Tim Hudson is one of the greatest Atlanta Braves players of the 2,000’s

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2005, 2007, 2009, 2015, April 25, Atlanta Braves, August 6, Greg Maddux, July 26, September 1, Tim Hudson, Tommy John Surgery

After spending his college years at Chattahoochee Valley Community College and Auburn University, Tim Hudson played in the major leagues for the Oakland Athletics (1999–2004), the Atlanta Braves (2005–13) and the San Francisco Giants (2014–15). With the Giants, he won the 2014 World Series over the Kansas City Royals, giving him his only world title.

During his 17-season career, Hudson established himself as one of baseball’s most consistent pitchers and until 2014 had never had a season where he suffered more losses than wins. Hudson was also named an All-Star four times: twice with Oakland, once with Atlanta, and once with San Francisco.

Before retiring in 2015, Hudson was the winningest active Major League pitcher, as well as one of four active pitchers with at least 200 career wins. With a win against the Oakland A’s on July 26, 2015, he has won a game against every team in the majors, the 15th pitcher to do so.

Hudson is one of twenty-one pitchers in Major League history to win at least 200 games, strikeout 2,000 batters and have a win-loss percentage above 0.600. Of those twenty-one, fourteen are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Before the 2005 season, Hudson was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Charles Thomas, Dan Meyer, and Juan Cruz. On August 6, 2005, Hudson won his 100th career game, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 8–1.

In January 2006, Hudson was named to the Team USA roster for the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

His second season with the Braves was disappointing. He posted career-highs in losses  and ERA (4.86) in 2006. He returned to his earlier form in 2007 however, finishing with a 16–10 record and a 3.33 ERA. He was in the midst of a 9-game winning streak, the second of his career, at one point in the season. Hudson struck out a career-high 12 batters on April 25 against the Florida Marlins.

Hudson is one of only 7 ballplayers who pitched in the NL in 2007 who won at least 12 games in each year from 2004–07, the others being Carlos Zambrano, Greg Maddux, Roy Oswalt, Jason Marquis, Derek Lowe, and Jeff Suppan.

On August 2, 2008, Hudson revealed that he would undergo Tommy John ligament transplant surgery on his pitching elbow, and missed the remainder of the 2008 season. He started the 2009 season on the 60-day DL, and did not play prior to the All Star break. On July 2, 2009, he threw a 90-pitch bullpen session and Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox said: “He’s ready to go. … He’s really come along. He’s got major-league stuff right now, his normal stuff.” But Cox added that the Braves would not rush the timetable on Hudson’s return, which was scheduled for mid- to late-August. Hudson’s first minor-league rehab start was tentatively scheduled for July 19 at Class A Myrtle Beach. After completing several minor league rehab sessions, Hudson returned to the Atlanta Braves starting pitching rotation on September 1, 2009. He gave up only two runs and earned his first win of the 2009 season.

On November 12, 2009, Hudson signed a $28 million, three-year extension with the Braves with a $9 million option for a fourth year. On August 28, 2010 against the Florida Marlins, Hudson set a career high in strikeouts with 13.

On October 5, 2010, Hudson was awarded the 2010 NL Comeback Player of the Year award.

On June 20, 2011, in Atlanta, Hudson hit his second career home run, a two-run home run which provided the only scoring of the game in a 2–0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. On the same day, he got his 1,600th strikeout in the top of the fifth inning against J. P. Arencibia. On July 15, 2011, Hudson was the winning pitcher in the Braves’ 10,000th win in franchise history.

Hudson went 16–7 with a 3.62 ERA in 2012. On October 30, 2012, Hudson had his $9 million option exercised by the Braves.

On April 30, 2013, Hudson became the 113th major league pitcher to reach 200 wins, with an 8-1 victory over the Washington Nationals at Turner Field. Hudson went 7 innings, giving up only 3 hits and 1 run while recording 6 strikeouts and 2 walks. Hudson also went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double and a home run. On July 24, 2013, Hudson was pitching a 4-hit shutout against the New York Mets when Eric Young, Jr., who was trying to beat a throw to first base, accidentally stepped on Hudson’s leg above the ankle. This resulted in an ankle fracture that ended Hudson’s 2013 season. After the season, Hudson became a free agent. His record with the Braves was 113–72 with an ERA of 3.56.

 

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Braves play their ninth double header in a row (September 15, 1928

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1928, Boston Braves, Double Header, Lance Richbourg, September 15

On September 15, 1928 the Boston Braves play their ninth consecutive doubleheader. Now that is a lot of work.

The streak, which began on September 4th, sees the team lose five in a row, including four to the Giants.

Here is the box score of the second game against Chicago Cubs at Boston Braves Box Score, September 15, 1928. The Braves lost 6-1. Lance Richbourg scored the lone Braves run.

Boston Braves Table

Batting	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	PA	BA
Lance Richbourg RF	3	1	1	0	0	1	4	.336
Jack Smith CF	3	0	1	1	1	0	4	.267
George Sisler 1B	4	0	1	0	0	0	4	.338
Rogers Hornsby 2B	3	0	1	0	1	0	4	.382
Eddie Brown LF	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	.272
Les Bell 3B	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	.262
Doc Farrell SS	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	.202
Al Spohrer C	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	.228
Ed Brandt P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.254
Foster Edwards P	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	.100
Charlie Fitzberger	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	.500
Bill Clarkson P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Virgil Barnes P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.077
Kent Greenfield P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.061
Howard Freigau	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	.246
Clay Touchstone P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Team Totals	28	1	4	1	4	2	33	.143

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/25/2017.

Former Atlanta Braves GM John Coppolella given lifetime ban from baseball (November 21, 2017)

Well, we knew it wouldn’t be good news for Atlanta Braves GM John Coppoelella. A lifetime ban is a big deal but will it stick?

Even two of baseball’s biggest icons were once handed lifetime bans. But for Mickey Mantle  and Willie Mays, it had nothing to do with their playing careers. Then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn banned the duo after they began working as greeters for casinos in Atlantic City. Kuhn was rankled by the gambling connection when he handed down the ban, which was reversed two years later by Peter Ueberroth.

Arguably the most infamous scandal in baseball history, the Chicago White Sox throwing of the 1919 World Series led to lifetime bans for eight players. “Shoeless” Joe was the most controversial of the bunch, given that he rocked a .375 average in the series and maintained his innocence. None of the eight have been reinstated.

This is perhaps baseball’s best-known lifetime ban — if only because Pete Rose makes sure we don’t forget about him. Managing the Cincinnati Reds after years starring for them, Pete Rose was booted from the game in 1989 for gambling on baseball. He’s made four bids for reinstatement, all denied, eventually coming clean about his misdeeds in 2004 (with a tell-all book and publicity tour, of course.) Still, baseball’s all-time hits king remains out of baseball and out of the Hall of Fame.

Texas Rangers pitcher Ferguson Jenkins was thrown out of baseball by commissioner Bowie Kuhn after getting caught with a small array of recreational drugs during a customs search in Toronto. Like Kuhn’s other two lifetime bans, Jenkins’ was overturned. In fact, he was back playing the very next season and was elected to the Hall of Fame 11 years later.

Steve Howe took baseball by storm, winning Rookie of the Year in 1980, saving the clinching game of the 1981 World Series and making the All-Star team in 1982. But after that, there was all sorts of trouble — well, one sort of trouble (drugs) and all sorts of suspensions (seven). He was handed a lifetime ban in 1992, but managed to win an appeal and get reinstated. His return was short-lived; he was out of the game by 1996. Howe died in 2006 after his truck flipped in Coachella, Calif.

The only woman to have received a lifetime ban, former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott made the list when Bud Selig gave her the boot in 1996 for disparaging comments about African-Americans, Asians, Jews and homosexuals. She also expressed her support for the policies of Adolf Hitler (Schott said he “was good in the beginning, but went too far.”) Schott was reinstated in 1998, but sold the team a year later and died in 2005 at age 75.

Even The Boss can get banned. George Steinbrenner was kicked out by commissioner Fay Vincent in 1990 for hiring a private investigator to dig up dirt on his own player (Dave Winfield). Bud Selig reinstated Steinbrenner three years later and he stayed in the game until 2006, when he turned the Yankees over to his sons.

So now former Atlanta Braves General Manager John Coppolella is banned from working in professional baseball for life (announced Tuesday, November 21, 2017) over rule violations the club committed in signing international players.

Coppolella was forced to resign as general manager on Oct. 2 after MLB investigators disclosed that the Braves had flouted international signing rules between 2015 and 2017. Former Braves Special Assistant Gordon Blakeley, the team’s international scouting chief, was suspended from performing services for any team for one year.

Braves’ Maddux drops first Opening-Day start (March 31, 2003)

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2003, Atlanta Braves, Frank Robinson, Greg Maddux, Jeff Liefer, March 31, Orlando Cabrera, Tony Armas

Baseball’s road warriors, the Montreal Expos, started with a win, appropriately, on the road.

The Expos sent Greg Maddux to his first Opening-Day loss, defeating the Atlanta Braves 10-2 on Monday behind Jeff Liefer’s four RBI and Orlando Cabrera’s two-run homer. Maddux, 6-0 with a 1.66 ERA in seven previous Opening-Day starts, gave up four runs in the first inning. The four-time NL Cy Young Award winner went seven innings, giving up five runs — four earned — and nine hits.

Tony Armas Jr., in his first Opening-Day start, allowed one run and five hits in six innings to get the win for the vagabond Expos.

“It’s a good way to start,” Montreal manager Frank Robinson said. “We didn’t have a particularly good road record last year, and it’s something we talked about this spring. We have to improve this year on that.”

Greg Maddux

 

Matt Kemp hits 3 HRs, powers Braves to fourth straight victory (April 29, 2017)

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2017, April 29, Atlanta Braves, Matt Kemp

Matt Kemp had a night like he had never had in his career. He was more than happy to share the good vibes.

Kemp homered three times and drove in five runs to help the surging Atlanta Braves pound the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3 on April 29.

“It was everybody’s night,” he said. “Everybody was swinging the bat well. That’s a good sign for us.”

Rogers Hornsby has one season for the Braves (1928)

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1928, Boston Braves, Jimmy Welsh, Rogers Hornsby, Shanty Hogan

Rogers Hornsby played for the Braves as a second baseman in 1928. Hornsby was born in Winters, Texas on April 27, 1896. He passed away on January 5, 1963.

Hornsby was very, very talented. Talented enough that he won the batting title in his first year and was so controversial that he was traded at the end of the season.

Only nine men in Braves history have led the National League in hitting. Hornsby was the first in the 20th century to do so. He hit .361, second in the league for the Giants.

Where did that get him? Traded to the Braves. The New York manager knew what was going on. He wasn’t going to put up with it, no matter how good Hornsby was.n He was traded for Shanty Hogan, a very promising catcher and Jimmy Welsh, a so-so outfielder.

The Braves would learn the same lesson. Fortunately, it only took them one season.

Rogers Hornsby – 1928

The Braves print tickets and almost go to the series (1916)

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1916, Boston Braves, George Stallings

George Stallings entered his fourth season as manager for Boston Braves in 1916. They finished third, four games behind with a record of 89-63. Not a bad season continuing to decline from the miracle performance of 1914.

The World Series was back at Braves Field in 1916 but it was the Boston Red Sox who played not the Braves.

It would have been very special if it was an all Beantown series. It came close to happening. The Braves were in first as late as September 4th. The were close enough that they even printed tickets up. They weren’t eliminated until October 2 with only 2 games left to play.

Braves name Alex Anthopoulos as next general manager (2017)

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2017, Alex Anthopoulos, Atlanta Braves, General Manager, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays

Hoping this is very good news. We need some help and he has a very good track record.

The Braves are in deep with the league over rules violations in connection with the signing of international players. They are still likely facing big penalties for that and, for the time being, remain in limbo. While there were some noises coming out of Atlanta about who, possibly, might take over as the next general manager, they were decidedly muted.

The big potential move — luring Dayton Moore back to Atlanta from Kansas City — was blocked by Royals owner David Glass who would not grant the Braves permission to interview him. The remaining names bandied about as a replacement GM were less-than-inspiring. Dan Jennings? Ugh.

It appeared as if Atlanta was going to enter this week’s General Manager Meetings with placeholder GM John Hart at the helm. Given that he was likely to be pushed aside eventually, the Braves offseason looked pretty bleak.

According to FoxSports “The Atlanta Braves named Alex Anthopoulos as their new general manager and executive vice president on Monday afternoon — a masterstroke hire for an organization looking to climb out of offseason turmoil and rejoin Major League Baseball’s first class.

“Landing the former Toronto Blue Jays general manager and current Dodgers vice president of baseball operations ends the search for John Coppolella’s replacement and installs long-term leadership in Atlanta, answering waves of offseason question marks surrounding the front office.

“Anthopoulos, 40, will take over baseball operations with “full control” of baseball operations. He signed a four-year contract through the 2021 season.”

Source: Braves to name Alex Anthopoulos as next general manager

Tommy Thevenow is traded to the Boston Bees (January 6, 1937)

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1937, Boston Bees, January 6, Shortstop, Tommy Thevenow

On January 6, 1937 the Giants purchase the services of Tommy Thevenow from the Reds. The shortstop will never see action for New York, when the team trades the 33 year-old to the Bees (Braves) for infielder Billy Urbanski, who will also never play a game for the club.

Thevenow epitomized the good-fielding / weak-hitting shortstops that prevailed in the era, ending his career with a fielding percentage of .947, but a batting average of .248 while hitting only two home runs in his 15-year career.

He hit two home runs in 1926, both inside-the-park home runs, and then never hit another home run in his next 12 seasons, setting a major league record of 3,347 consecutive at bats without a home run.

As a catcher, Ernie Lombardi becomes an All-Star and batting champ winner (1942)

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1942, Boston Braves, Bubbles Hargrove, Buster Posey, Ernie Lombardi, Hall of Fame, Joe Mauer

1942 Reds general manager Warren Giles announces the team has traded veteran catcher Ernie Lombardi to the Boston Braves for two players to be named later.

The 33 year-old future Hall of Famer will hit .330 during his one season with his new team, capturing the batting crown, a feat that will not be repeated by a catcher until 2006 when Twins backstop Joe Mauer leads the American League.

He became an All-Star and led the NL and Braves that season with a .330 batting average (albeit, in only 309 at-bats). As of 2017, Lombardi remains only one of three NL catchers to win a batting title (the others are Cincinnati Reds catcher Bubbles Hargrove in 1926 and SF Giants catcher Buster Posey in 2012). His final All-Star selection was during the 1943 season.

After the miracle of 1914, the Braves couldn’t repeat in 1915

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1915, Boston Braves, George Stallings, Johnny Evers, Seattle Bill James

Following the miracle of 1914, was it a fluke? Could the Braves repeat?

It was George Stallings 3rd year as manager. While they couldn’t repeat, they did come in second, 7 games behind the leader with a 83-69 record.

It was a year of injury and illness. Johnny Evers, the league’s MVP in 1914, hurt his ankle sliding. He had to be carried off the field. The injury on April 18 took him out for over two months. Not good timing early in the season.

The biggest blow came to their ace pitcher from 1914. “Seattle Bill” James led the league in winning percentage the year before. He had 26 victories in 1914. He got ill (developed a sore arm) and had to spend the season at home. Ouch!

James pitched in 33 fewer games and won 21 less games. At age 23, his career was over.