2009 Atlanta Braves

The 2008 season wasn’t the Atlanta Braves’ best, ending with a fourth place finish in the NL East. Tired of being at the bottom of the pack, the Braves switched things up in the offseason to address their shortfalls. Though pitcher John Smoltz is a future Hall of Famer, the Braves had some of the lowest numbers in the league in the starting pitching categories last season, so Smoltz was sent to the Red Sox and the team picked up Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez and Kenshin Kawakami. Though the offense didn’t change much, the Braves have a solid lineup including Chipper Jones and Jeff Francoeur, and if they can stay healthy and focused, the Braves have a legitimate shot at a trip to the playoffs (a trip they haven’t made since 2005). The 2009 Atlanta Braves should produce some truly exciting baseball, so get your tickets to Turner Field and be there to catch all the action!

The Beginning

The team that would become the Atlanta Braves was formed in Boston in 1871. The team was dominant early on, capturing four pennants between 1871 and 1875. The team continued to dominate when they entered the newly established National League in 1876. By 1900 though, the Braves’ fortunes had shifted and they proceeded to win only 2 more pennants before moving to Milwaukee in 1953.

The move to Milwaukee suited the Braves and they proceeded to reach the World Series in 1957 and 1958. The Milwaukee Braves were led by stars Warren Spahn and Hank Aaron, both Hall of Famers. Spahn would win more games than any other lefty in History (363) and Aaron would go on to break the most sacred record in sports: Babe Ruth’s homerun record in 1974.

On to Atlanta

The Braves moved once again, this time to Atlanta in 1966. Unfortunately they did not experience the same type of initial success they experienced in Milwaukee. It would take the Atlanta Braves 15 years to reach the World Series. Once there though they became regulars playing in the Series 4 times between 1991 and 1996, winning it all in 1995. That was in the midst of 11 straight division titles.