Should Braves’ Ronald Acuna Have Been Pulled from Yesterday’s Game?
Photo: si.com
The Braves and the Dodgers squared off in a series-deciding game three yesterday and it was a big game on several levels. Many baseball fans saw this series as a potential preview of this postseason’s NLCS. The Dodgers are many people’s choice for the best team in baseball and the Braves are holding onto a 5.5 game lead over the surging Nationals. With the series split at 1-1, Braves fans knew a win yesterday against the powerful Dodgers would not only help maintain that 5.5 game lead, but give the team a sense of confidence they can beat any team in a series matchup.
After falling behind early 3-1, Braves’ young superstar Ronald Acuna was pulled from the game for not running out what he thought was a home run. Acuna mistakenly thought the ball he hit would go over the wall, didn’t hustle down the first base line, and only ended up with a single after the ball bounced off the wall. He could have easily gotten to second if he had hustled. That was all Braves’ manager Brian Snitker had to see because after the half-inning was over, he pulled Acuna aside, talked to him, and inserted Adam Duvall in the game for Acuna. The Braves would come back to win the game, which was huge for the team, but Snitker’s decision to pull one of the best players in the game was certainly a talking point after.
“He didn’t run. You’ve got to run. It’s not going to be acceptable here. As a teammate you’re responsible for 24 other guys. That name on the front is a lot more important than the name on the back of that jersey. You can’t do that. We’re trying to accomplish something and do something special here and personal things have got to be put on the backburner. You just can’t let your team down like that,” said Snitker after the game. When Acuna was asked about it, he acknowledged he messed up and said he respected his manager’s decision.
Most people I’ve seen react to this on the internet are in support of Brian Snitker’s decision, as they should be. But there are others who question pulling a player of Acuna’s caliber in a big-time game like yesterday’s. There shouldn’t be a doubt in anybody’s mind that Snitker did what was right for the team and for Acuna, himself. It was the right decision because it will benefit the team, as well as Acuna going forward. Everyone must be held accountable for their actions and it doesn’t matter how good/bad a particular player is. If he wouldn’t have pulled Acuna from the game and used it as a teaching moment, who’s to say Acuna might not do the same thing, perhaps in a playoff game where it could potentially cost the team a win?
Photo: Brett Davis/USA Today Sports
Good managers are the ones who aren’t afraid to put their foot down and remind their players that no matter what, the team comes before all else. Snitker did everything exactly right yesterday, even with his postgame comments. That is the type of manager you want leading your team. You don’t want a “leader” who lets the players do anything they want. If Acuna accepts the teachable moment like I fully expect him to, then he and the Braves will be better off for it moving forward. Like veteran catcher Brian McCann said, “It’s just one of those things. It happens. He’ll learn from it and be better for it.” We tend to forget some of these players, like Acuna at 21 years of age, are so young and they need teachable moments in order to grow as a player.
Lastly, we must not forget this is not an unusual circumstance. From time to time we see managers pulling their players from the game because lack of hustling. Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts pulled their young superstar Cody Bellinger from a game last season for not hustling. Braves fans remember Ender Inciarte being pulled last year for the same thing. And who doesn’t remember Andruw Jones pulled in the middle of an inning by Bobby Cox in 1998? All these players turned out ok and learned from it. There is no doubt in my mind that Ronald Acuna will learn from this and be better off for it just as all those other guys were. And that wouldn’t be possible if Snitker had let that teaching moment pass by.
Garett