Qualifier: players will be classified under one position even if they played at more than one.

Fred McGriff:

Five-time All-Star first baseman Fred McGriff was an outstanding midseason acquisition by the Atlanta Braves in 1993. McGriff batted over .300 with a 1.000-plus OPS over his first two years with the Braves. Then in 1995, he homered twice in the World Series to help bring Atlanta it’s latest championship. McGriff racked up 2,490 hits, 493 home runs and 4,458 total bases with a .377 on-base percentage in his 19-year career. He has been on the Hall of Fame ballot in each of the last two years, receiving about 20 percent of the vote each time.

Joe Adcock:

Former All-Star Joe Adcock joined the Braves in Milwaukee in 1953 and spent the next ten years with the team. Adcock was consistently one of the best power hitters in the National League, slugging .511 over 1,207 games as a Brave. He ranks sixth in franchise history with 239 home runs including a career-high 38 in 1956 and a four-homer game in 1954. Adcock won a World Series with the Braves in 1957 and was a big part of their 1958 pennant team. He maintained a 130 OPS+ (league average is 100) and was worth 26.6 wins above replacement (WAR) for the Braves.

Fred Tenney:

Fred Tenney spent a franchise record 1,556 games at first base when the team played in Boston. Tenney was a great player on both sides of the game and an on-and-off player/manager. From 1894 to 1911, he maintained a .300 batting average with a .376 OBP and 111 OPS+. He racked up 2,231 hits, 1,278 runs and 42.8 WAR in 17 Major League seasons and his 260 stolen bases in Boston remain one of the top five totals in Braves history.

Andres Galarraga:

Five-time All-Star Andres Galarraga was Atlanta’s power-hitting first baseman from 1998 to 2000. After an outstanding 1998 season in which he batted .305, belted 44 home runs and drove in 121 RBI, Galarraga faced the ultimate adversity as he battled lymphoma. His return to the field in 2000 yielded another 100 RBI season, his final All-Star appearance and the NL Comeback Player of the Year award. Galarraga retired from baseball in 2004 with career totals of 2,333 hits and 399 home runs.

Earl Torgeson:

Earl Torgeson was a great lefty first baseman and a complete player who was one of the best at getting on base in an era before the value of OBP was truly recognized. Spending his first six Major League seasons with the Boston Braves, Torgeson batted .265 with 478 walks against 294 strikeouts in 720 games. He ranked in the top ten in walks six times and stolen bases seven times. As a Brave, he posted a .385 OBP and 122 OPS+.

Honorable mentions: Orlando Cepeda, John Morrill, Chris Chambliss and Tommy Tucker.

Sources:

Atlanta Braves Team History & Encyclopedia, Baseball-Reference.com

More from this contributor:

Atlanta Braves top five catchers

Boston Red Sox top five catchers

Chicago Cubs top five catchers

Cleveland Indians top five catchers

Detroit Tigers top five catchers

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November 15, 2011 – International League (IL) Gwinnett Braves
Lawrenceville, GA – Former Gwinnett Braves right-hander Craig Kimbrel received the 2011 National
League Rookie of the Year award in an announcement made Monday by the Atlanta Braves. A dominant
closer for the G-Braves in 2010 that fulfilled the same role with Atlanta in 2011, Kimbrel secured all 32
first-place votes from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America in becoming the seventh Atlanta
Braves player to win the award all-time.

Kimbrel edged teammate and fellow former G-Brave Freddie Freeman, who earned 21 second-place
votes and seven third-place votes.

Kimbrel, 23, set a Major League rookie record with 46 saves in 2011, going 4-3 with a 2.10 ERA (18 ER
in 77.0 IP) and 127 strikeouts in 79 appearances. Major League opponents hit just .178 against him in
his first full professional season. In 2010, he went 4-0 with one save and a 0.44 ERA in 21 outings for the
Braves, but did not qualify for Rookie of the Year voting.

Originally drafted by the Braves in the third round in 2008 out of Wallace State Community College (AL),
Kimbrel pitched two scoreless outings with Gwinnett in 2009 and enjoyed breakout success with the G-
Braves in 2010. He went 3-2 with 23 saves and a 1.62 ERA (10 ER in 55.2 IP) in 48 International League
outings that season. Kimbrel shared the club’s “Most Outstanding Pitcher” of 2010 award with right-
hander Stephen Marek.

Kimbrel is the first Braves player to win the award since Rafael Furcal in 2000 and the first unanimous NL
Rookie of the Year selection since Albert Pujols of St. Louis in 2001.

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• Former G-Brave Kimbrel Is Nl Rookie of the Year – Gwinnett Braves

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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by

By Mark Bowman, from MLB.com

Atlanta Braves

Brian McCann (The Associated Press)

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ATLANTA — Brian McCann endured one of the worst six-week stretches of his career after returning from the disabled list in August. But his late-season slide did not keep him from becoming the first player to win five Silver Slugger Awards while playing for the Braves.

McCann joined rare company Wednesday when it was announced he won his fifth career Silver Slugger Award. It marks the fourth consecutive year the Braves catcher has been bestowed with this honor, which is given to the top offensive performer at each position in both the National and American Leagues.

With just six full Major League seasons under his belt, the 27-year-old McCann becomes the sixth catcher to win at least five Silver Slugger Awards. The others are Mike Piazza (10), Ivan Rodriguez (seven), Lance Parrish (six), Gary Carter (five) and Jorge Posada (five).

This marks the seventh time in the past nine years that a Braves catcher has won a Silver Slugger Award. Javy Lopez grabbed the honor in 2003, and Johnny Estrada won it in ‘04. McCann won his first in ‘06.

Tom Glavine and Dale Murphy stand as the only other players to win four Silver Slugger Awards while playing for the Braves.

Even with his late struggles, McCann ended this past season with a .270 batting average, 24 home runs and a .817 OPS. He led all Major League catchers in home runs and ranked second in OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) to Arizona’s Miguel Montero (.820).

It took McCann some time to find his power this year, as he totaled just seven extra-base hits (two home runs) through May 16. But with some help from his older brother Brad, a former minor league player, the catcher righted himself and went on a tear that provided reason to wonder if he might hit 30 homers for the first time in his career.

McCann batted .323 with 16 home runs and a 1.013 OPS during a 53-game stretch from May 17 until July 26, the day he strained his left oblique muscle and altered the course of his season.

Anxious to begin helping his teammates again, McCann returned to the Atlanta lineup on Aug. 14. Over the next six weeks, it would become apparent that he returned far too soon.

McCann batted .180 with six home runs and a .638 OPS in 37 games after returning from the disabled list. His batting average dipped from .306 to .270, and his slugging percentage from .514 to .466 during that stretch.

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Nov 2, 2011 – On Wednesday All-Star catcher Brian McCann became only the third Atlanta Braves to win four or more Silver Slugger awards, joining Tom Glavine and Dale Murphy as the only members of the esteemed fraternity. McCann hit .270 with 24 home runs and 71 RBIs on the season as the Braves missed the playoffs by one game.

The Silver Slugger Award is awarded annually to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball. Here is the full list of players who won the award this year.

For the latest news and analysis on the Braves off-season, head over to Talking Chop, and for more information on baseball’s hot-stove season, check out our MLB news hub.

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Qualifier: players will be classified under one position even if they played at more than one.

Joe Torre:

Before becoming one of the most prominent managers in Major League Baseball, Joe Torre was a five-time All-Star for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. Torre gave the Braves one of the best hitters at his position in the 1960s. He batted .294 with a .818 OPS over 1,037 games with the Braves. Torre later won a National League MVP and went to four more All-Star Games with the St. Louis Cardinals. In his 18-year career as a whole, he racked up 2,342 hits, 252 home runs and 1,185 RBI.

Del Crandall:

Del Crandall was an eight-time All-Star backstop for the Braves from 1949 to 1963. In 1,394 games with the Braves, Crandall maintained a .257 batting average and slugged .412. Defensively, he won four Gold Gloves and tossed out 46 percent of base-stealers. Crandall was a part of the Braves’ second World Series Championship team in 1957. Like Torre, Crandall went on to manage in the majors with the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners.

Javy Lopez:

One of the best offensive catchers in recent Major League history, three-time All-Star Javy Lopez played his first 12 seasons with Atlanta from 1992 to 2003. Lopez was a .287 hitter with a 113 OPS+ (league average is 100) over 1,156 games behind the plate in Atlanta. He went to nine playoffs and won a World Series with the Braves in 1995. Lopez capped his Braves career with a brilliant 2003 season in which he cracked 43 home runs, drove in 109 RBI and posted a 1.065 OPS.

Brian McCann(notes):

Current Braves catcher Brian McCann has been a NL All-Star in each of his six full seasons in the big leagues. McCann has hit 20 home runs and topped the .800 OPS mark five times in the last six years, pulling in four Silver Sluggers in the process. His bat has been worth 21.8 wins above replacement for a team that competes for a playoff spot year in and year out. Through 882 games in the majors, McCann boasts 878 hits and 136 home runs.

Hank Gowdy:

Longtime Boston Braves catcher Hank Gowdy was the starting backstop for the Braves’ first World Series winner in 1914. Gowdy played for the Braves for 14 years over two stints from 1911 to 1930. Behind the dish, he threw out 51% of potential base-stealers overall, twice leading the NL in the category. Gowdy was a career .270 hitter with a 104 OPS+. He reached as high as 35.9% in the Hall of Fame voting, but never made it in.

Sources:

Atlanta Braves Team History & Encyclopedia, Baseball-Reference.com

More from this contributor:

Boston Red Sox top five catchers

Top five pitchers in August 2011

Atlanta Hawks top five power forwards

Atlanta Hawks top five small forwards

Atlanta Hawks top five shooting guards

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Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

That’s all the news for today.

That’s all for today.

That’s all for today.

When her cell phone rang Tuesday afternoon, Barb Mueller didn’t
give a second thought about who it might be.

Until she heard this: “This is Stu from the Atlanta Braves.”

“Tony! Tony, get down here,” Barb Mueller called to her son,
Tony, who was watching the Major League Baseball draft on
television on a different floor of their La Crosse home.

Stu Cann, a scout with the Braves organization, was calling for
Tony Mueller, a standout outfielder/pitcher who had just completed
his junior season at Winona State University.

Cann wanted to know if Mueller, a 20-year-old with seemingly
deer-like speed, would sign if the Braves selected him in the
upcoming 13th round of the First-Year Player Draft.

“I said, ‘If you’re going to take me, I’ll sign,’” Tony told
Cann without hesitation.

Sure enough, a few minutes later Tony Mueller’s name scrolled
across the bottom of the television screen. The Atlanta Braves had
selected the former Logan High School star in the 13th round on
Tuesday afternoon.

The Mueller household was rockin’ and rollin’.

“I just wanted to get a chance at the next level. Dale (his
older brother) never really got a chance after his senior year (at
Butler). I said if I ever got the chance, I would cherish it,” Tony
said. “The thirteenth round, that is pretty high.”

To put it into perspective, Coon Valley, Wis., native Scott
Servais, who spent 11 years in the majors, was taken in the second
round of the 1985 draft by the New York Mets. He opted to attend
Creighton University, and was drafted again, this time by the
Houston Astros, in the third round in 1988.

West Salem High School graduate and former Viterbo University
star Damian Miller was taken in the 20th round of the 1990 draft by
the Minnesota Twins. Miller spent 10 years in the Major
Leagues.

Former Central High School star George Williams was selected in
the 24th round of the 1991 draft and spent six seasons in the
majors with the Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres.

Mueller’s not thinking that far ahead. He’s enjoying the
moment.

“It’s my parents 30th wedding anniversary. There is no better
present I could give them,” Tony said. “I can’t say enough for what
they have done for me.”

Mueller said he and his family will sit down with Cann late this
afternoon to discuss terms of a contract. Tony said the “slot
money,” or typical money given to a 13th-round pick is between
$50,000 and $60,000, plus picking up the cost of the last year of
college.

Mueller, a junior at Winona State, will forgo his final year of
college eligibility.

“I am not worried about the money. I just want enough to pay
back my school loans and then start playing,” Tony said. “It’s
never been about the money.”

Mueller, who is coming off some of the best baseball he has ever
played as he earned co-MVP honors at the NCAA Division II Baseball
Championship, said if signs a contract this afternoon, he will be
off to Orlando, Fla., for a physical on Friday.

Then he is likely off to the Braves’ rookie league team in
Danville, Va., to begin preparations for the upcoming season, which
begins June 20. Danville is an Advanced-Rookie level team that
plays in the Appalachian League, which is the same league in which
Miller (Elizabethton) began his career.

“I hope it all goes well (today). All along, he just wanted a
chance,” Barb Mueller said. “He has stayed healthy and so
enthusiastic for baseball. That is his nature.”

Mueller said he had contact with every Major League team, but
the Braves, Twins, Marlins and Blue Jays were the teams that kept
in close contact with him.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

Atlanta manager Bobby Cox (The Associated Press)

slideshow

The Rome Braves will honor special guest, former Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox in a pregame ceremony on June 18th.

“We are honored to have Bobby come to Rome and let us recognize his accomplishments,” says Rome General Man-ager Michael Dunn. “He is a Hall of Fame manager and the biggest reason for the Braves success over the years.”

Cox spent 29 seasons as a Major League manager with 2,504 wins ranking him fourth all-time.

He won 15 division crowns in his career including 14 straight in Atlanta that led to five pennants and a World Championship in 1995.

He retired from managing last season and currently works as Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Atlanta Braves.

Fans are encouraged to bring congratulatory posters for the game that night. In addition, fans can make posters on the front plaza before the game. Game time is 7 p.m. with pre-game ceremonies beginning at 6:40 p.m.. Gates open at six.

That’s all the news for today.

ATLANTA — An emotional Roger McDowell has returned from his two-week suspension and is vowing he won’t repeat the inappropriate comments and crude gestures he made to fans that led to his punishment by Major League Baseball.

McDowell’s eyes were red as he apologized Friday “to anyone who was offended by my actions.” He struggled to remain composed while he talked about his return as the Braves’ pitching coach.

The suspension came after Justin Quinn made McDowell’s actions public.

Quinn, who was attending the April 23 Braves-Giants game in San Francisco with his 9-year-old twin daughters, says he saw McDowell ask three men “Are you guys a homo couple or a threesome?”

McDowell says he has apologized to Quinn’s family and is in sensitivity training.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

ATLANTA — Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell was suspended for two weeks without pay Sunday by Major League Baseball for inappropriate comments and gestures he made toward fans before a game in San Francisco.

The suspension is retroactive to Friday, when McDowell was placed on administrative leave by the Braves. He also was fined an undisclosed amount for the April 23 incident.

McDowell will be required to complete sensitivity training and will have to apologize directly to the fans involved, Justin Quinn and his family.

Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement Sunday insensitivity to others “simply cannot and will not be tolerated.”

“I understand that Mr. McDowell is very contrite about his conduct, and hopefully this incident will be used to increase public awareness of the importance of sensitivity to others,” Selig said. “I commend Justin Quinn and his family for bringing this issue to our attention so that it will not happen again in the future.”

Quinn said he was in the stands with his wife and 9-year-old twin daughters before the April 23 game at San Francisco when he noticed McDowell ask three men “Are you guys a homo couple or a threesome?”

Quinn said McDowell made crude sexual gestures with his hips and a bat. Quinn said he shouted, “Hey, there are kids out here.”

According to Quinn, McDowell said kids don’t belong at a baseball park, picked up a bat, walked up to Quinn and asked him, “How much are your teeth worth?”

McDowell issued an apology Thursday and, according to the release from the commissioner’s office, asked last week to apologize directly to Quinn and his family. The apology was being delayed until the investigation was completed.

“I understand the decision made today by the commissioner,” McDowell said in a statement Sunday. “I am embarrassed by my actions and I plan to give a personal apology to Mr. Quinn and his family. I would also like to offer a public and heartfelt apology to the fans of San Francisco, to the Atlanta Braves organization, my family and to Major League Baseball.”

Braves President John Schuerholz said the team supports Selig’s decision.

“We were clearly disappointed in Roger’s remarks and actions, and the Atlanta Braves organization does not tolerate that kind of behavior,” Schuerholz said.

“The Atlanta Braves organization and Roger McDowell deeply regret that this incident occurred and again apologize to all involved, including Mr. Quinn and his family, and the San Francisco Giants and their fans.”

The release from the commissioner’s office said Quinn and his family will be invited to a Giants home game as guests of Major League Baseball. Also, baseball will “reach out” to education programs that promote tolerance and sensitivity.

In a statement released by his attorney, Gloria Allred, Quinn applauded the discipline imposed on McDowell.

“I am pleased to see Major League Baseball imposing discipline on Coach McDowell for his actions,” Quinn said. “I love baseball dearly, and my family and I are now looking forward to getting back to the ballpark for another game.”

Allred said the discipline “demonstrates that Major League Baseball believes that homophobic slurs, sexually lewd conduct and threatening behavior by coaches or any other person employed at a game in the major league will not be tolerated.”

Minor league pitching coordinator Dave Wallace is filling in for McDowell.

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ATLANTA — With the Major League Baseball season underway, the Atlanta Braves have launched a unique television advertising campaign to draw fans’ interest towards the 2011 season.

The video ads were shot during the Brave’s Spring Training in Florida. They feature a humorous take on some of the team’s biggest players.

“Spots will feature several players in situations that highlight their skill and personalities and show off a lighter side of the game,” a news release from the Atlanta Braves said.

In one ad, Chipper Jones is shown hitting baseballs off a tee, smashing clay pigeons.

Another recently released ad shows Assistant General Manager Bruce Manno parking his “Spring Training car” just outside the right field fence.

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SportSouth opens its 2011 Atlanta Braves schedule on Thursday with seven hours of coverage, highlighted by the Braves’ Opening Day game against the Washington Nationals.

Opening Day coverage from Nationals Park begins at 11:30 a.m. with “Braves LIVE,” followed at noon by the game.

Play-by-play announcer Chip Caray and analyst Joe Simpson will have the game call. The complete Opening Day lineup is:

• 10 a.m., “In My Own Words: Fredi Gonzalez,” debut

• 10:30 a.m.,  “At Home with Jason Heyward,” debut

• 11 a.m., “Atlanta Braves 2011 Season Preview”

• 11:30 a.m., “Braves LIVE,” live from Nationals Park

• Noon, Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals

• 3 p.m., “Braves LIVE” postgame coverage

• 3:30 p.m., “In My Own Words: Fredi Gonzalez”

• 4 p.m., “At Home with Jason Heyward”

• 4:30 p.m.,  “Atlanta Braves 2011 Season Preview”

Hosted by Joe Simpson, “In My Own Words: Fredi Gonzalez,” is a 30-minute interview special chronicling the first-year manager’s journey to Atlanta, arriving in America from Cuba as a young boy, being drafted by the New York Yankees and coaching at both the college and minor league levels before earning his first big league managerial job with the Florida Marlins.

Gonzalez also weighs in on what he learned from Bobby Cox and what he expects from himself.

“At Home with Jason Heyward” takes viewers to Heyward’s childhood home in McDonough, Ga., to meet his parents, Eugene and Laura, and brother, Jacob.

Host Brian Jordan goes one-on-one with Heyward to talk about playing Little League and high school baseball, being drafted by the Braves as the 14th overall pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft and ultimately recognizing his dream of being a Major League Baseball player.

“Braves LIVE” begins at 11:30 a.m. with Gonzalez and Chipper Jones scheduled to visit with host Fred Hickman, analyst Ron Gant and reporter Tom Hart.

The Braves’ 2011 home opener will be April 8 when they take on Philadelphia.

Atlanta’s first seven games of the season are on the road.

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