With the Major League Baseball season underway, I thought I would celebrate each franchise and their storied pasts by selecting an All-Time Team for every club.
The teams consist of one player per infield position (1B, 2B, SS, 3B, C), three outfielders, three starting pitchers, and two relief pitchers. Each American League squad also consists of a designated hitter.
So without further ado, here is part 14 of a 30-part series documenting each franchise’s all-time greats.
Atlanta Braves
First Base: Freddie Freeman 2010-21
A five-time All-Star and three-time All-MLB Team selection, Freeman became a franchise legend during his 12-season run in Atlanta.
A 2018 Gold Glove winner and three-time Silver Slugger recipient, Freeman won the NL’s Hank Aaron and Most Valuable Player honors in 2020 while leading the Braves to their first postseason series win in 19 years.
In his last season with the club, Freeman guided the team to the 2021 World Series championship, ending a 26-year title drought in his seventh career postseason appearance.
Second Base: Rabbit Maranville 1912-20, ’29-33, ’35
Playing three stints with the Boston Braves, Maranville helped the team win its first World Series title in 1914.
After his career, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954.
Shortstop: Johnny Logan 1951-61
Playing 11 seasons in Boston and Milwaukee, Logan was named an All-Star four times while helping the Braves win the 1957 World Series title.
Third Base: Chipper Jones 1993, ’95-12
Playing his entire career with the Braves, Chipper became one of the best hitters in the game in his 19 seasons after being drafted No. 1 overall in 1990.
An eight-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner (1999-00), Jones was a member of 14 playoff teams during his tenure, highlighted by a 1995 World Series title.
The 2008 NL batting champion and 1999 NL MVP, Chipper’s No. 10 was retired after his career ended and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.
Catcher: Brian McCann 2005-13, 2019
Playing 10 years over two tenures in Atlanta, McCann helped guide the team to five postseason appearances before retiring after the 2019 season.
The 2010 MLB All-Star Game MVP, McCann was named to seven All-Star teams and took home five Silver Sluggers during his run with the Braves.
Outfield: Andruw Jones 1996-07
One of the best – and most underrated – two-way players during his prime, Jones was named to five All-Star teams during his career while racking up 10 straight Gold Gloves in centerfield from 1998-07.
During a career-best 2005 season, Jones hit a franchise record and NL-leading 51 home runs while driving in 128 runs, also leading the league while taking home the NL Hank Aaron Award.
A 2005 Silver Slugger and 2007 Fielding Bible winner, Jones helped the Braves win 10 division titles and a pair of NL pennants before leaving following the 2007 season.
Outfield: Hank Aaron 1954-74
A 24-time All-Star and 1957 NL MVP, “Hammerin’ Hank” became one of the game’s greatest-ever hitters during his career, currently sitting atop the charts for the most RBI (2,297) and total bases (6,856) in league history.
An MLB All-Century Team selection and member of the 3,000 hits (3,771) and 700 home run club (755), Aaron led the NL in both RBI and home runs four times and batting average twice.
Also a three-time Gold Glove winner and 1957 World Series champion whose No. 44 is retired by the Braves, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982
Outfield: Dale Murphy 1976-90
A seven-time All-Star who took home five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers, Murphy was one of the lone bright spots during some tough times for the Braves in the 1980s.
A two-time NL leader in both home runs and RBI, Murphy took home back-to-back NL MVP honors for the 1982-83 seasons, helping the Braves win the NL West title in 1982.
After 15 seasons with the Braves, Murphy was traded following the 1990 season to Philadelphia. He has since been inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame and had his No. 3 jersey retired in 1994.
Starting pitcher: Greg Maddux 1993-03
The ace of the legendary Braves pitching staff of the 1990s, Maddux won three straight Cy Young Awards from 1993-95, highlighted by winning the 1995 World Series.
A six-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner in his 11 seasons with the Braves, Maddux led MLB in wins twice and ERA four times.
A member of the 300 wins (355) and 3,000 strikeout clubs (3,371), Maddux’s No. 31 jersey was retired after his career and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Starting pitcher: Tom Glavine 1987-02, 2008
Another member of the feared 90s Braves rotation, Glavine played 17 years with the franchise, tallying eight All-Star selections and winning a pair of Cy Young Awards (1991, ’98).
A four-time Silver Slugger recipient who led the NL in wins five times, Glavine helped guide Atlanta to the 1995 World Series title, where he was named World Series MVP.
A 300-game-winner (305), Glavine’s No. 47 jersey was retired following his second Braves stint and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Starting pitcher: Warren Spahn 1942, ’46-64
Playing 20 seasons with the Braves in Boston and Milwaukee, Spahn became one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time.
A 17-time All-Star who won a Cy Young Award in 1957, Spahn won 365 games during his career and threw two career no-hitters. Leading the NL in wins eight times, strikeouts four times, and ERA twice, Spahn helped the Milwaukee Braves win the 1957 World Series title.
A member of the MLB All-Century Team, Spahn’s No. 21 jersey is retired by the Braves and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
Relief pitcher: John Smoltz 1988-08
Pitching 20 years with the Braves, Smoltz was the third member of the vaunted 90s Braves rotation before injuries forced a move to the bullpen.
An eight-time All-Star and 1996 NL Cy Young Award winner, Smoltz twice led the NL in wins and strikeouts and was named MVP of the 1992 NLCS and a Silver Slugger recipient in 1997.
Moving to the bullpen for the first time in 2001, Smoltz recorded a National League record 55 saves in 2002, receiving the NL’s Rolaids Relief Man Award.
Recording over 3,000 career strikeouts, Smoltz helped the Braves win the World Series in 1995 before having his No. 29 jersey retired and being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Relief pitcher: Craig Kimbrel 2010-14
Playing his first five seasons in Atlanta, Kimbrel was named the 2011 NL Rookie of the Year and led the NL in saves four straight times from 2011-14.
The 2012 NL Rolaids Relief Man winner and MLB’s 2013 Delivery Man of the Year, Kimbrel helped the Braves reach the playoffs three times in his tenure.
The 2014 NL Reliever of the Year was traded to the Padres before the start of the 2015 season.
2021 World Series: Atlanta Braves Beat Houston Astros, Win First Title In 26 years
