a career .216/.284/.289 hitter in 1277 big league plate appearances and slashed .248/.333/.280 with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate this season.

As for Bradley, the former top prospect and first-round pick (15th overall by the Brewers in 2011) made his Major League debut with Atlanta this season, yielding four runs on seven hits and six walks (two intentional) with four strikeouts in seven innings for the Braves. Bradley’s career never took off as the Brewers hoped, as he moved from the rotation to the bullpen in the minors and struggled a great deal between Double-A and Triple-A in 2015. However, Bradley logged a 3.09 earned run average with 108 strikeouts against 40 walks in 107 2/3 innings between the rotation and bullpen at Triple-A this year (13 starts, 22 relief appearances) and will give the Orioles some needed left-handed depth in the organization if he survives the winter on Baltimore’s 40-man roster.

Coaching Notes: Bonds, Wallace, McDowell, Mets

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Barry Bonds, who learned this week that his contract as the Marlins’ hitting coach won’t be renewed for the 2017 season, issued a statement on his time with Miami on his personal web site yesterday. Said Bonds: “Working with the Marlins this past season has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my baseball career. I am grateful and humbled that Jeffrey Loria and the Marlins gave me the opportunity to be a part of their organization. Though my contract was only for one year, I enjoyed sharing my hitting knowledge and other aspects of the game with such a talented group of players. I am proud of the their development and accomplishments over the course of the season and hope they will be able to continue to build off their hard work as they head into next year. I look forward to what the future holds for me – but I do know that baseball is and always will be in my blood.”

A few more notes on some coaching situations throughout the league…

  • The Orioles announced yesterday that pitching coach Dave Wallace has decided to retire from his role as a full-time Major League coach. Wallace could remain with the organization is a less-demanding role, writes MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, possibly operating as a roving instructor. Bullpen coach Dom Chiti will get some consideration for the new coaching vacancy, per Kubatko, though he adds in a second piece that his expectation is that the Orioles will go outside the organization to replace Wallace, who had been the club’s pitching coach since 2013.  Zach Britton took to Twitter to offer praise and appreciation for Wallace’s work in Baltimore: “Sad to see Dave Wallace go. Very grateful for all he has done for me and my family. Any success I’ve had is a credit to DW and Dom Chiti.”
  • MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports that the Braves will not exercise their option on pitching coach Roger McDowell’s contract. McDowell has spent the past 11 seasons as Atlanta’s pitching coach and drew praise from veteran arms and young pitchers alike, but the Braves determined that they’d prefer a new voice to help usher in their next wave of pitching prospects. Specifically, the team appeared to have some concerns stemming from inconsistencies in Mike Foltynewicz and struggles from Matt Wisler and Aaron Blair. With a slew of young pitching on the way, the Braves understandably want to have full confidence that their pitching coach can get through to younger talent. Bowman adds that Wallace was a mentor for McDowell, pointing out a possible link between McDowell and the Orioles’ newly created vacancy.
  • Mets manager Terry Collins met with general manager Sandy Alderson to discuss a number of topics, including the 2017 coaching staff, at Citi Field yesterday, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter links). According to Puma, Collins left the meeting under the impression that his coaching staff will remain intact for the 2017 season.
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