1999 National League Championship Series
The 1999 National League Championship Series (NLCS), to determine the champion of Major League Baseball's National League, was played between two East Division rivals, the division champion Atlanta Braves and the wild card New York Mets.
After defeating the Mets in the NLCS in six games, the Braves would go on to lose in a sweep to the New York Yankees in the World Series in four games.
Background
After the Mets lost eight of nine games in September — including five of six to the NL East rival Braves — the Mets seemed unlikely to make the playoffs, two games out of the wild card lead with three games to play.
Following the Mets' most recent defeat in this stretch, an 11-inning loss to Atlanta at Shea Stadium, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones was quoted as saying, "Now all the Mets fans can go home and put on their Yankees stuff." Braves closer John Rocker was also quoted as saying he hated the Mets, and "How many times do we have to beat them before their fans will shut up?" Thinking they had buried the Mets, the Braves had closed out their season with another division title and were poised to enter the playoffs and leave the Mets behind.
However, the Mets swept their season-ending three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at Shea Stadium, while the wild-card-leading Cincinnati Reds lost two out of three to the Milwaukee Brewers. The Mets and Reds had the same record at 95–66 heading into an eventful final day of the season. That Sunday saw the Mets win their game, 2–1, on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth; the Reds avoided the sweep in Milwaukee following a seven-hour rain delay. Both teams finished even with records of 96–66 after 162 games.
The Atlanta Braves captured their eighth consecutive division title with a league-best record, 103-59. Third-baseman, Chipper Jones, was the National League's Most Valuable Player with a .319 batting average, 45 HR's, and 110 RBI. A major factor in his selection as MVP was his performance against the New York Mets. The Braves led the National League East by only one game as they entered a three-game September series against the Mets, the team that was right on their heels. Atlanta swept the series at Turner Field, though, largely thanks to Jones, who hit four home runs and drove in seven of the 13 runs that the Braves scored. For the season, he hit .319 with a .510 on-base percentage, a 1.000 slugging percentage, and seven home runs against the Mets.
Per MLB rules, the one game wild card playoff was held the next day, October 4, at Cincinnati's Cinergy Field. Al Leiter shut down the Reds with a two-hit shutout in a 5–0 Mets victory, sending New York to its first playoff berth since 1988 (as the wild card team, the Mets would be scheduled to play the division winner with the best record. However, since that team came from their own division — the 103–59 Braves, who also had the best record in baseball — New York faced the team with the second best record, the 100–62 Arizona Diamondbacks).
In the National League Division Series, both the Mets and Braves would advance in four games. The Mets would defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks, with the series ending on a walk-off home run by seldom-used backup catcher Todd Pratt, only playing due to a thumb injury to star catcher Mike Piazza. The Braves would vanquish the Houston Astros in four games, with Brian Jordan and eventual National League MVP Chipper Jone leading the way. And that would set up a National League Championship Series that was anticipated by many, pitting two bitter rivals against each other on the national stage. This marked the Braves' record eighth-straight appearance in the NLCS, while the Mets advanced to the league championship for the first time since 1988. This would be the second time that the Braves and Mets met in the NLCS. The two teams met in the very first National League Championship Series in 1969, with the Mets sweeping the then best-of-five set.
Prior to Game 1, Mets Manager Bobby Valentine chided the Braves, saying that "They better be ready to play some ghosts, because we were dead and buried two weeks ago," in reference to earlier statements by Chipper Jones. When the series shifted to Shea Stadium in New York, raucous Mets fans would continually jeer Jones, chanting "LARRY!" (his given name) in derision every time he stepped to the plate. John Rocker also riled up fans, as he would often pretend to toss baseballs into the stands, and got into several arguments.
This was Atlanta's eighth straight NLCS appearance.
Summary
Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets
Atlanta won the series, 4–2.
Game summaries
Game 1
Tuesday, October 12, 1999, 8:12 pm (EDT) at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia 63 °F (17 °C) , cloudy
The Braves began their eighth consecutive NLCS with a 4–2 victory over the Mets, defeating a team they left for dead two weeks earlier. They struck first in the first off of Masato Yoshii when Gerald Williams hit a leadoff single, stole second and scored on Brett Boone's single. The Mets tied it in the fourth on Mike Piazza's groundout with runners on first and third. The Braves retook the lead when Walt Weiss, who went 3 for 4, doubled to lead off the fifth, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Williams's single. Future NLCS MVP Eddie Pérez's home run next inning off of Pat Mahomes made it 3–1 Braves. Andruw Jones walked to lead off the eighth off of Turk Wendell, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Weiss's single. Greg Maddux tossed seven solid innings and John Rocker recorded the final four outs for the save, his second of the postseason, despite allowing an RBI single to Todd Pratt in the ninth to seal Atlanta's fourth straight win.
Game 2
Wednesday, October 13, 1999, 4:09 pm (EDT) at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia 62 °F (17 °C) , cloudy
Kevin Millwood held the Mets in check to win his second straight postseason start, allowing three runs—two earned—over 7+1⁄3 innings.
The Mets struck first in the second on Roger Cedeño's RBI single with two on, then made it 2–0 on Melvin Mora's home run in the fifth.
In the sixth, Chipper Jones walked before Brian Jordan's home run tied the game. After Andruw Jones singled, Eddie Pérez's home run off of Mets starter Kenny Rogers put the Braves up 4–2.
The Mets cut the lead to 4–3 in the eighth when Mora reached on third baseman Jones's error and scored on Edgardo Alfonso's double. John Rocker relieved Millwood and ended the inning without further damage, but after pitching 1+1⁄3 innings in Game 1, manager Bobby Cox turned to Game 4 starter John Smoltz for the ninth. Smoltz retired the Mets in order to give the Braves a 2–0 series lead.
Game 3
Friday, October 15, 1999,8:12 pm (EDT) at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York 56 °F (13 °C) , clear
Tom Glavine pitched seven shutout innings and the Braves edged the Mets, 1–0, to take a commanding three-games-to-none lead in the NLCS. The only run of the game scored in the first inning without the need for a base hit. The lead-off runner was walked, and two throwing errors by Al Leiter and Mike Piazza allowed the lead-off runner to score.
In 1996, the Braves won the first two games of the World Series against the Yankees. In Game 3, the Yankees rallied to beat Glavine and took the series in six games. With a superb effort from its two-time Cy Young Award winner, Atlanta avoided that fate here, setting up the possibility of its fifth World Series in the 1990s with a win in Game 4.
After Mike Remlinger worked a perfect eighth, Shea Stadium villain John Rocker perfectly played the part with a scoreless ninth. After Benny Agbayani reached on an error, the animated left-hander struck out pinch-hitter Todd Pratt, got Melvin Mora on a deep fly to right-center field and Rey Ordóñez on a weak force play.
The Mets faced an obstacle that no team in baseball history had overcome: rally from a 3–0 deficit to win a playoff series (the Boston Red Sox would become the first team ever to do it in the 2004 ALCS).
Game 4
Saturday, October 16, 1999, 7:42pm (EDT) at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York 66 °F (19 °C) , clear
The Mets struck first in Game 4 on John Olerud's home run in the sixth off of Braves' starter John Smoltz, but back-to-back leadoff home runs by Brian Jordan and Ryan Klesko off of Mets' starter Rick Reed put the Braves up 2–1.
The Braves were four outs from a series sweep and their fifth trip to the World Series in the 1990s when they called on John Rocker, who had treated the Mets and their fans with similar disdain during the season, with two on. The left-handed closer saved five games against New York during the regular season and two in this series. During the season, he said he hated the Mets and prior to this showdown wondered how many times the Braves would have to beat them before their fans would "shut up."
In a pivotal at-bat, Olerud got the better of Rocker. After a double steal, Olerud's two-run single put the Mets up 3–2 and Armando Benitez retired the Braves in order in the ninth to keep New York in the NLCS.
Game 5
Sunday, October 17, 1999, 4:09pm (EDT) at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York , 67 °F (19 °C) cloudy
Robin Ventura's bases-loaded blast off Kevin McGlinchy with one out in the bottom of the 15th inning kept the Mets' season alive with a 4–3 victory over the Braves in Game 5 of the NLCS. Ventura never made it home because he was mobbed by his teammates between first and second. Official scorer Red Foley ruled the hit (which was recently ranked the third Greatest Moment in Mets history, behind only the team's two World Series Championships) a single.
The game began shortly after 4 p.m. with Greg Maddux pitching for Atlanta and Masato Yoshii starting for the Mets. The Mets took an early 2–0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as John Olerud hit his second home run in as many days with Rickey Henderson on first. The lead lasted into the fourth inning, when Atlanta struck back with consecutive doubles by Bret Boone and Chipper Jones, eventually knotting the score at 2–2 when Brian Jordan singled home Jones. Mets Manager Bobby Valentine was immediately prompted to remove Yoshii from the game in favor of Orel Hershiser, which began a run on pitching changes that resulted in the Mets emptying their bullpen by game's end, relying on starter Kenny Rogers and rookie Octavio Dotel for key innings, and might have gone to Game 4's starter Rick Reed had the game progressed past the 15th inning. In all, the Mets used a postseason record nine pitchers in this game.
The game continued on well into the night, accompanied by a steady rainfall which did not delay the game. Although both teams mounted some threats as the game continued, neither team was able to break through for the tie-breaking run. Atlanta eventually set a mark for futility, stranding a record 19 men on base over the course of the game. A most notable failure occurred in the 13th inning, with two out and Keith Lockhart on first base and Jones at the plate. With Lockhart running, Jones laced an offering from Dotel into the right field corner. But the ball was cut off by Melvin Mora before it reached the wall, and Mora's strong relay throw, via Edgardo Alfonzo, cut down Lockhart at the plate and ended the inning.
Pitching on his 25th birthday, local villain John Rocker entered the game in the bottom of the 13th inning to a loud chorus of boos and several projectiles hurled in his direction. He retired four batters over 1+1⁄3 innings, including a strikeout of the ailing Mike Piazza. Upon being removed from the game, Rocker mocked the Shea Stadium fans by pretending to boo, and yelled at fans sitting around the Atlanta dugout as he left the field.
The Mets' season appeared over after Lockhart tripled home a run in the top of the 15th off Dotel to put the Braves ahead 3–2. However, McGlinchy could not hold the lead. Shawon Dunston, who misplayed Lockhart's triple, atoned with a leadoff single after fouling off several pitches with a full count. With pinch-hitter Matt Franco batting, Dunston stole second base. Franco eventually worked out a walk, which was followed by Edgardo Alfonzo laying down a sacrifice bunt to move Dunston to third. Olerud—whose homer in the first was now a distant memory—was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Todd Pratt, again thrust into the spotlight with Piazza nursing several injuries, hit next. McGlinchy walked Todd Pratt on five pitches and fell behind the slumping Ventura. At 9:47 p.m., McGlinchy grooved a fastball on a 2–1 count, and Ventura launched it through the steady rain and over the right-field fence. Although Ventura had seen the ball clear the wall, and was waving Pratt around the bases, Pratt tackled Ventura between first and second base, and most of the Mets team ran out on the field and mobbed Ventura in a wild scene.
Mets manager Bobby Valentine said following the game
Robin Ventura played it out on one leg all day. There were times I thought about taking him out, but he told me 'No, I'm okay, no, I can go,' and now he comes up with the winning hit, it's gotta be poetic justice. Justice indeed.
Valentine was speaking in reference to a calf injury that had been bothering Ventura during the postseason, and had led to his entering this game without a hit in the series. NBC's Bob Costas gushed on the air following Ventura's blast,
I'll tell you, these Mets are Rasputin-like. You cannot put them away. They will not die.
At the time, the game was the longest in terms of elapsed time in postseason history, clocking in at 5 hours, 46 minutes. It was surpassed in 2004 by Game 5 of the American League Championship Series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, and again in 2005 in Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves, and once more in 2014 in Game 2 the NLDS between the San Francisco Giants and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
This Mets victory marked just the second time in baseball history that a team had come back from a three games to none deficit in a best-of-seven series to make it to a Game 6. Coincidentally, the Braves from the previous year's NLCS against the San Diego Padres were the first.
Game 6
Tuesday, October 19, 1999, 8:12 pm (EDT) at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia 64 °F (18 °C) cloudy
Kevin Millwood started for Atlanta, while Al Leiter took the start on only three days' rest for the Mets.
Leiter, unaccustomed to throwing on short rest, was tattooed in the first inning. He hit Gerald Williams with a pitch and walked Bret Boone to lead off, then catcher Mike Piazza's errant throw to third on Williams's base-stealing attempt allowed him to score and move Boone to third. After Chipper Jones was hit by a pitch, Brian Jordan's RBI single scored Boone. After Andruw Jones's fielder's choice loaded the bases, Eddie Perez's two-run single knocked Leiter out of the game. Pat Mahomes relieved Leiter and Brian Hunter's sacrifice fly made it 5–0 Braves. With Millwood looking sharp and the Mets bats quiet, it appeared through the early innings to be an Atlanta cakewalk.
Once again, the Mets had other thoughts in mind. Millwood began to tire in the sixth. An Edgardo Alfonzo leadoff double was followed by John Olerud's single before Piazza's sacrifice fly put the Mets on the board. After Robin Ventura doubled, Darryl Hamilton's single made it 5–3 Braves.
Atlanta scraped back for two runs in their half of the sixth, courtesy of a José Hernández two-run single off Dennis Cook, with both runs charged to Turk Wendell.
John Smoltz entered the game in relief for Atlanta in the seventh and after Matt Franco and Rickey Henderson hit back-to-back lead-off doubles, John Olerud singled home another run to make the score 7–5. This brought up Mike Piazza, who blasted a long home run to right off Smoltz to tie the score at 7–7.
Bob Costas said as Piazza capped the Mets incredible comeback, "Tied at seven, hoping for Game 7!"
With the game now tied and in the hands of two completely exhausted bullpens, the game became a test of wills. The Mets took an 8–7 lead in the eighth, as rookie Melvin Mora, a virtual unknown, singled home Benny Agbayani off of Mike Remlinger. But then, with all the momentum going the Mets' way, the Braves rallied back against John Franco in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Eddie Perez singled. Otis Nixon pinch-ran for Perez, and took the momentum back by stealing second base and going to third when Piazza's throw went into center field. Brian Hunter singled home the tying run.
In the tenth inning, the Mets once again regained the lead, and again Mora was in the center of things. His one-out single off John Rocker put Agbayani in position to score on Todd Pratt's sacrifice fly, but, again, Atlanta rallied to tie in the last of the tenth, with Ozzie Guillén singling home Andruw Jones off Armando Benítez to re-knot the game at 9–9.
Finally, in the 11th, the Mets' magic ran out. Kenny Rogers entered the game (although most had speculated that it would be rookie Octavio Dotel) and gave up a leadoff double to Gerald Williams. A Bret Boone sacrifice bunt moved Williams to third with one out. Following intentional walks to Chipper Jones and Brian Jordan to load the bases, Rogers walked Andruw Jones on a 3–2 pitch to score Williams and win the pennant for Atlanta on a walk-off walk.
Composite line score
1999 NLCS (4–2): Atlanta Braves over New York Mets
Aftermath
Mets catcher Mike Piazza's struggles in the series were a major factor in the Braves victory. Piazza batted a mere .167, going 4-for-24 with one extra-base hit. The Braves took advantage of Piazza's limited defensive abilities, running relentlessly on the star backstop and stealing 14 bases in 18 attempts. By contrast, the Braves were led by backup catcher, Eddie Pérez, who was filling in for injured starting catcher, Javy López. Perez went 10-for-20 with 2 doubles, 2 homeruns, and 5 RBI. Each of Perez's homeruns was a game-winning hit. Perez also played a significant role in the crazy Game 6 win. He chased Al Leiter with a two-run single that capped Atlanta's five-run first inning. After the Mets took an 8–7 lead in the top of the eighth, Perez singled in the bottom half and was replaced by pinch-runner Otis Nixon. Nixon scored on Brian Hunter's game-tying single. For his outstanding performance, Perez would be named the NLCS MVP.
Moments after Game 6 went final, NBC color commentator Joe Morgan said, "We've finally reached the closing night on the best Mets show since [their championship season of] 1986."
The Braves advanced to the World Series appearing in their fifth World Series of the 1990s. Physically and emotionally spent following this series, they didn't put up much of a fight as they were swept by the other New York City team, the Yankees. The normally potent Braves offense batted just .200 against Yankee pitching.
This series would prove to be a harbinger of many events that would shape the 2000 baseball season. Rocker would go on to make several controversial remarks in a Sports Illustrated article. Jones would be heckled mercilessly by Mets fans, something that would continue until his retirement. Jones would earn the label of "Met killer" - 49 of Jones' 468 career dingers, third-most by a switch-hitter in baseball history — came at the expense of the Mets. The Braves would again win the NL East and relegate the Mets to the Wild Card in 2000. The Mets, however, ended up in the World Series, in which they fell to the Yankees. With the Braves being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS, it made the Mets' path to the World Series much easier.
The Atlanta Braves' dominance continued as they went on to capture an MLB record, 14 consecutive division titles. Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and manager Bobby Cox would all be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as would Mets' catcher, Mike Piazza and outfielder, Rickey Henderson.
The Braves would not win another pennant until 2021 when they went on to win the World Series. One of the Braves coaches on that championship team was none other than the 1999 NLCS MVP, Eddie Perez. The most recent pennant for the Mets was in 2015, but they still have not won a world championship since 1986.
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The 2014 National League Division Series was two best-of-five-game series to determine the participating teams in the 2014 National League Championship Series. The Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and St. Louis Cardinals (seeded 1–3 based on record, respectively) and San Francisco Giants—played in two series. Fox Sports 1 carried most of the games, with two of the games on MLB Network.
2014 San Francisco Giants seasonThe 2014 San Francisco Giants season was the Giants' 132nd year in Major League Baseball, their 57th year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season, and their 15th at AT&T Park. The Giants finished the season in second place in the National League West, but qualified for the playoffs and defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card Game and the Washington Nationals in the National League Division Series. They defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series in five games and beat the Kansas City Royals in seven games in the 2014 World Series, their third World Series win in five years.
2014 Washington Nationals seasonThe 2014 Washington Nationals season was the Nationals' tenth season for the baseball franchise of Major League Baseball in the District of Columbia, the seventh season at Nationals Park, and the 46th since the original team was started in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They finished the regular season with a record of 96–66, first place in the Eastern Division and with the best record in the entire National League. However, they lost to the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series in four games.
2015 National League Championship SeriesThe 2015 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff contested between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 2015 World Series. The Mets swept the Cubs four games to none for their fifth National League pennant in franchise history. The series was the 46th in league history with TBS airing all games in the United States. Game 1 was played on October 17.
2021 National League Championship SeriesThe 2021 National League Championship Series was the best-of-seven series in Major League Baseball (MLB) between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers, for the National League pennant and the right to play in the 2021 World Series. The Braves defeated the Dodgers in six games to advance to their first World Series since 1999.
Al LeiterAlois Terry Leiter ( /ˈlaɪtər/ ; born October 23, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher from 1987 to 2005 for the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins and New York Mets.
Andruw JonesAndruw Rudolf Jones (Papiamento pronunciation: [ˈandruw ˈdʒonz] ; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former professional baseball center fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees, and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Jones was a noted defensive specialist for most of his career and won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for outfielders every year from 1998 through 2007. He had a strong throwing arm in addition to his elite fielding. He was an MLB All-Star five times, and he won both the Hank Aaron Award and a Silver Slugger Award for outfielders in 2005.
AtlantaAtlanta ( /ætˈlæntə/ at- LAN -tə) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, although a portion of the city extends into neighboring DeKalb County. With a population of 498,715 living within the city limits, it is the eighth most populous city in the Southeast and 38th most populous city in the United States according to the 2020 U.S. census. It is the core of the much larger Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to more than 6.1 million people, making it the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Situated among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, it features unique topography that includes rolling hills, lush greenery, and the most dense urban tree coverage of any major city in the United States.
Benny AgbayaniBenny Peter Agbayani, Jr. ( /æɡbaɪˈɑːni/ ; born December 28, 1971) is an American retired professional baseball player. He attended Saint Louis School, Hawaii Pacific University and the Oregon Institute of Technology. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Colorado Rockies and Boston Red Sox and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Bob CostasRobert Quinlan Costas (born March 22, 1952) is an American sportscaster who is known for his long tenure with NBC Sports, from 1980 through 2019. He has received 28 Emmy awards for his work and was the prime-time host of 12 Olympic Games from 1988 until 2016. He is currently employed by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, where he does play-by-play and studio work for the MLB on TBS and commentary on CNN. He is also employed by MLB Network, where he does play-by-play and once hosted an interview show called Studio 42 with Bob Costas.
Bobby CoxRobert Joe Cox (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He recorded a 100-win season six times, a record matched only by Joe McCarthy.
Bobby ValentineRobert John Valentine (born May 13, 1950), nicknamed "Bobby V", is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He also served as the athletic director at Sacred Heart University. Valentine played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969, 1971–72), California Angels (1973–1975), San Diego Padres (1975-1977), New York Mets (1977–78), and Seattle Mariners (1979) in MLB. He managed the Texas Rangers (1985–1992), the New York Mets (1996–2002), and the Boston Red Sox (2012) of MLB, as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (1995, 2004–2009).
Bret BooneBret Robert Boone (born April 6, 1969) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During his career Boone was a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He is a third generation professional athlete. His brother is Aaron Boone, manager of the New York Yankees.
Brian Hunter (first baseman)Brian Ronald Hunter (born March 4, 1968) is a former professional baseball player. He played all or parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball between 1991 and 2000 for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. While he was primarily a first baseman, he also appeared in nearly 100 games as an outfielder. He is currently a scout for the Braves.
Brian JordanBrian O'Neal Jordan (born March 29, 1967) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and National Football League safety. In the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons, while he played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers.
Chipper JonesLarry 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.
CincinnatiCincinnati ( /ˌsɪnsɪˈnæti/ SIN -si- NAT -ee) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line with Kentucky. The city is the economic and cultural hub of the Cincinnati metropolitan area. With an estimated population of 2,256,884, it is Ohio's largest metropolitan area and the nation's 30th-largest, and with a city population of 309,317, Cincinnati is the third-largest city in Ohio and 65th in the United States. Throughout much of the 19th century, it was among the top 10 U.S. cities by population, surpassed only by New Orleans and the older, established settlements of the United States eastern seaboard, as well as being the sixth-most populous city from 1840 until 1860.
Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955. The award was originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues, but in 1967, after the retirement of Frick, the award was given to one pitcher in each league.
Darryl HamiltonDarryl Quinn Hamilton (December 3, 1964 – June 21, 2015) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1988 and 2001 for the Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies, and New York Mets. Hamilton prepped at Louisiana State University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge and then attended Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Dennis CookDennis Bryan Cook (born October 4, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the San Francisco Giants (1988–1989), Philadelphia Phillies (1989–1990, 2001), Los Angeles Dodgers (1990–1991), Cleveland Indians (1992–1993, 1995), Chicago White Sox (1994), Texas Rangers (1995–1996), Florida Marlins (1997), New York Mets (1998–2001), and Anaheim Angels (2002). He made his big league debut on September 12, 1988, and played his final game on September 18, 2002.
Eastern Time ZoneThe Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico.
Edgardo AlfonzoEdgardo Antonio Alfonzo (born November 8, 1973), nicknamed Fonzie, is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an infielder from 1995 to 2006, most notably as a member of the New York Mets, with whom he played in the 2000 World Series and was chosen as a member of the National League All-Star team. Alfonzo's 29.7 wins above replacement (WAR) as a Met place him as the seventh most valuable player in franchise history.
Gerald Williams (baseball)Gerald Floyd Williams (August 10, 1966 – February 8, 2022) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and New York Mets from 1992 to 2005.
Greg MadduxGregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. With the Braves, he won the 1995 World Series over the Cleveland Indians. The first to achieve a number of feats and records, he was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995), matched by only one other pitcher, Randy Johnson. During those four seasons, Maddux had a 75–29 record with a 1.98 earned run average (ERA), while allowing less than one baserunner per inning.
Grigori RasputinGrigori Yefimovich Rasputin ( /ræˈspjuːtɪn/ ; Russian: Григорий Ефимович Распутин [ɡrʲɪˈɡorʲɪj jɪˈfʲiməvʲɪtɕ rɐˈsputʲɪn] ; 21 January [O.S. 9 January ] 1869 – 30 December [O.S. 17 December ] 1916 ) was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man. He is best-known for having befriended the royal family of Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, through whom he gained considerable influence in the later years of the Russian Empire.
John FrancoJohn Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher between 1984 and 2005. Franco established himself as an All-Star player with the Cincinnati Reds before spending the majority of his career with the New York Mets. He ended his 22-year career with one final season with the Houston Astros.
John OlerudJohn Garrett Olerud, Jr. ( /ˈoʊləruːd/ ; born August 5, 1968), nicknamed "Johnny O", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from 1989 through 2005, most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays team that won two consecutive World Series championships in 1992 and 1993. He also played for the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
John RockerJohn Loy Rocker (born October 17, 1974) is a former American relief pitcher who played six seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Atlanta Braves. Making his major league debut in 1998 as a member of the Braves, with whom he played four seasons, he was also a member of the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays for one season each. He last played professionally for the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2005.
John SmoltzJohn Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time All-Star, Smoltz was part of a celebrated trio of starting pitchers, along with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, who propelled Atlanta to perennial pennant contention in the 1990s, highlighted by a championship in the 1995 World Series. He won the National League (NL) Cy Young Award in 1996 after posting a record of 24 – 8, equaling the most victories by an NL pitcher since 1972. Though predominantly known as a starter, Smoltz was converted to a reliever in 2001 after his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and spent four years as the team's closer before returning to a starting role. In 2002, he set a National League record with 55 saves and became only the second pitcher in history (joining Dennis Eckersley) to record both a 20-win season and a 50-save season. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record both 200 wins and 150 saves.
Keith Lockhart (baseball)Keith Virgil Lockhart (born November 10, 1964) is an American former major league second baseman and third baseman who played for 10 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1994-2003.
Kenny Rogers (baseball)Kenneth Scott Rogers (born November 10, 1964) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, with a 20-year career (1989 to 2008) for six different teams. He won the 1996 World Series with the New York Yankees over his hometown Atlanta Braves, and played in the 2006 World Series with the Detroit Tigers. In addition to being known for his fielding (winning five Gold Glove Awards), he pitched the 14th perfect game in MLB history. In 2008, he was the oldest baseball player in the American League.
Kevin McGlinchyKevin Michael McGlinchy (born June 28, 1977) is an American former professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1999 to 2000 with the Atlanta Braves.
Kevin MillwoodKevin Austin Millwood (born December 24, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners.
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. Formed in 1876 and 1901 respectively, the NL and AL cemented their cooperation with the National Agreement in 1903. They remained legally separate entities until 2000, when they merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball. MLB is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan. It is considered one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.
Masato YoshiiMasato Yoshii (吉井 理人, Yoshii Masato, born April 20, 1965) , nicknamed "Oiyan", is a retired Japanese professional baseball player, former pitching coach and current manager for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1998 to 2002.
Matt FrancoMatthew Neil Franco (born August 19, 1969 in Santa Monica, California) is an American former professional baseball player who played first base in the major leagues from 1995 to 2003, and in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2004 to 2006.
Melvin MoraMelvin Mora Diaz (born February 2, 1972) is a Venezuelan-American former professional baseball infielder. He played for the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Mike PiazzaMichael Joseph Piazza ( /piˈɑːtsə/ pee- AHT -sa; born September 4, 1968) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1992 to 2007. He currently serves as the manager of the Italian national baseball team. He played most notably for the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, while also having brief stints with the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and Oakland Athletics. A 12-time All-Star and 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner at catcher, Piazza produced strong offensive numbers at his position; in his career, he recorded 427 home runs—a record 396 of which were hit as catcher—along with a .308 batting average and 1,335 runs batted in (RBI).
Mike RemlingerMichael John Remlinger (born March 23, 1966) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. Remlinger has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the San Francisco Giants (1991), New York Mets (1994–95), Cincinnati Reds (1995–98), Atlanta Braves (1999–2002, 2006), Chicago Cubs (2003–2005), and the Boston Red Sox (2005). He had an All-Star appearance and his greatest success with the Braves. He bats and throws left-handed.
National LeagueThe National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP) of 1871–1875 (often called simply the "National Association"), the NL is sometimes called the Senior Circuit, in contrast to MLB's other league, the American League, which was founded 25 years later and is called the "Junior Circuit".
National League Championship SeriesThe National League Championship Series (NLCS), also known as the National League Pennant, is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two National League (NL) Division Series. The winner of the NLCS wins the NL pennant and advances to the World Series, MLB's championship series, to play the winner of the American League's (AL) Championship Series. The NLCS began in 1969 as a best-of-five playoff and used this format until 1985, when it changed to its current best-of-seven format.
National League EastThe 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.
Nationals ParkNationals Park is a baseball stadium along the Anacostia River in the Navy Yard neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Home to Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals since its completion in 2008, it was the first LEED-certified green major professional sports stadium in the United States.
New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City, the other is the National League (NL)'s New York Mets. The team was founded in 1903 when Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise rights to the defunct Baltimore Orioles (no relation to the current team of the same name) after it ceased operations and used them to establish the New York Highlanders. The Highlanders were officially renamed the New York Yankees in 1913.
Octavio DotelOctavio Eduardo Dotel Diaz (born November 25, 1973) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. Dotel played for 13 major league teams, the second most teams played for by any player in the history of Major League Baseball (MLB), setting the mark when he pitched for the Detroit Tigers on April 7, 2012, breaking a record previously held by Mike Morgan, Matt Stairs, and Ron Villone. Edwin Jackson broke this record in 2019. Dotel's longest tenure with any one team was the five seasons he spent with the Houston Astros.
Orel HershiserOrel Leonard Hershiser IV (born September 16, 1958) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 2000. He later became a pitching coach for the Texas Rangers from 2002 to 2005 and a broadcast color analyst for the Dodgers. He is also a professional poker player.
Otis NixonOtis Junior Nixon (born January 9, 1959) is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1983), Cleveland Indians (1984–87), Montreal Expos (1988–90), Atlanta Braves (1991–93, 1999), Boston Red Sox (1994), Texas Rangers (1995), Toronto Blue Jays (1996–97), Los Angeles Dodgers (1997), Minnesota Twins (1998) and a final return to the Atlanta Braves (1999), in a career that spanned from 1983 to 1999. Nixon stole more bases than any other player during the 1990s (478). He also has the most career stolen bases (620) for a player who never appeared in an MLB All-Star game since the All-Star Game began in 1933.
Pat MahomesPatrick Lavon Mahomes (born August 9, 1970) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball from 1992 to 2003 with the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Mahomes also pitched in two seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, 1997 and 1998, with the Yokohama BayStars. He last played with the Grand Prairie AirHogs of the independent American Association in 2009.
QueensQueens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long Island, and Nassau County to its east. Queens shares water borders with the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
Red Foley (sportswriter)Red Foley (December 26, 1928 – July 14, 2008) was an American sportswriter and baseball official scorer.
Rick Reed (pitcher)Richard Allen Reed (born August 16, 1964) is an American former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1988–1991), Kansas City Royals (1992–1993), Texas Rangers (1993–1994), Cincinnati Reds (1995), New York Mets (1997–2001) and Minnesota Twins (2001–2003). He batted and threw right-handed.
Rickey HendersonRickey Nelson Henley Henderson (born December 25, 1958) is an American retired professional baseball left fielder who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed the "Man of Steal", he is widely regarded as baseball's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. He holds the major league records for career stolen bases, runs, unintentional walks and leadoff home runs. At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time American League (AL) All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in walks. In 2009, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance.
Robin VenturaRobin Mark Ventura (born July 14, 1967) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager. Ventura played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was also the manager for the White Sox for five seasons. The White Sox selected Ventura with the tenth overall pick in the 1988 amateur draft from Oklahoma State University (OSU). He is a six-time Rawlings Gold Glove winner, two-time MLB All-Star selection and a National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.
Ryan KleskoRyan 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.
Shawon DunstonShawon Donnell Dunston (born March 21, 1963) is an American retired professional baseball player. A shortstop, Dunston played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1985 through 2002. On January 13, 2023, he was selected as a member of the 2023 class of the Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame.
Shea StadiumShea Stadium ( /ʃeɪ/ ), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City. Opened in 1964, it was home to the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1964 to 2008, as well as the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 to 1983.
Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated (SI) is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twice. It is also known for its annual swimsuit issue, which has been published since 1964, and has spawned other complementary media works and products.
Todd PrattTodd Alan Pratt (born February 9, 1967) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher, playing from 1992 to 2006. He primarily served as a back-up catcher for most of his career. Pratt was the head baseball coach and athletic director at West Georgia Technical College (West Georgia Tech), a member of the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association from 2011 to 2016 and the owner/head coach of the Carrollton Clippers (formerly known as Douglasville Bulls), a summer wooden-bat collegiate team playing in the Sunbelt Baseball League from 2009 to 2016. While the Board of Directors of the Sunbelt Baseball League appointed Todd Pratt to serve as the Commissioner of the Sunbelt League from 2014 to 2016 before going to coach in the minors. As of at least 2022 he has been an advisor and special consultant to the GM of an MLB partnered independent professional baseball league Glacier Range Riders. He was a manager in the Miami Marlins organization for three seasons (Greensboro Grasshoppers (2017–18) and Jupiter Hammerheads (2019)). In January 2020, he was named commissioner of the Sunbelt Baseball League in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia.
Tom GlavineThomas Michael Glavine (born March 25, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, for the Atlanta Braves (1987–2002, 2008) and New York Mets (2003–2007).
Turk WendellSteven John "Turk" Wendell (born May 19, 1967) is an American former professional baseball right-handed relief pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four National League (NL) teams, in all or parts of 11 seasons, between 1993 and 2004. As a batter, Wendell was a switch hitter, with all three of his lifetime hits coming from the left side of the plate.
Turner FieldTurner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics, the stadium was converted into a baseball park to serve as the new home of the team. The Braves moved less than one block from Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, which served as their home ballpark for 31 seasons from 1966 to 1996.
Walt WeissWalter William Weiss (born November 28, 1963) is an American former professional baseball shortstop and manager and current bench coach for the Atlanta Braves. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1987 through 2000 for the Oakland Athletics, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, and Atlanta Braves. He managed the Rockies from 2013 through 2016. Weiss won the 1988 Rookie of the Year award. He was also a member of the 1998 National League All-Star Team.