Brian Snitker was able to laugh on Wednesday night after Ozzie Albies fouled off a ball that nearly hit Snitker in, um, the worst place.
How was he smiling after that?
“It hit me right below the belt,” Snitker said Thursday. “A little high.”
Thankfully.
Still, it looked painful for every man watching it. The ball, which went right toward Snitker, bounced and struck him.
Snitker said he received a lot of texts about it. His son Troy, a hitting coach for the Astros, sent him the video.
“I didn’t watch TV all morning because I said, ‘I’m not gonna watch this thing again,’” Brian said.
After Albies made an out to finish the at-bat, he went into the dugout and made sure Snitker was fine.
“He came up like a young kid that was sorry about something,” Snitker said. “I just put my arm around him and told him it was okay. He felt worse than me. He’s such a good kid.”
Matt Olson was standing right behind Snitker when it happened. Olson told Snitker the ball would’ve hit him if not for Snitker.
“So I said, ‘Well, I’m a hell of a lot easier to replace than he is, so I’m glad it hit me,’” Snitker said.
Snitker said it’s his fault for standing where he does. He usually stands at the edge of the dugout steps closest to home plate, but doesn’t shield himself behind the netting under the dugout railing.
And he doesn’t wear a protective cup. “I may borrow my grandson’s,” he joked. But Snitker didn’t even use one as a third-base coach.
And in that job, he experienced getting nailed. Dan Uggla broke his wrist. Evan Gattis drilled his ankle.
“I can’t even imagine coaching third base when Gary Sheffield and guys like that were at the plate,” Snitker said.
Arcia update
Shortstop Orlando Arcia was not at Truist Park on Thursday.
“He’s still kind of screwed up with the infection,” Snitker said.
Arcia is mainly getting nutrients from protein drinks after a tooth extraction.
“That’s I think about all he’s getting in him right now, is kind of the shakes and soup and things like that,” Arcia said. “So we were hoping we could maybe get him over here today and move around a little bit. We’ll get him out here (Friday).”
If Arcia doesn’t progress much, could he eventually land on the injured list?
“That’s something we’re probably gonna have to consider down the road, I think,” Snitker said. “We’re just hoping every day, he gets a little more healed up and feels better.”
The Braves are playing two men down, as Ramón Laureano (oblique issue) still cannot play. The Braves haven’t put Laureano or Arcia on the injured list.
