Rising Braves Manager Candidate's Connection to GM Helps Case

As we reach the official start of the offseason, a clearer picture could be developing on who the next Atlanta Braves manager could be. Among three potential candidates, Dodgers bench coach Danny Lehmann is gaining the most traction.

He might not have the Braves connection that George Lombard or Ryan Flaherty have, but he does have a connection to Alex Anthopoulos. The two overlapped during the Braves' general manager's time with the Dodgers from 2016 to 2017. During that time, Lehmann was their Advance Video Scout, a position he held for three seasons.

That prior experience together builds his case. Anthopoulos knows Lehmann outside of just a player's perspective, which is how he knows, for example, Flaherty.

Lehmann would be the first to have a strong case due to his connection to Anthopoulos. John Gibbons, for a time, was seen as a strong managerial candidate for that reason. He was the manager of the Blue Jays when Anthopoulos was their general manager. However, Gibbons has already been ruled out as an option, while Lehmann has surfaced.

It's already been reported that the Braves could be waiting until the end of the World Series to name their manager because Lehmann is currently working toward a second consecutive ring. It could very well be they're waiting to at least have the option to talk to him. He's not available to talk to until then.

That being said, waiting this long to even talk to someone shows how strong a candidate he is. If they were learning toward other options, they could have already been hired. He has that going for him, even if it's smart to leave no stone unturned. Knowing that their hire will impact their long-term success, there is no rush to make the move.

It's clear, regardless, that the Braves are looking to get a young manager in there. Lombard and Flaherty are 50 and 39 years old, respectively. Lehmann is also a former catcher, which tends to put the odds of getting the job. Brian Snitker was a catcher in his playing days, and it's also a general trend among managerial hires.

Meanwhile, Lombard was an outfielder and Flaherty was an infielder. Based on the trends, that puts them behind the eight ball.

Brian Snitker departed as manager after 10 years at the helm. He enters year 50 with the Braves organization as a senior adivser.

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