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This is right in my wheelhouse during a quarantine. The Braves. Historical comparisons. Stats. Unlimited time. I just spent the past two hours comparing each lineup. This was fun! Here we go!
1/ https://twitter.com/FOXSportsBraves/status/1248279719440678912
1/ https://twitter.com/FOXSportsBraves/status/1248279719440678912
Team 1
Immediate fan favorite. My favorite player ever, Murph. Second favorite, Chipper. Current favorite, Acuna. Smoltzie, Big Cat, Javy, Rico, Raffy, Prado all beloved. So there's that, and it's worth something.
2/
Immediate fan favorite. My favorite player ever, Murph. Second favorite, Chipper. Current favorite, Acuna. Smoltzie, Big Cat, Javy, Rico, Raffy, Prado all beloved. So there's that, and it's worth something.
2/
Defensively, gold glove guys Galarraga and Murph. Future gold glover in Acuna. Chipper was underrated at third. Furcal and Javy liabilities for sure.
Offensively, OPS+ (w/ATL) goes:
Acuna 130
Murph 125
Chipper 141
Galarraga 141
Javy 114
Carty 143* (I'd hit him 2nd, Murph 4th, Big Cat 5th)
Furcal 95
Prado 109
4/
Acuna 130
Murph 125
Chipper 141
Galarraga 141
Javy 114
Carty 143* (I'd hit him 2nd, Murph 4th, Big Cat 5th)
Furcal 95
Prado 109
4/
Lineup AVG/OBP/HR/RBI/SB (full season w/ATL)
Acuna 285/365/34/83/27
Murph 268/351/29/88/12
Chipper 303/401/26/90/8
Big Cat 303/384/36/111/5
Javy 287/337/21/69/1
Rico 317/388/16/64/1
Raffy 284/348/10/49/32
Prado 295/345/10/57/6
Where's the weakness?
5/
Acuna 285/365/34/83/27
Murph 268/351/29/88/12
Chipper 303/401/26/90/8
Big Cat 303/384/36/111/5
Javy 287/337/21/69/1
Rico 317/388/16/64/1
Raffy 284/348/10/49/32
Prado 295/345/10/57/6
Where's the weakness?
5/
On the mound, John Smoltz
210-147, 3.26 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3395 IP, 53 CG, 3011 K, 154 SV with the Braves
And one of the best big-game pitchers in baseball history
6/
210-147, 3.26 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3395 IP, 53 CG, 3011 K, 154 SV with the Braves
And one of the best big-game pitchers in baseball history
6/
Team 2
Hank is the GOAT. And Freddie will be a top 10 Brave when he's retired. Love Gant, Horner, B-Mac, and Andrelton.
Defensively, gold gloves for Simmons and Aaron. Freeman might get one. Gant will have to play CF and that's not great. Klesko and Horner are problems.
7/
Hank is the GOAT. And Freddie will be a top 10 Brave when he's retired. Love Gant, Horner, B-Mac, and Andrelton.
Defensively, gold gloves for Simmons and Aaron. Freeman might get one. Gant will have to play CF and that's not great. Klesko and Horner are problems.
7/
OPS+ w/ATL:
Gant 115
Hank 158 (love it, like having Trout hit 2nd)
Freddie 137
Horner 128
Klesko 127
McCann 115
Giles 108
Andrelton 85
Pitch around Hank to face Freddie and Horner? Yikes.
8/
Gant 115
Hank 158 (love it, like having Trout hit 2nd)
Freddie 137
Horner 128
Klesko 127
McCann 115
Giles 108
Andrelton 85
Pitch around Hank to face Freddie and Horner? Yikes.
8/
Lineup AVG/OBP/HR/RBI/SB (full season w/ATL)
Gant 262/326/25/80/26
Hank 310/377/35/105/11
Freddie 293/379/25/89/5
Horner 278/339/24/72/2
Klesko 281/361/23/75/4
B-Mac 275/348/19/71/2
Giles 285/361/12/49/10
Andrelton 256/304/8/42/4
9/
Gant 262/326/25/80/26
Hank 310/377/35/105/11
Freddie 293/379/25/89/5
Horner 278/339/24/72/2
Klesko 281/361/23/75/4
B-Mac 275/348/19/71/2
Giles 285/361/12/49/10
Andrelton 256/304/8/42/4
9/
Tom Glavine, the only one of the three pitchers completely homegrown, on the bump.
Career with ATL:
244-147, 3.41 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 2091 K
Plus 2.16 ERA in 8 World Series games including 8IP-1H shutout in biggest game in ATL Braves history
10/
Career with ATL:
244-147, 3.41 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 2091 K
Plus 2.16 ERA in 8 World Series games including 8IP-1H shutout in biggest game in ATL Braves history
10/
Team 3
Easily fewest full seasons of any of the teams (1-83, 2-88, 3-72). But in the shorter time period, put up the scariest numbers.
Defensively, gold gloves with Maddux, Torre, and maybe best CF ever Andruw. Justice was GG caliber. Blauser and McGriff are problems.
11/
Easily fewest full seasons of any of the teams (1-83, 2-88, 3-72). But in the shorter time period, put up the scariest numbers.
Defensively, gold gloves with Maddux, Torre, and maybe best CF ever Andruw. Justice was GG caliber. Blauser and McGriff are problems.
11/
OPS+ w/ATL:
Ozzie 108
Eddie 145
Crime Dog 128
Sheff 151 (!!!)
Justice 132
Andruw 113
Torre 130
Blauser 106
First team w/no one below league average. Sheffield's career years in Atlanta were insane.
12/
Ozzie 108
Eddie 145
Crime Dog 128
Sheff 151 (!!!)
Justice 132
Andruw 113
Torre 130
Blauser 106
First team w/no one below league average. Sheffield's career years in Atlanta were insane.
12/
Lineup AVG/OBP/HR/RBI/SB (full season w/ATL)
Ozzie 279/332/17/62/12
Eddie 273/379/33/93/4
McGriff 293/369/26/89/4
Sheff 319/412/32/108/15
Justice 275/374/23/75/5
Andruw 263/342/33/102/13
Torre 294/356/18/69/1
Blauser 268/355/11/46/6
13/
Ozzie 279/332/17/62/12
Eddie 273/379/33/93/4
McGriff 293/369/26/89/4
Sheff 319/412/32/108/15
Justice 275/374/23/75/5
Andruw 263/342/33/102/13
Torre 294/356/18/69/1
Blauser 268/355/11/46/6
13/
On the bump, a pitcher in the discussion for the best in baseball history.
Maddux's number with the Braves:
194-88, 2.63 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 2526.2 IP, 62 CG, 1828 K
Unfairly knocked for some shaky postseasons but 2.09 ERA in five World Series games.
14/
Maddux's number with the Braves:
194-88, 2.63 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 2526.2 IP, 62 CG, 1828 K
Unfairly knocked for some shaky postseasons but 2.09 ERA in five World Series games.
14/
This comes down to 1 and 3. Even with Hank and Freddie, team 2 just doesn't have enough offense. They don't get on base, and can't manufacture runs with speed. Even with Simmons, they are the weakest defensively. Despite Tommy's brilliance, I'll take Smoltz or Maddux.
15/
15/
So who wins? On base % nearly identical. Team 3 advantage in power. Team 1 advantage in speed. Defense toss up. Team 3 has 3 Gold Gloves and one close, team 1 has 2 GGs and two close. You gotta go position by position.
16/
16/
C - Javy PUSH Torre
1B - Galarraga PUSH McGriff
2B - Albies > Prado
SS - Furcal > Blauser
3B - Chipper > Matthews
RF - Murph > Justice
CF - Andruw PUSH Acuna
LF - Sheff > Carty
P Maddux > Smoltz
Doesn't solve it!
17/
1B - Galarraga PUSH McGriff
2B - Albies > Prado
SS - Furcal > Blauser
3B - Chipper > Matthews
RF - Murph > Justice
CF - Andruw PUSH Acuna
LF - Sheff > Carty
P Maddux > Smoltz
Doesn't solve it!
17/
Comes down to Murph and Chipper. For 30 years, they were the heart, soul, and face of the Braves. In a matchup this close, they're leadership, Smoltz's big game prowess, and Acuna's youthful energy push Team 1 to the top.
Thanks for coming to my Braves TED (Turner) Talk.
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Thanks for coming to my Braves TED (Turner) Talk.
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