It took the Atlanta Braves a long time to announce Walt Weiss as the club's new manager. Appearing on MLB Network Radio’s Loud Outs, Weiss said he’d already accepted that he wouldn’t get the job when he got the phone call the day before the news conference. It doesn't matter if he was plan B or C, he's the manager.
Walt Weiss’ voice may be louder, but it certainly isn't new
We’ve heard that Weiss will bring a new voice to the club, but he was Brian Snitker’s bench coach for seven years, and you don’t remain someone’s right-hand man if your opinion isn’t heard and respected by the skipper and the players.
Before Pierce Johnson became a former Brave, he said Weiss had a different kind of fire that would be good for the club. So, why haven’t we seen or heard about that while he’s been bench coach? Ron Washington had those characteristics, and Snitker never stopped him from letting the players know what was on his mind, making it hard to believe he held Weiss back. It seems like we'd have heard about this fire before now, but maybe he's just bashful.
Not a successful hiring strategy
The list of long-time bench coaches hired as the next manager after their boss left is short for a reason; it rarely leads to success.
- Bob Melvin had eight successful years with Oakland after acting as Bob Geren’s bench coach for three seasons.
- Pat Murphy’s led the Brewers to two postseason appearances since taking over for Craig Counsell, but he essentially retained the same philosophy the Brewers have used for years, and it's only two years.
Don Mattingly moved from hitting coach to manager for the Dodgers, and three of his five years in the job included postseason play. John Schneider served as bench coach for only three months before taking over in Toronto, so his voice was a new voice.
Most last only one or two seasons before being fired. So, history points to Weiss having an uphill struggle unless he follows the same basic plan as Brian Snitker. It worked for Snitker because the players loved and respected him. Do they hold Weiss in the same regard?
That’s a Wrap
Weiss seems keen for everyone to know that he understands baseball’s new analytics. He talked about it at his introductory press conference and yesterday on MLB Network Radio’s Loud Outs, he said he understood them “as well as anybody.” Who’s he trying to convince, us or himself?
I believe the Braves wanted to hire a younger manager who brought new ideas, new energy, and a better understanding of the young players in today’s game. When they couldn’t get their man, Weiss got the nod. maybe he's the next great managerial find at 61. I wish him success, but I’m not betting on it.