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1997 Atlanta Braves Season
The 1997 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 32nd season in Atlanta and 127th overall. The Braves won their seventh consecutive division title, taking the National League East title by 9 games over the second place Florida Marlins. However, the Marlins would later defeat the Braves in the 1997 National League Championship Series. 1997 was the first year that the Braves played their home games in Turner Field, a reconstruction of the former Centennial Olympic Stadium, which originally served as the main venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Off season * November 20, 1996: John Smoltz was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. * November 25, 1996: Paul Byrd was traded by the New York Mets with a player to be named later to the Atlanta Braves for Greg McMichael. The New York Mets sent Andy Zwirchitz (minors) (May 25, 1997) to the Atlanta Braves to complete the trade. * December 19, 1996: Mike Bielecki was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. * March 25, 1997 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National League East
The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title. The division was created when the National League (along with the American League) added two expansion teams and divided into two divisions, East and West effective for the 1969 season. The National League's geographical alignment was rather peculiar as its partitioning was really more north and south instead of east and west. Two teams in the Eastern Time Zone, the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, were in the same division as teams on the Pacific coast. This was due to the demands of the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, who refused to support expansion unless they were promised they would be kept together in the newly created East division. During the two-division era, from 1969 to 1993, the Phillies–Pirates rivalry, Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates toget ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franchise began play as an expansion team in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins. The Marlins originally played home games at Joe Robbie Stadium, which they shared with the National Football League (NFL)'s Miami Dolphins. In 2012, the team moved to LoanDepot Park (then known as Marlins Park), their first exclusive home and the first to be designed as a baseball park. As part of an agreement with park owner Miami-Dade County to use the stadium, the franchise also changed their name to the Miami Marlins prior to the 2012 season. The Marlins have qualified for the postseason only three times, but won the World Series during their first two runs in 1997 and 2003. All three of their playoff appearances came as wild card teams, making them on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeff Blauser
Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * Excision (musician), Canadian dubstep producer and DJ Jeff Abel * Jeff Abercrombie, bassist for American rock band Fuel * Jeff Allen, English session drummer * Jeff Baxter, American guitarist for rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers * Jeff Beal (born 1963), American composer of music for various media * Jeff Beck, electric guitarist * Jeff Buckley, American singer-songwriter * Jeff Coffin, saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator * Jeff Current, lead singer of American alternative rock band Against All Will * Jeff Fatt, Australian musician and actor, formerly with the children's band The Wiggles * Jeff Gillan, an American journalist * Jeff Graham, Canadian radio DJ * Jeff Hanneman (1964–2013), American guitarist, founding ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Javy López
Javier "Javy" López Torres (born November 5, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves (1992–2003), Baltimore Orioles (2004–2006) and Boston Red Sox (2006). He batted and threw right-handed. He was named Ponce, Puerto Rico's Athlete of the Year from 1984 to 1987. Professional career Atlanta Braves López (birth name: Javier López Torres ) was signed by the Atlanta Braves in 1987 as an amateur free agent, López made his debut on September 18, 1992, against the Houston Astros. After sharing duties with Charlie O'Brien and Eddie Pérez for four seasons, he established himself as the Braves' regular catcher in 1996. The same season, he led the Braves to win the National League Championship Series, earning the series Most Valuable Player honors. He also made the National League All-Star team from 1997–98. Lopez had his best season in 2003 with a .328 batting average, 43 home runs and 109 RBI in 129 games, including a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Tucker (baseball)
Michael Anthony Tucker (born June 25, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. Tucker played with the Kansas City Royals (-, -), Atlanta Braves (-), Cincinnati Reds (-), Chicago Cubs (2001), San Francisco Giants (-), Philadelphia Phillies (2005) and New York Mets (). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Early career He attended the then Longwood College (at the time an NCAA Division II school) from 1989 through 1992. In November 2005, Tucker was among the selection of Longwood's first Hall of Fame class, including basketball player Jerome Kersey and LPGA golfer Tina Barrett. After college, Tucker begin his pro baseball career in the minors in . Tucker spent most of the 1993 season with the Single-A Carolina League Wilmington Blue Rocks. Before making the move up to Double-A and spending time with the Memphis Chicks of the Southern League. In , Tucker played in Triple-A with the Omaha Royals of the American Association before joining Major L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ryan Klesko
Ryan Anthony Klesko (born June 12, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. He attended Westminster High School in Westminster, California. Early life Klesko was born on June 12, 1971, in Westminster, California. His father was an oilfields worker whom Klesko lost at a young age. His mother, Lorene, worked at an aerospace parts company in Santa Ana and helped Klesko learn to play baseball. When he was nine, she dug a pitcher's mound for him in his backyard. She enrolled him in pitching school with Ron Lefebvre and put on catcher's gear herself to catch Klesko three times a week. Klesko attended Westminster High School, where even though he hit a lot of home runs, he starred as a pitcher, throwing a ninety-two mile per hour fastball and pitching for the USA Junior Olympic team. He strained a ligament pitching for the junior team at 17, though, and concentrated on hitti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fred McGriff
Frederick Stanley McGriff (born October 31, 1963) is an American former first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for six teams from 1986 through 2004. He was one of the most consistently productive powers hitters of the 1990s, posting over 80 runs batted in (RBI) every year from 1988 through 2002, and became the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both leagues in home runs — the American League (AL) in 1989 and the National League (NL) in 1992. A five-time All-Star, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1994 contest after his pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth inning tied the score at 7–7, with the NL winning in 10 innings. McGriff finished in the top ten in voting for his league's Most Valuable Player Award every year from 1989 through 1994, during which time he led the major leagues in home runs. After spending the first third of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres, McGriff became a major component in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the first overall pick in the 1990 MLB draft. He was also a member of their 1995 World Series championship team that beat the Cleveland Indians. An eight-time All-Star, Jones won the 1999 National League (NL) Most Valuable Player Award and the 1999 and 2000 NL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen. He was the MLB batting champion in 2008 after hitting .364. Jones ended his career in 2012 with a .303 career batting average, 468 home runs, and 1,623 runs batted in (RBIs). He has the most career RBIs for a third baseman and holds the Braves team record for career on-base percentage (.402); Jones ranks third on the Braves career home run list. Among switch hitters, Jones ranks second behind Eddie Murray for career RBIs, and he is the only switch hitter i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Lemke
Mark Alan Lemke (born August 13, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball player and current broadcaster. Nicknamed "the Lemmer", he was a popular second baseman for the Atlanta Braves from to . He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves over the Cleveland Indians. Biography Early life Lemke grew up in Whitesboro, New York. He attended the now closed Sacred Heart Elementary Catholic school in West Utica. Lemke is also a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Utica. Minor league Lemke was drafted in the 27th round of the amateur draft by the Atlanta Braves. Lemke decided against attending Purdue University and spent the next four years in the Braves' minor league system, spending time with the Gulf Coast League Braves, Anderson Braves, Sumter Braves, Durham Bulls, Greenville Braves, and Richmond Braves. He made his major league debut on September 17, 1988, when the Braves called him up from AAA when the roster expanded to 40 players. In 1988, Lemke won the Hank Aaron Award ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenny Lofton
Kenneth Lofton (born May 31, 1967) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. Lofton was a six-time All-Star (1994–1999), four-time Gold Glove Award winner (1993–1996), and at retirement, was ranked 15th among all-time stolen base leaders with 622. During his career, he played for the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers. Lofton attended the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship. The Wildcats made it to the Final Four in 1988. He did not join the school's baseball team until his junior year. Lofton made 11 postseason appearances, including World Series appearances in 1995 and 2002 with the Indians and Giants, respectively. From 2001 to 2007, Lofton did not spend more than one consecutive season with a team. For his career, the Indians were the only team he played ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Denny Neagle
Dennis Edward Neagle Jr. (; born September 13, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for six teams over a 13-year career. During the 1990s, he was one of the top pitchers in baseball, but his career, and personal life, deteriorated in the early 2000s. With the New York Yankees, he won the 2000 World Series over the New York Mets. Career Arundel Senior High School Neagle attended Arundel Senior High School in Gambrills, MD and played on the baseball team. University of Minnesota Neagle attended the University of Minnesota and played on the baseball team. In 1988, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Minnesota Twins Neagle was drafted in the 3rd round of the amateur draft by the Minnesota Twins. He saw some action in the summer of for the Twins, but was not on their postseason roster when the club won the 1991 World Series. Pittsburgh Pirates Neagle was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates during ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Byrd
Paul Gregory Byrd (born December 3, 1970), is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who is currently a TV sports broadcaster for Atlanta Braves games on Bally Sports Southeast. While pitching in Major League Baseball (MLB), from to , Byrd was known as being the "nicest guy in baseball." Late in his career, he developed an old-fashioned, early twentieth-century windup in which he swung his arms back and forth to create deception and momentum. Byrd became recognizable and well known for his unique delivery. High school, college and minor leagues Byrd played his high school career at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Byrd attended Louisiana State University where he pitched as part of the Tigers baseball team that won the 1991 College World Series. He was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 1991 Major League Baseball draft by the Cleveland Indians. Byrd spent five years in the minor leagues before being traded to the New York Mets a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
