Atlanta Braves:

Out to prove 13 isn’t so unlucky

The Atlanta Braves have had a few scene changes before they finally set up their camp in Atlanta. The team spent 76 years in Boston and 13 years in Milwaukee and finally landed in Hotlanta in 1969. The team has featured a number of Hall of Famers and the number one and two career home runs leaders in Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. As memorable as those two players are the Braves as a franchise will be remembered for the streak that they find themselves in today. Atlanta has won the past 12 National League East championships. They’ve had scares before, in the ’94 season the Braves were six games back of the Expos, but the season was stopped due to a strike and the Braves kept their streak in tact by winning the ’95 divisional crown. The Braves franchise has been a great example of regular season dominance, but in the playoffs it’s been a different story. The Braves have been to 12 straight postseasons, but have only come out with five National League pennants and one World Series championship. This lack of success in the playoffs was the reason that many call the Braves the “Buffalo Bills of baseball.” They always seem to do great in the season and fall apart when it really matters.

Last season the Braves finished the season with a 101-61 record and had a great deal of confidence going into the playoffs. The Braves bats were on fire all year long like they had never been during their 12 year run and players and fans alike were hoping that would give them the push they needed to win another ring. The Braves matched up against the Chicago Cubs where the old adage “good pitching beat good hitting.” The Cubs went on to win 3-2 behind amazing performances from their young stud pitchers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood.

This past off-season for the Braves wasn’t big because of the players they picked up on the free agent market, but rather the players they lost on the free agent market. They lost franchise cornerstone Greg Madddux who the Braves thought was not giving them fair value for his asking price. Maddux had spent 10 seasons with the Braves and had won 226 games and a handful of Cy Young awards over that span. The other big loss was slugging right fielder Gary Sheffield. Sheffield flew the coup to the Yankees who offered him a contract way over the Braves head. The Braves also lost long time catcher Javy Lopez and third baseman Vinny Castilla. They did have a few key additions despite the two huge losses. They picked up utility guy Eli Marrero and right fielder J.D. Drew who has never quite lived up to the expectations he set while in the minor leagues.

The batting line-up sans Sheffield is still quite daunting task for opposing pitchers. The Braves feature third baseman Chipper Jones, center fielder Andruw Jones, shortstop Rafael Furcal and second baseman Marcus Giles, all of whom have been All-Stars at least once in their career.
The last of the Braves “big three” is converted closer John Smoltz. Smoltz has been closing for three seasons and has been thriving in the role. He is only second to Dodgers closer Eric Gagne for the amount of nasty pitches and pure intimidation he brings to the hill in the 9th inning.
The Braves call Turner Field their home, named after long time owner and TV mogul Ted Turner. “The Ted” as many call it has a capacity of 50,091 and hosted the ’96 Olympics’ baseball tournament.

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