The situation surrounding the injury to Atlanta Braves right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver continues to raise questions. Friday morning, MLB analyst Ben Verlander criticized manager Brian Snitker for not noticing that something was up with his pitcher.
Despite looking like he was dialed into the game on TV, it had to be pointed out to him by Spencer Strider that something was wrong.
“My question is how did Brian Snitker NOT see?” Verlander said in his tweet. “He’s sitting right there, seemingly locked in, and AJ was shaking his arm and wincing after every pitch.”
Smith-Shawver came out of the game immediately after the staff went to check him out. He’s now on the 60-day injured list with a strained right elbow. There have been no further updates. However, there is speculation that this injury could be season-ending.
Credit to Strider for going over there and making sure Smith-Shawver gets the attention he needs. However, how much heat Snitker should get is a tricky debate. If you look at the video and give no other thought beyond what Verlander is saying, then it totally looks like Snitker is staring into space. But there are some things to keep in mind.
The video used is a series of three clips focused on Strider and how he reacted to the injury. Snitker is in the clips for about a total of 15 or so seconds. A chunk of it is the same shot of him looking out onto the field that Verlander points to for criticism. The other is Snitker actively discussing the situation with Strider, pitching coach Rick Kranitz and the other coaches about it. We don’t see how he reacts to finding out – assuming that is how he found out – in any frame.
If we saw in these clips how he reacted, it would be easier to respond accordingly. If someone has already concluded that he dropped the ball or that he’s checked out, this will be enough to reinforce that opinion. Otherwise, there is a reason very few have said much beyond stating the fact that Strider went over there to say something.
