The Morning Shift believes Atlanta Braves Manager, Brian Snitker, mismanaged the third inning last night in game three of the NLDS. Mike, Beau, and Tiffany all agree that Snitker should’ve started warming up guys in the bullpen as soon as Nick Castellanos led off the third inning by hitting a solo home run.
Then, once Trae Turner reached on an infield single, after Brandon Marsh had already singled after the Castellanos home run, and Elder now has runners at the corners with Bryce Harper coming to the plate, Tiffany, Mike, and Beau all believe Snitker at that point should’ve taken Bryce Elder out for lefty Brad Hand, who played for the Phillies last season.
“Brad Hand is a left handed specialist. This was the only spot for him because what happens is, is to me you come out there, you get [Bryce] Harper out, the goal with a left handed specialist and now you let him go and you bring him back in the fourth inning, [Brad] Hand that is, and you let him get maybe another inning in, and then now in the fifth inning you can go to like a [Michael] Tonkin or somebody.” Beau said.
The pitching game plan is simple tonight for Snitker and the Braves, let Spencer Strider carry you to a win, hope a historic offense in the regular season puts up a crooked number on Ranger Suarez and the Philadelphia Phillies tonight, but at the end of the day as long as the Braves find a way to win that’s all that matters because if they don’t this will be one of the most disappointing seasons in Braves franchise history.