Ron Washington is clearly missed by the Atlanta Braves, and it appears that he is as well.

The Atlanta Braves miss these qualities in Ron Washington, also known as “Wash,” their longstanding third-base coach and infield instructor who resigned after the 2017 season to manage the Los Angeles Angels, taking first-base coach Eric Young Sr. with him.
In the first three games of their three-game series against the Angels, which started on Friday, numerous Braves players made it a point to approach and embrace Washington on the field prior to batting practice. Atlanta went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and lost 3-2.

Not the blatant salutations for a coach gone. These were sincere, firm hugs, the kind you could get from close friends or relatives who haven’t seen each other in a long time.

While Washington, 72, kept Angels media members waiting a long time in the home dugout for their scheduled pregame session with him, Braves manager Brian Snitker stood and spoke with him in front of the visiting dugout for at least thirty minutes. “I’m sure he had fun seeing everyone, including the guys.”

Without a doubt, he did.
For Braves infielders, Washington was more than just a trainer. All the players not only enjoyed having around him, but also held him in high regard.

Second baseman Ozzie Albies looked up to him as a father figure and mentor. When Ronald Acuña Jr. was still a young and inexperienced star for the Braves, he was the coach that didn’t hesitate to give the young player the feedback he needed.

Third baseman Austin Riley, first baseman Matt Olson, and former Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, among others, attribute their improved defensive performances to him. Riley, in particular, feels that he has improved his game by a few notches.
Riley emphasized that the Angels picked Washington as manager for a purpose, even though he was 71 years old at the time—at least 25–30 years older than the majority of managers appointed in the modern era. He is special. He’s an excellent motivator. When he enters a room, attention is drawn to him. The players always had his back, and he made sure of it. They cherished Wash. Continue to do.
I think he’s in a different league,” Riley remarked. “They don’t produce a second Wash. They don’t. It is what it is, after all. That’s not to say it’s against other people. That’s all there is to it.

That is to say, Matt Tuiasosopo, the new third-base coach and infield instructor who was promoted from Triple A to replace Washington, was not receiving negative feedback from Riley or other Braves who spoke either on or off the record. In his debut season as a major-league coach, “Tui” has garnered praise from Snitker and Braves infielders.
Simply put, at least not right away, Washington’s void was virtually difficult to fill. That’s because, aside from being recognized as one of baseball’s top infield coaches, if not the best, he brings a wealth of intangibles to the table.A few hours prior to Friday’s game, Washington remarked, “Well, I’ve been around a long time.” “I’ve been changing this game for a very long time. I don’t believe that my departure has changed anything regarding the Braves. You can see how injured they were, considering how good they were playing before these ailments. Take a look at all the injuries they sustained and the number of personnel they had to replace. It was not even close to having the same caliber of ability.Washington was now genuinely interested in our interview.

“And then what they did, when he should have been working at the level he was at, might have made Olson want to step up his game,” he said. That’s my point of view. I stepped in at that point. You’re not where you believe you are right now, but I was able to explain where you are. Be who you are, instead than thinking about where you are.

“And everything else will work itself out.”The Braves players will not claim that the team’s poor performance this year is related to Young and Washington’s absence. Why would they, after all? It wouldn’t be fair or helpful to say that, even if they thought it, because this is a team that values camaraderie and supporting one another above all else. The Braves don’t roll their eyes, point fingers, or act in any other way you might see in the clubhouse of a regular underperforming team.However, a sizable portion of Braves supporters—many, it seems from conversations and posts on social media—think that the team has badly missed Washington during a season when his boisterous demeanor and steadfast confidence would have been most beneficial…read more…