What We Know Based on Speculative Braves Manager Candidates

A lot of names have been thrown around over the last month for who could be the next Atlanta Braves manager. Some names have been ruled out, but outside of a handful of reports, it has been largely guesswork.

That being said, we're able to draw some conclusions as to what the Braves could be looking for based on who has been tossed around as potential candidates. We're going to attempt to explore some of those here.

It'll Likely Be a First-Time Manager

Skip Schumaker is staying in Arlington with the Rangers. It doesn't appear that Walt Weiss, David Ross nor John Gibbons are candidates for the position. The latest names to come about have never managed in the Majors.

Ok, fair, Ryan Flaherty was an actiing manager for a bit a few years ago. However, he's never officially been a Major League manager. Danny Lehmann is a bench coach, and so is George Lombard. If these truly are the candidates, then the Braves are looking to take a swing on someone newer.

While Snitker was never a Major League manager before the Braves promoted him, he had been a manager in the minors previously for decades. It would truly be a first time in the role for these potential candidates.

Experience Still Matter to the Braves

The three most talked about potential candidates all have MLB coaching experience, and a few years of it. Nobody is expected to go from being a former player to having an MLB manager job. No, Mark DeRosa's time managing Team USA doesn't.

Even if someone is going to be an MLB manager for the first time, the Braves still want someone who has experience coaching teams at this level. It doesn't always guarantee that someone will be a good manager, but these guys at least have experience being the No. 2 on the staff.

Connection to Braves Matters

Outside of Schumaker, these candidates have all had connections to the Braves in one way or another. Weiss played for the team and has been the bench coach. Lombard played for the team and worked for the Braves in 2015. Ross, DeRosa and Flaherty all played for the team.

Gibbons and Lehmann haven't, but they have a connection to Alex Anthopoulos. Again, it's some form of a connection to the organization. There is some familiarity with whose names keep popping up. There is a benefit of dealing with the devil you know instead of the one you don't. You at least have some idea of what you could get out of him.

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