Greenville Braves
|
Greenville Braves 1984–2004 Greenville, South Carolina | |||
| |||
| Class-level | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Previous | Double-A (1984–2004) | ||
| Minor league affiliations | |||
| League | Southern League (1984–2004) | ||
| Major league affiliations | |||
| Previous | Atlanta Braves (1984–2004) | ||
| Team data | |||
Previous names | Greenville Braves (1984–2004) | ||
Previous parks | Greenville Municipal Stadium (1984–2004) | ||
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004. The Braves played in Greenville Municipal Stadium for all 21 years of their existence.
The team had much success and many famous future Atlanta players such as Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Javy López, Jason Marquis, Eddie Pérez, and Andruw Jones played there. They won multiple Southern League championships, and the 1992 edition, managed by Grady Little and featuring Chipper Jones and López, won 100 out of 143 games (.699) during the regular season to take the pennant, then captured the SL playoff title. After the 2004 season, the parent club in Atlanta transferred the G-Braves to Pearl, Mississippi, where the team is now known as the Mississippi Braves.
The Braves cited an outdated stadium that did not meet current standards and the City of Greenville's unwillingness to create a sufficient financial package to build a new stadium as the cause of the move. With the Greenville Braves out, the Greenville Bombers (formerly the Capital City Bombers), Class A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, moved into the old Braves stadium in 2005. In 2006, a brand new stadium located in Downtown Greenville, Fluor Field at the West End, opened and the Bombers changed their name to the Greenville Drive.
Greenville Braves (WCL, 1963–64)
Greenville also hosted a team in the low Class A Western Carolinas League—the former identity (1960–79) of the South Atlantic League—called the Braves as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves in 1963 and 1964. This two-year affiliation was brief, but produced the 1963 playoff champions of the WCL. When the New York Mets replaced the Braves as the team's parent in 1965, the nickname was changed.
Notable former players
- Jim Acker, pitcher with the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves
- Jason Marquis, All Star starting pitcher
- Chipper Jones, All Star third baseman
- Adam Wainwright, All Star starting pitcher
- Andruw Jones, All Star Outfielder, won 10 consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Awards 1998-2007
- Tom Glavine, All Star starting pitcher and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee in 2014.
- David Justice, All Star Outfielder. 1990 National League Rookie of the Year.
- Tommy Greene, All Star Pitcher who threw a no hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies.
- Kent Mercker, Played in the major leagues for 17 years, started a no-hitter for the Atlanta Braves in 1991 and threw a complete game no-hitter in 1994.
Season-by-season records
The following is a list of the Greenville Braves season-by-season record.[1]
| Year | Team Name | Wins | Losses | W-L % | Manager |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Greenville Braves | 59 | 65 | 0.476% | Jim Fanning and Paul Snyder |
| 1964 | Greenville Braves | 63 | 63 | 0.500% | Bill Steinecke and Jimmy Brown |
| 1984 | Greenville Braves | 80 | 67 | 0.567% | Bobby Dews and Leo Mazzone |
| 1985 | Greenville Braves | 70 | 74 | 0.486% | Jim Beauchamp |
| 1986 | Greenville Braves | 73 | 71 | 0.486% | Jim Beauchamp |
| 1987 | Greenville Braves | 70 | 74 | 0.786% | Jim Beauchamp |
| 1988 | Greenville Braves | 87 | 57 | 0.604% | Buddy Bailey and Russ Nixon |
| 1989 | Greenville Braves | 70 | 69 | 0.504% | Buddy Bailey |
| 1990 | Greenville Braves | 57 | 87 | 0.396% | Buddy Bailey |
| 1991 | Greenville Braves | 88 | 56 | 0.611% | Chris Chambliss |
| 1992 | Greenville Braves | 100 | 43 | 0.699% | Grady Little |
| 1993 | Greenville Braves | 70 | 67 | 0.511% | Bruce Kimm |
| 1994 | Greenville Braves | 73 | 63 | 0.537% | Bruce Benedict |
| 1995 | Greenville Braves | 59 | 83 | 0.415% | Bruce Benedict |
| 1996 | Greenville Braves | 58 | 82 | 0.414% | Jeff Cox |
| 1997 | Greenville Braves | 74 | 66 | 0.529% | Randy Ingle |
| 1998 | Greenville Braves | 67 | 72 | 0.482% | Randy Ingle |
| 1999 | Greenville Braves | 58 | 80 | 0.420% | Paul Runge |
| 2000 | Greenville Braves | 68 | 71 | 0.489% | Paul Runge |
| 2001 | Greenville Braves | 60 | 79 | 0.432% | Paul Runge |
| 2002 | Greenville Braves | 65 | 63 | 0.485% | Brian Snitker |
| 2003 | Greenville Braves | 68 | 70 | 0.493% | Brian Snitker |
| 2004 | Greenville Braves | 63 | 76 | 0.453% | Brian Snitker |