Atlanta Braves 2005 Team |
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2004 RECORD: 96
WINS 66
LOSSES N.L.
EAST 2004 TEAM PAYROLL
$90.182.500
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| Have the Braves ever not won their division? Indeed, the last time it happened, there were kids born that year who are now in high school. Almost every year, the division dynasty is supposed to crumble, but every year Bobby Cox pulls about six rabbits out of his cap. Players on their way out of the game - like Raul Mondesi and Brian Jordan this year - are suddenly rejuvenated. Pitchers come and go and never do better than they did in Atlanta. Of course, with their money, the Braves don't bring in chumps. This year it's Tim Hudson, a Cy Young candidate in any league, and closer Dan Kolb. Consequently, they also filled another rotation spot with John Smoltz, a closer who's said to have been a pretty good starter at one time. He and Hudson and Mike Hampton forge an impressive threesome, but as they know too well in Atlanta - and Hudson could tell you from his Oakland experience - three aces don't guarentee a World Series. |
Atlanta Braves All-Time best outfielders |
1.Hank Aaron
BA: .305, HR: 755 RBI: 2,297 Hall of Fame: 1982
2. Dale Murphy
BA: .265, HR: 398 RBI: 1,266 Two-time N.L. MVP
3. Andruw Jones
BA: .268, HR: 250
RBI: 766
Seven-time Gold Glove
4. David Justice
BA: .279, HP: 305
RBI: 1,017
W90 N.L. Rookie oi the Year
5. Dusty Baker
BA: .278, HR: 242 RBI: 1,013 1977 N.L.C.S. MVP |
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2004 Team Leaders and History |
| Team History |
| YEAR |
W |
L |
RS |
RA |
| 2004 |
96 |
66 |
803 |
668 |
| 2003 |
101 |
61 |
907 |
740 |
| 2002 |
101 |
59 |
708 |
565 |
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| POS. |
BATTER |
AMT |
| BA |
Johnny Estrada |
.314 |
| HR |
J.D. Drew |
31 |
| RBI |
Chipper Jones |
96 |
| R |
J.D. Drew |
118 |
| SB |
Rafael Furcal |
29 |
| OBP |
J.D. Drew |
.436 |
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| POS. |
PITCHER |
AMT |
| W |
Russ Ortiz/Jaret Wright |
15 |
| Sv |
John Smoltz |
44 |
| IP |
Russ Ortiz |
204.2 |
| ERA |
Antonio Alfonseca |
2.57 |
| SO |
Jaret Wright |
159 |
| G |
Chris Reitsma |
84 |
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| 2005 Team Salaries |
| Rk |
Player |
Salary (US$) |
| 1. |
Chipper Jones |
16,008,539 |
| 2. |
Mike Hampton |
13,503,543 |
| 3. |
Andruw Jones |
13,000,000 |
| 4. |
John Smoltz |
9,000,000 |
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Team Total |
85,148,582 |
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Team Rank |
10th |
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The Braves, who usually draft pitchers with their first pick, compared Eric Campbell, a shortstop from Owensville, Ind., to Matt Williams, the former home run king. |
| Campbell should move to third base and was also a top prep basketball player, exactly like Scott Rolen was a decade ago. Campbell was taken with the 71st pick, since the Braves sacrificed their first-round pick to sign John Thomson. |
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The Braves' season depends on the successful return of John Smoltz
to the starting rotation. And that is no sure thing. Smoitz is five years off arm surgery, but his rebuilt elbow has never withstood the demands of starting. Every pitcher experiences a change in the quality of stuff in later years, and Smoltz has not needed a wide selection of pitches as a short reliever. But he is a special talent, one who will be considered for the Hall of Fame someday, and his open lobbying to start again indicates that he must know what he's getting himself into. Smoltz accepts the responsibility of leading a staff, and he would not return to the rotation unless he believed he could win big again.
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