Puneet Varma (Editor)

1998 Atlanta Braves season

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Record
  
106–56 (.654)

Owner(s)
  
Time Warner

Manager(s)
  
Bobby Cox

Divisional place
  
1st

General manager(s)
  
John Schuerholz

1998 Atlanta Braves season

Local television
  
WTBS TBS Superstation (Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson) Fox Sports South (Ernie Johnson, Bob Rathbun)

Few in

Contents

The 1998 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 33rd season in Atlanta. They went on to win their seventh consecutive division title, taking the National League East title by 18 games over the second place New York Mets.

The team featured six all stars: shortstop Walt Weiss and third baseman Chipper Jones were voted as starters, while first baseman Andrés Galarraga, catcher Javy Lopez, and pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux were selected as reserves. Jones and Lopez each hit over 30 home runs as Galaragga (acquired from Colorado) led the club in home runs and RBI. Galaragga finished as an MVP candidate.

The 1998 Braves beat the Chicago Cubs three games to none in the National League Division Series. In the next round Atlanta then lost to the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series four games to two. Despite winning two games after losing the first three, Atlanta's comeback bid came short by being eliminated in game 6. San Diego's winning over Atlanta was seen as one of the biggest upsets in postseason history.

This team has earned a few historic accolades. ESPN writer David Schoenfield lists them as one of the top teams in MLB history to not win a World Series

ESPN columnist Jeff Merron also writes that the pitching staff of Maddux, Glavine, John Smoltz, Denny Neagle, and Kevin Millwood was the greatest of all time. Especially to not win a championship. The quintet posted a cumulative 2.97 E.R.A. and amassed 88 wins (almost 18 wins per starter), equaling the win total of the 2nd place Mets. Glavine, the lone 20 game winner in the National League for that year, won the Cy Young Award.

Offseason

  • November 17, 1997: Walt Weiss was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.
  • January 30, 1998: Dennis Martínez was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.
  • February 6, 1998: Curtis Pride was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.

    • Transactions

  • June 9, 1998: Howard Battle was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.
  • June 23, 1998: Alan Embree was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Russ Springer.
  • August 14, 1998: Paul Byrd was selected off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Atlanta Braves.

    • Batting

    Starting Players

    Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

    Other pitchers

    Relief pitchers

    Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs

    Atlanta wins the series, 3-0

    Game 1

    October 7: Turner Field in Atlanta

    Game 2

    October 8: Turner Field in Atlanta

    Game 3

    October 10: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

    Game 4

    October 11: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

    Game 5

    October 12: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

    Game 6

    October 14: Turner Field in Atlanta

    Award winners

  • Tom Glavine, Pitcher of the Month, April
  • Tom Glavine, P, Silver Slugger
  • Andruw Jones, OF, Gold Glove (Center field)
  • Greg Maddux, Pitcher of the Month, June
  • Greg Maddux, P, Gold Glove

    • 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

  • Chipper Jones, 3B, Starter
  • Greg Maddux, P, Starter
  • Walt Weiss, SS, Starter
  • Andrés Galarraga, 1B, Reserve
  • Tom Glavine, P, Reserve
  • Javy López, C, Reserve

    • References

    1998 Atlanta Braves season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA