2014 Year in Review: July Edition

Braves Trio Enshrined in Cooperstown

Jul 27, 2014; Cooperstown, NY, USA; Hall of Fame inductees Tom Glavine (left), Bobby Cox (center), and Greg Maddux (right) pose with their Hall of Fame plaques during the class of 2014 national baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony at National Baseball Hall of Fame. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Between Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Bobby Cox, the 1990’s Atlanta Braves were one of the most dominant teams in all of baseball. The Braves managed to capture 8 division titles, 5 NL pennants and in 1995 captured the World Series by defeating the Cleveland Indians in 6 games. Glavine was one of the best lefthanders in baseball history; he posted a 305-203 record with a 3.54 ERA and over 2,000 strikeouts. Glavine was the last pitcher to reach 300 wins, and could possibly be the last due to the increased use of bullpens earlier and earlier into games, nonetheless Glavine’s silky smooth delivery will be something Braves fans will never forget. For Greg Maddux he didn’t have the gift of speed on his fastball like fellow All-Stars Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson had. Instead Maddux had to rely on pitch location, and changing speeds and he became the best pitcher to do that. Early in his career his fastball reached the low 90s, but towards the tail end of his career his velocity had dipped to mid-80s but that did not stop the crafty right-hander. His sinker had such late movement that even guys like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mike Piazza were baffled. The case for Bobby Cox is a fairly open and shut one, his team won 14 division titles during his time in Atlanta, including 11 straight NL East Division crowns. With his teams featuring some of the best players of the ‘90s including Chipper Jones, Brian Jordan, and John Smoltz, its no surprise that the Braves were a powerhouse in the 1990s.