We're discussing how disastrous player personnel decisions by the Boston/ Milwaukee/ Atlanta Braves beginning in 1960 sent the team into a 30-year tailspin, eerily similar to that suffered by the Cleveland Indians at the very same time.
You'll have to read the last couple of posts for the details, but essentially, here's what happened: The Braves freaked out after the team finished second in 1959 and 1960. They made stupid, panic-driven trades that robbed the team of top-quality veterans and about-to-blossom young players. They made poor decisions about playing time for key players, especially Joe Adcock and Felix Mantilla. The farm system, which had been doing well for a decade, stopped, for the most part, producing talent to replace what was traded away. The players obtained in the trades for the most part were flops.
Following a series of fifth and sixth place finishes, the Braves moved the team to Atlanta, which had been their top minor league town. Poor Milwaukee attendance was cited as the reason, of course. But had the team stuck with the talent the gods of baseball had bestowed up it in the late 50s, the Braves certainly would have finished first and second at least twice in those four fateful years. (See yesterday's post for details.)
At first, it appeared the Braves had suddenly gotten smart. They obtained Felipe Alou, in the prime of his career, for virtually nothing from the Giants in 1964. The same year, the farm system actually popped out a rare star: Rico Carty. Young pitchers who were counted on to replace Joey Jay, Bob Buhl and Juan Pizarro, showed promise. (George Stone, Pat Jarvis and Ron Reed.) Lemaster and Cloninger were looking like studs on the mound. As the team relocated to Atlanta in 1966, things seemed to be looking up.
Note: They weren't.
After several seasons of disappointment, the Braves finally got a break. Divisional play began in 1969. Now there weren't so many teams to beat. The Atlanta fans must have thought they had really pulled a fast one on Beertown, as the Braves eaked out a first-place West division finish in '69.
It was a fluke. Oh yeah.
The entire staff of starting pitchers had career years. In some cases, it would be those hurlers' last decent year in the majors. Led by Phil Niekro's 23 wins, the Braves's four primary starters won 67 games among them. And they did it without a great bullpen. Meantime, the oft-injured Rico Carty hit .342. Felix Millan led the second sackers in fielding and hit well. Retreads Tony Gonzalez and Clete Boyer cobbled together solid seasons, while Tito Francona and Mike Lum came off the bench to provide late-inning heroics.
But the divisional playoffs offered a clearer insight into the Braves' future. The Mets clobbered them, scoring 27 runs in sweeping the five-game playoff 3-0. The Braves hit .255 compared to the Mets' .327, while Braves hurlers recorded an ERA of just under 7.
Ouch!
The very next year, the pitching staff imploded. The questionable 1969 trade of in-his-prime slugging catcher Joe Torre for fading star Orlando Cepeda began to stink to high heaven, as the Braves failed to identify a decent backstop. Boyer and Gonzalez declined as age took its toll. How desperate were the Braves? Desperate enough to pick up 47-year-old Hoyt Wilhelm to try to shore up the bullpen.
Joe Torre, by the way, hit ,325 with 21 HRs and 100 RBIs for St. Louis. He would rack up 8 solid years for the Cards and Mets before deciding to become one of the greatest managers in the history of the game. Cepeda did well in 1970 but fell off the face of the earth in 71 and was traded to Oakland for--are you ready?--DENNY MCLAIN!@!$# in 1972.
Fun facts for you Atlanta fans who are too young to remember the horror.
Tomorrow: the Braves wander in the desert for 20 years until a flambouyant billionaire who got to schtup Jane Fonda rescues them, and his own reputation into the bargain.
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