As a write this column on Monday evening, the Atlanta Braves are all alone in first place in the National League East. Two weeks ago that would have been nearly unthinkable.
But despite key injury after key injury and seemingly using more pitchers than a Dalmatian has spots, the Braves began this week at 62-56, a full game ahead of the second-place Phillies.
While many players — including the entire infield of Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, Dansby Swanson, and Austin Riley — have carried the load for Atlanta down the stretch, if the Braves manage to win their fourth consecutive National League East division title, the MVP will have to be general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Although he is oft criticized, it’s hard to deny that most of his moves are right on time, generally effective, and often border on being a stroke of genius.
But, alas, this column is not about the 2021 Atlanta Braves but about 10 Braves from the past who have a special place in my fandom.
Last week I began revealing my top 100 Braves of all-time by fairly quickly listing 70 of them beginning from No. 100 and ending at No. 31 with Austin Riley.
This week I am going to break down numbers 21 through 30, being at No. 30 and working my way up. Remember these are my all-time favorites, not necessarily the best.
— No 30 is Brian McCann, undoubtedly one of top two offensive catchers in Atlanta Braves history. The other is Javy Lopez who checked in at No. 34 last week. The last Braves game I attended in person was on Sept. 20, 2019, when McCann blasted a homer into the right field stands to help Atlanta beat the San Francisco Giants 6-0 and clinch the NL East pennant.
McCann was solid behind the plate, but his leadership in the clubhouse and his left-handed power bat are what gave him a place on this list.
— No. 29 is Darrell Evans. The first time I saw him play a game was on July 7, 1972, when the Braves split a doubleheader with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Those were my first MLB games to see in person. The last time I saw him play was just over 17 years later on July 16, 1989. In that game, at the age of 42, he smashed two homers to lead Atlanta to a 6-2 win over the New York Mets.
— No. 28 is the marvelous Pascual Perez. He was such a colorful character and had a couple really solid years for the Braves, but perhaps his biggest claim to fame was getting lost on the way to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium on the day he was supposed to pitch. He could see the stadium in the distance but couldn’t figure how to get off and get to the game.
He went 15-8 with a 3.43 ERA in 1983 and was 14-8 with a 3.74 ERA the following season. After that things fell apart, as he went 1-13 the following year and was later shipped off to Montreal. He finished his career at 67-68, but I loved to watch him pitch and the flair he brought to the game.
— Dusty Baker is No 27. He also played in that doubleheader against the Pirates in 1972. While most of his true stardom came as a member of the Los Angles Dodgers and later as a Major League manager, he had some strong years for the Braves as well.
Baker hit 21 homers and drove in 99 runs — his career high — in 1973 and smoked 20 homers and a career-high 35 doubles in 1974. He had a front row seat from the on deck circle with Hank Aaron hit his historic 715th home run on April 8, 1974.
— No. 26 is Mark Lemke. You have to love “The Lemmer.” While his best season at the plate was in 1994 with a .294 batting average, the things I remember most was the scrappy brand of baseball he played while manning second base for Atlanta during the 1991-93 seasons. It wasn’t his offense, or even defense, that caught my eye, it was the way he played the game and the way he seemed to come through in crucial situations.
— Jeff Blauser comes in at No. 25. Again, there have been better shortstops who have donned an Atlanta uniform, but it’s just the way he carried himself and the way he played. He was the shortstop while Lemke played second and both were amazing overachievers. He never hit more than 15 homers and drove in more than 73 runs in a season, but is still one my faves.
— The “Crime Dog”, or should I say “Fire Dog” is next at No. 24. When Fred McGriff was traded to Atlanta late in the 1993 season the Braves caught fire and rallied to win another division title. In fact on the day he arrived in Atlanta, the press box at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium caught fire, thus his new nickname.
He was a true left-handed slugger, finishing his career with 493 home runs. The first baseman’s season high for the Braves came in 1994 when he belted 34.
— I will ALMOST guarantee you that you haven’t heard of the No. 23 player on my list. Not even my buddy Jeff Parks or Braves fanatic cousin Tommy Anderson could tell you much about this guy and maybe not even what position he played. His name? Max Leon.
He was a relief pitcher that never won more than four games in a season or saved more than six. He did pitch in 50 games in 1975, and had an ERA of 2.64 in 1974 and 2.75 in 1976. He was one of those guys who just played this role and played it well.
But probably what really drew me in is while I was listening to Braves game on the radio during the 1973-76 seasons I would love it when he came in from the bullpen, because longtime Braves announcer Milo Hamilton would say “and into the game comes Maximino Leon.” For what ever reason I just loved to hear Milo say it.
— No 22 is Pat Jarvis, the “Bulldog.” He was a rough and tumble pitcher for the Braves in the late 1960s and early 1970s who later became sheriff of Dekalb County near Atlanta.
Jarvis’ best year was 1968, when he went 16-12 with a 2.60 ERA and posted 14 complete games.
Again, it Milo Hamilton’s imagery that really drew me to Jarvis. He would describe how the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Jarvis would throw with so much power that he would literally fall to the ground after he threw a pitch at times.
— No. 21 is former Auburn star Tim Hudson. He rose to stardom as a 24-year-old when he went 20-6 for the Oakland Athletics but didn’t come to Atlanta until 2005. He pitched nine seasons for the Braves, winning 17 games in 2010 for Atlanta, and notching 16 wins in the 2007, 2011, and 2012 seasons.
Be sure to come back next week as we take another stroll down memory lane and look at numbers 11 through 20.
Also don’t forget to e-mail me your own personal sports top 10 lists to starsportsboss@yahoo.com or text them to 601-938-2471. They can be about any team or any sport. I will pick out a few and write about them in a future column.
