NL DIVISION SERIES: BREWERS VS BRAVES

October 7, 2021

Brian Snitker

American Family Field

Atlanta Braves

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. You guys being here, flying in yesterday, the vibe of the team as they see this thing, with the crowd in a stadium like this, this group you've had the last couple of years?

BRIAN SNITKER: It's going to be great. I think the guys are really excited. You start feeling it yesterday when we got on the field. I was glad that the weather held at home so we could get out there and work out, because I could tell in the workout that guys are excited about coming and excited about the flight.

It was great that their families could come with them, too, which is a part of it that we lost last year. I think they're excited and anxious to get out there today and work out. And it will be something tomorrow, too.

Q. You had that big first inning against Burnes. What did you remember about that game and just the stuff he had?

BRIAN SNITKER: Just the stuff was really, really good. And you watch a video of him, and it's like it's even better than what I remembered, quite honestly.

I watched his last game the other day. And I don't remember a whole lot. I just remember I think we scored four runs in the first inning, which I thought, man, that's pretty good off this guy, because you just look at his numbers.

I was looking at the left and right slugs are almost nonexistent against him. And it's going to be -- going to be a big challenge next couple of days, the next five days, whatever.

Q. And how different does it feel this year, last year you go into that series starting Fried in Game 1. After that, you felt good with Ian, but starting three rookies after that all their first postseason start, how different does it feel with Charlie going Game 1?

BRIAN SNITKER: It's big. That's why we got Charlie when we signed him. And it is, it's different. Ian's a year older -- Max, Charlie -- Noah has come a long way since then. And it was, pretty much last year we were just putting together, piecing it together, literally, for -- thank God it was only 60 games.

But this year I feel good. I like where our bullpen is at. I like our starting options. And we've been kind of playing on edge for a long time now. I'm anxious to get going.

Q. We got into town this morning talking to Brewers fans here. We came in from Atlanta. They were talking about how there's so much history between the two cities. Talk about what this series means to the Atlanta Braves organization?

BRIAN SNITKER: I think it's another, starting another chapter of postseason baseball for the Braves. In fact, it's Milwaukee that Hank was at both places. I think that's a really big part of this all is Hank's memory and the fact that he was the -- what he brought to both of these cities, Milwaukee and Atlanta.

And I don't think we've played them in the playoffs, right, Atlanta; this might be the first time. So it's two really good baseball towns. I mean, this is going to be fun.

Q. From the outside looking in, after the Acuña injury, I don't mean to go back in time too much, but the fact that the front office did what they did so quickly and efficiently, what did that do -- did you see a change in the clubhouse from a, wow, we lost a big piece, to instantly we're going to be okay?

BRIAN SNITKER: No, I think because Alex did act so quick, like you say, it was as soon as Ronald went down. And we had dealt with some other really big losses in our club prior to Ronnie going down.

And I think the fact that that situation was addressed so quickly to show that clubhouse in there that nobody is going to run away with this division, and we're going to do everything we can to stay afloat and make a run at it. I think that's huge in the mindset of a clubhouse because those guys -- you see teams, kind of what they did at the break and things like that, the deadline, and the fact that Alex acted so quick showed those guys that -- I think everybody knew once he did that first domino drop, that he wasn't done yet, that he was going to continue to pursue and actively go after and make our club better. And he did.

Q. We just listened to Freddie and Charlie mention how the experience in the postseason, a little understanding the unknowns better, whether it be the crowd noise, or for Charlie the emotions, he was saying, and throughout the game feeling. What about from a managerial standpoint for you, that experience, how has it changed how you see these games, how you go into these games?

BRIAN SNITKER: Again, you never know. I was asked last year, what's my best Game 7 experience. And I said I don't have one yet. I think every experience you have in the postseason, it's just like players. It becomes more normal. And it's something that you're I think ready for because you don't know how you're going to react until you get in that arena.

We have been in that arena for four years. A game away from the World Series last year. It helps. It helps the unknown, like you said, the players now, there's a lot of unknowns that they've uncovered. And we talked about it last week, the guys playing meaningful games in September, something that these guys don't know anything else, which is really good. So I think as a group they're confident in what they're getting ready to experience. There's not as many unknowns. And so I feel really good, too, about where our club is in that respect.