MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS BRAVES

November 1, 2021

Brian Snitker

Minute Maid Park

Atlanta Braves

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Just how comforting is it to have Max going tomorrow with all his postseason experience the last few years?

BRIAN SNITKER: It's great. I always feel good when Max pitches. We're in a good spot right now with Ian on tap. Got a lot of confidence in Max. Looking forward to watching him go.

Q. For Max and really for all of the guys, how much does it help now that they've played two games there, they've seen what the environment is like? How can that help them?

BRIAN SNITKER: I think it's good. We're going to a familiar place now. I thought they handled it really good the first go-round, and I think because we've been there now and the whole routine and into the routine and all that, they'll be -- none of that will be a distraction at all.

Q. Obviously, you never plan a game to lose, but when Charlie Morton went down, you figured you had to do two bullpen games instead of one. After seeing the results, are you, not happy, but comfortable with the way things turned out?

BRIAN SNITKER: Yeah, I'm glad we split it. I knew it was going to be a rough spot having to do that, but it is what it is. We hated losing Charlie, obviously, but we survived the two bullpen games.

Now after yesterday, the day off today, we're in good shape now going forward.

Q. Just your experience being around Max. I'm curious, like how much do you get the sense that he wants to be that guy? That he sort of feels the burden of being kind of the ace of a starting rotation? I guess especially with Charlie Morton going down and just the responsibility that is on him on a night like tomorrow.

BRIAN SNITKER: I think Max is relishing in that. I think he's excited about it. I think he's ready for that. I can just tell during the games, talking to him the last couple nights on the bench, and I think he's really looking forward to this opportunity tomorrow.

He's right where he needs to be in his career. He's grown so much. He's matured. He's been through these games before. I think he's really looking forward to the challenge tomorrow night.

Q. What were those conversations like, Brian? What was sort of that sense you got from him these last few days?

BRIAN SNITKER: Just talking to him, there's no specific conversation, just game talk over the course of the game, talking to him about different situations, stuff like that. Nothing specific.

Q. As relief pitching becomes more significant, then games get longer, 3 1/2, 4 hours. When you're watching a game, do you think there's more of a need for a pitch clock to speed it along?

BRIAN SNITKER: I've experienced it, the pitch clock, in Triple-A. I don't know that that's the problem, quite honestly. I know these games are long because the time in between innings is really long and stuff like that that's added to it.

Q. Just the dead time?

BRIAN SNITKER: I like the flow when I experienced the pitch clock, but I don't know that's going to solve -- I mean, that's not the only thing that's going to solve the problem.

Q. Is it just all the stepping off?

BRIAN SNITKER: I don't mind all that, quite honestly. The throw-overs, all of that kind of stuff, they're talking about limiting some of that. I think that's all part of the game.

Honestly, once the game gets started, I don't look at a clock or whatever. I mean, as far as until the game is over, and then I look and see what time it is.

Q. What has gone into the decisions from the team -- both teams are actually doing it -- to after the road games, waiting a day to fly home rather than going straight at night?

BRIAN SNITKER: I think, number one, there's a lot of kids traveling. The games are going until midnight or beyond, and they're going to get home, it's not going to be good sleep. We're just more in tune with letting the guys get a good night's sleep. We're not going to do anything today anyway, most of them. This time of the series, you're probably not going to work out.

So it will be a day that it's not good sleep for them. I think you get them a good night's sleep, and then we travel. We're in this thing, and I think it's better than getting in at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning and hitting rush-hour traffic, and if you're dragging kids or whatever, it's kind of a pain. I think mainly the sleep cycle.

Q. Brian, are you looking for more of the same from Max? How would you evaluate how he did last time out?

BRIAN SNITKER: I think he's been off a little bit the last couple times, hasn't been himself. I expect to see Max on top of his game tomorrow. I expect that every time he goes out. I mean, this guy probably, since the All-Star break, is one of the best pitchers in the game. So that's kind of the version of Max that I expect to see tomorrow.

Q. Is there a sense of pressure, you guys talked about it the whole week, like the Dodgers breaking the 3-1 last year and then this year trying to complete the win. Now it's a similar spot for you guys but on a bigger stage. Is there pressure on you or the guys?

BRIAN SNITKER: The pressure is getting here. We're in the World Series right now. There's no pressure. Like I say, it's pressure in the NLCS when you're trying to get here. We all want to finish this off, but there's no pressure. We're one of two teams remaining in our sport, and there's no -- I don't know that these guys have -- I've sensed any kind of pressure out of these guys internally.

The only time I hear about that is in this room. In that room out there, I never hear it.

Q. They're enjoying the game the same as they have all year?

BRIAN SNITKER: Yeah, I know these players are. They're having fun playing this thing. They're in the World Series. My God, like I told them, you're never guaranteed this, so enjoy it.

Q. So much was made going into this year about 162 games after 60 last season. Especially after your bullpen in particular has carried so many big innings for you, are you pleased with where those guys are at physically going into this final game and potentially two?

BRIAN SNITKER: Everybody that's in the World Series right now is gassed, everybody. Both teams, all the players. It's been a long year, but I feel really good with where our club is. I feel really good with where the bullpen guys are. Some of these guys have had two days off and at the most two more games to play. I think they're in good shape.

I admire the heck out of our bullpen because of what these guys have done. And it seems pretty much they've all gotten better since they've been used.