1998 Atlanta Braves season

1998 Atlanta Braves
1998 NL East Champions
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1876)
Eastern Division (since 1994)
Location
Turner Field (since 1997)
Atlanta (since 1966)
Results
Record	106–56 (.654)
Divisional place	1st
Other information
Owner(s)	Time Warner
General manager(s)	John Schuerholz
Manager(s)	Bobby Cox
Local television	WTBS TBS Superstation (Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson) Fox Sports South (Ernie Johnson, Bob Rathbun)
Local radio	WSB (AM) (Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson)
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The 1998 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 33rd season in Atlanta. They went on to win their seventh consecutive division title, taking the National League East title by 18 games over the second place New York Mets.

The team featured six all stars: shortstop Walt Weiss and third baseman Chipper Jones were voted as starters, while first baseman Andrés Galarraga, catcher Javy Lopez, and pitchers Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux were selected as reserves.

The 1998 Braves beat the Chicago Cubs three games to none in the National League Division Series. They then lost to the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series four games to two.

The team has earned a few historic accolades. ESPN writer David Schoenfield lists them as one of the top teams in MLB history to not win a World Series.^[1]

ESPN columnist Jeff Merron also writes that the pitching staff of Maddux, Glavine, John Smoltz, Denny Neagle, and Kevin Millwood was the greatest of all time.^[2] The quintet posted a cumulative 2.97 E.R.A. and amassed 88 wins, equaling the win total of the 2nd place Mets. Glavine, the lone 20 game winner in the National League for that year, won the Cy Young Award.

Offseason

• November 17, 1997: Walt Weiss was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.^[3]
• January 30, 1998: Dennis Martínez was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.^[4]
• February 6, 1998: Curtis Pride was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.^[5]

Regular season

Tom Glavine pitches in spring training, 1998. Chipper Jones plays third base in background.

Season standings

NL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Atlanta Braves	106	56	0.654	—	56–25	50–31
New York Mets	88	74	0.543	18	47–34	41–40
Philadelphia Phillies	75	87	0.463	31	40–41	35–46
Montreal Expos	65	97	0.401	41	39–42	26–55
Florida Marlins	54	108	0.333	52	31–50	23–58

Record vs. opponents

1998 National League Records Sources:
Team	ARI	ATL	CHC	CIN	COL	FLA	HOU	LAD	MIL	MON	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL	AL
Arizona	—	1–8	5–7	4–5	6–6	6–2	4–5	4–8	6–3	2–7	4–5	2–7	6–3	3–9	5–7	2–7	5–8
Atlanta	8–1	—	3–6	7–2	5–3	7–5	4–5	8–1	7–2	6–6	9–3	8–4	7–2	5–4	7–2	6–3	9–7
Chicago	7–5	6–3	—	6–5	7–2	7–2	4–7	4–5	6–6	7–2	4–5	3–6	8–3	5–4	7–3	4–7	5–8
Cincinnati	5–4	2–7	5–6	—	4–5	9–0	3–8	5–4	6–5	8–1	3–6	4–5	5–7	1–11	2–7	8–3	7-6
Colorado	6–6	3–5	2–7	5–4	—	6–3	6–5	6–6	4–7	7–2	3–6	5–4	5–4	5–7	7–5	3–6	4–8
Florida	2–6	5–7	2–7	0–9	3–6	—	3–6	4–5	0–9	5–7	5–7	6–6	3–6	4–5	0–9	4–5	8–8
Houston	5–4	5–4	7–4	8–3	5–6	6-3	—	3–6	9–2	7–2	5–4	7–2	9–2	5–4	6–3	5–7	10–4
Los Angeles	8–4	1–8	5–4	4–5	6–6	5–4	6–3	—	5–4	5–4	3–5	5–4	7–5	5–7	6–6	4–5	8–5
Milwaukee	3–6	2–7	6–6	5–6	7–4	9–0	2–9	4–5	—	6–3	1–8	4–5	6–5	3–6	5–4	3–8	8–6
Montreal	7–2	6–6	2–7	1–8	2–7	7–5	2–7	4–5	3–6	—	8–4	5–7	2–7	4–4	3–6	3–6	6–10
New York	5–4	3–9	5–4	6–3	6–3	7–5	4–5	5–3	8–1	4–8	—	8–4	4–5	4–5	4–5	6–3	9–7
Philadelphia	7-2	4–8	6–3	5–4	4–5	6–6	2–7	4–5	5–4	7–5	4–8	—	8–1	1–8	2–6	3–6	7–9
Pittsburgh	3–6	2–7	3–8	7–5	4–5	6–3	2–9	5–7	5–6	7–2	5–4	1–8	—	5–4	2–7	6–5	6–7
San Diego	9–3	4–5	4–5	11–1	7–5	5–4	4–5	7–5	6–3	4–4	5–4	8–1	4–5	—	8–4	6–3	6–7
San Francisco	7–5	2–7	3–7	7–2	5–7	9–0	3–6	6–6	4–5	6–3	5–4	6–2	7–2	4–8	—	7–5	8–5
St. Louis	7–2	3–6	7–4	3–8	6–3	5-4	7–5	5–4	8–3	6–3	3–6	6–3	5–6	3–6	5–7	—	4–9

Transactions

• June 9, 1998: Howard Battle was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.^[6]
• June 23, 1998: Alan Embree was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Russ Springer.^[7]
• August 14, 1998: Paul Byrd was selected off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Atlanta Braves.^[8]

Roster

1998 Atlanta Braves
Roster
Pitchers 50 Adam Butler 45 Paul Byrd 38 Mike Cather 30 Norm Charlton 48 Bruce Chen 48 Brian Edmondson 36 Alan Embree 47 Tom Glavine 46 Kerry Ligtenberg 31 Greg Maddux 32 Dennis Martínez 34 Kevin Millwood 15 Denny Neagle 45 Odalis Pérez 49 John Rocker 40 Rudy Seánez 29 John Smoltz 36 Russ Springer 43 Mark Wohlers		Catchers  8 Javy López 12 Eddie Pérez Infielders  2 Rafael Belliard 23 Greg Colbrunn  7 Mark DeRosa 14 Andrés Galarraga 11 Tony Graffanino 13 Ozzie Guillén  9 Wes Helms 30 Ray Holbert 10 Chipper Jones  1 Keith Lockhart 20 Marty Malloy 33 Randall Simon 22 Walt Weiss		Outfielders 17 Danny Bautista 16 Damon Hollins 25 Andruw Jones 18 Ryan Klesko 26 George Lombard 19 Curtis Pride 24 Michael Tucker 27 Gerald Williams		Manager  6 Bobby Cox Coaches 37 Jim Beauchamp (bench) 39 Pat Corrales (first base) 22 Bobby Dews 28 Clarence Jones (hitting) 54 Leo Mazzone (pitching)  5 Ned Yost (bullpen)

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI

Other batters

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI

Starting pitchers

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO

Other pitchers

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA

Relief pitchers

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO

National League Division Series

Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs

Atlanta wins the series, 3-0

Game	Home	Score	Visitor	Score	Date	Series
1	Atlanta	7	Chicago	1	September 30	1-0 (ATL)
2	Atlanta	2	Chicago	1	October 1	2-0 (ATL)
3	Chicago	2	Atlanta	6	October 3	3-0 (ATL)

National League Championship Series

Game 1

October 7: Turner Field in Atlanta

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
San Diego	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	3	7	0
Atlanta	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	8	3
WP: Trevor Hoffman (1-0)   LP: Kerry Ligtenberg (0-1) Home runs: SD: Ken Caminiti (1) Atl: Andruw Jones (1)

Game 2

October 8: Turner Field in Atlanta

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
San Diego	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	11	0
Atlanta	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
WP: Kevin Brown (1-0)   LP: Tom Glavine (0-1)

Game 3

October 10: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	2
San Diego	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	X	4	7	0
WP: Sterling Hitchcock (1-0)   LP: Greg Maddux (0-1)   Sv: Trevor Hoffman (1)

Game 4

October 11: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	0	0	8	12	0
San Diego	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	8	0
WP: Dennis Martínez (1-0)   LP: Joey Hamilton (0-1) Home runs: Atl: Javy López (1), Andrés Galarraga (1) SD: Jim Leyritz (1)

Game 5

October 12: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Atlanta	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	5	0	7	14	1
San Diego	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	6	10	1
WP: John Rocker (1-0)   LP: Kevin Brown (1-1)   Sv: Greg Maddux (1) Home runs: Atl: Michael Tucker (1) SD: Ken Caminiti (2), John Vander Wal (1)

Game 6

October 14: Turner Field in Atlanta

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
San Diego	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	5	10	0
Atlanta	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
WP: Sterling Hitchcock (2-0)   LP: Tom Glavine (0-2)

Award winners

• Tom Glavine, Pitcher of the Month, April
• Tom Glavine, P, Silver Slugger
• Andruw Jones, OF, Gold Glove
• Greg Maddux, Pitcher of the Month, June
• Greg Maddux, P, Gold Glove

1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

• Chipper Jones, 3B, Starter
• Greg Maddux, P, Starter
• Walt Weiss, SS, Starter
• Andrés Galarraga, 1B, Reserve
• Tom Glavine, P, Reserve
• Javy López, C, Reserve

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Richmond Braves	International League	Jeff Cox
AA	Greenville Braves	Southern League	Randy Ingle
A	Danville 97s	Carolina League	Paul Runge
A	Macon Braves	South Atlantic League	Brian Snitker
A-Short Season	Eugene Emeralds	Northwest League	Jim Saul
Rookie	Danville Braves	Appalachian League	Franklin Stubbs
Rookie	GCL Braves	Gulf Coast League	Rick Albert

^[9]

References

1. http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/32354/greatest-teams-ever-the-almost-greats
2. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=list/greatestrotations
3. http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/weisswa01.shtml
4. http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/martide01.shtml
5. http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pridecu01.shtml
6. Howard Battle Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
7. Alan Embree Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
8. Paul Byrd Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
9. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

• 1998 Atlanta Braves team at Baseball-Reference