Braves players endorse interim skipper Snitker for full-time job

It hasn't been a great season for the Atlanta Braves, who hold the worst record in the National League and fired veteran manager Fredi Gonzalez after a horrendous start to the season.

One bright spot, at least for some of the Braves players, has been interim skipper Brian Snitker. A long-time coach with the Braves and their affiliates, Snitker was promoted from Triple-A after Gonzalez's firing and appears to have done a good job under trying circumstances. Despite a 56-64 record under his watch, the Braves have played better in the second half and have won nine of their last 10 games, ensuring they won't reach the 100-loss mark.

Now, several Braves players who have been praising Snitker's work in recent weeks are starting to openly call for the 60-year-old to be given the full-time gig.

"I've never been so comfortable playing for anybody in my career, and I'm really pushing for him to stay here; everybody here in the clubhouse really likes him," outfielder Ender Inciarte told David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "We all respect him, so you really want a guy like that on your team. You really want to play for him. I think everybody here has been doing that."

Perhaps the most notable endorsement came from Freddie Freeman, the star first baseman and face of the Braves' future, who cited Snitker's communication skills as a big reason why the team has embraced their interim manager, and called him a skipper players "want to run through walls for."

"That's a big thing with players and coaching staff, and the manager. To have a relationship with open communication, that's what we have with him," Freeman said last week. "It's a lot more comfortable feeling when you have a manager like that. Hopefully that carries over (to 2017)."

Though Snitker still isn't sure of his status for next season - he hopes to know shortly after the year is over - he's very appreciative of his player's kind words, whether he gets the permanent job or not.

"It makes me feel good," Snitker said. "Kind of validates what I was trying to bring here since I've been here."