The Mystery of Indifference

You can feel it. Something’s just off in Atlanta.

This isn’t just about the Braves sitting at 28-37 through June 9—an alarming mark for a team built to compete now. It’s not just about the fact that they started 0-7 on the road against tough West Coast opponents like the Padres and Dodgers. Bad starts happen. Baseball is a 162-game grind.

What’s concerning—what’s truly baffling—is the complete lack of urgency from everyone in the building. From the manager’s dugout demeanor, to the front office’s refusal to course correct, to a lineup that seems to be swinging in autopilot, this doesn’t feel like the Atlanta Braves.

This feels like an identity crisis. And it’s costing them.

Too Much Talent, Not Enough Fire

Even without Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves came into this season with one of the deepest and most complete rosters in the league. On paper, this is a playoff-caliber team. But the on-field product tells another story:

21nd in runs scored
18th in team batting average
20th in slugging percentage

That’s bottom-half across the board. For a lineup featuring Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies, Marcell Ozuna and more, that’s unacceptable.

Matt Olson has hit some towering homers in his Braves tenure, but let’s stop pretending he’s filled the shoes of Freddie Freeman—because he hasn’t. Not in terms of consistency, not in terms of leadership, and not in terms of impact.

Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies—both once seen as cornerstone players—have regressed. Ozzie is currently rocking an impressive on-base streak (credit where it’s due), but overall? This core isn’t clicking.

It’s not just that they’re not hitting—it’s that they’re not competing. They’re getting hits, but no one’s crossing the plate. There’s no fire. No urgency. Just… indifference.

Snitker’s Sudden Distance

That indifference seems to start from the top.

Brian Snitker has had an incredible run as Braves manager. A World Series title, a Manager of the Year award, and the respect of the clubhouse and fanbase alike. But this year? Something’s changed.

During the team’s miserable 0-7 start, Snitker voluntarily told the media that he’s contemplating retirement after the season.

…What?

There are 100 games left. That’s not the time to be thinking—or talking—about retirement. That kind of message resonates. It seeps into the clubhouse. It creates a fog over the season. And frankly, the Braves have been playing like a team that knows their leader is already halfway out the door.

Snitker deserves a hero’s farewell when he does walk away. But if he’s mentally checked out, the Braves have to act. Because this team can’t afford to sleepwalk through another summer.

Anthopoulos’ Nostalgia Problem

GM Alex Anthopoulos was once seen as a visionary—crafty, creative, fearless. The man who built a title-winning core and signed them to long-term deals that looked like genius-level contracts.

But lately, his moves feel less visionary and more nostalgic. Over the past two years, he’s seemingly become obsessed with reuniting the 2021 World Series team, regardless of whether those players still have value:

Jorge Soler
Adam Duvall (again)
Eddie Rosario (again)
Jesse Chavez (again)
Ian Anderson
Tyler Matzek
And even…Craig Kimbrel

Yes, Kimbrel has looked sharp in the minors, and with the bullpen needing help, his return might make sense. But he’s 37 years old, and this is likely his last chance with the team that made him a star. While with Atlanta from 2010-14, Kimbrel was one of the best closers in baseball, but since then, has seen a steady decline over the last decade while playing for 7 teams. With the Braves bullpen in need of some reinforcements, it seemed like a no-brainer to bring Craig Kimbrel back up to Atlanta.

The reunion DID happen on June 6, where Kimbrel pitched a scoreless inning in relief against the San Francisco Giants, tallying 1 strikeout and one walk. But apparently, that wasn’t good enough, because Atlanta DFA’d Kimbrel the following day in favor of reliever Austin Cox – only to DFA Cox one day later as well. I’m honestly at a loss for words when it comes to what this organization thinks they’re doing…

The most egregious move of all (in my opinion)? Bringing back Fredi Gonzalez as the team’s third base coach. Braves fans remember the Fredi years. A .506 career winning percentage. One postseason win. He was not the guy, and his return sends a deeply uninspiring message.

Meanwhile, the young, progressive Matt Tuiasosopo—who was reassigned—is exactly the type of manager this team may need next. A former MLB player, with minor league managerial experience, and an ability to connect with a younger clubhouse? That’s where the league is trending. Not Fredi Gonzalez 2.0.

What’s the Plan?

The Braves are drifting. Their manager seems distant. Their GM seems nostalgic. And their players seem disengaged.

What’s the plan?

You’re wasting a prime pitching staff. Chris Sale has been lights out. Spencer Schwellenbach is a star. Strider and Acuna are back.

And you’re 3.5 games out of dead last in the NL East and, prior to ending their 7-game losing streak on Monday night against Milwaukee, the Braves were 10 games under .500 for the first time since 2017.

Time to Wake Up

Indifference is not a strategy. Nostalgia is not a strategy. Coasting through a season with one eye on retirement is not a strategy.

The Braves can still turn this around. There’s enough talent here to get hot and make a run. But that won’t happen unless there’s a spark. A change. A commitment to doing something—anything—other than running it back with players whose best days are behind them.

The clock is ticking.

Atlanta deserves more than vibes and vintage jerseys. They deserve a team with a pulse.

If Snitker is done, it’s time to rip the bandage.
If Anthopoulos has run out of magic, it’s time for new ideas.
If the players won’t respond, it’s time to hold them accountable.

The Braves are too talented to be irrelevant.

It’s time to choose: wake up or fade away.