Atlanta Braves: The new titans of tragedy
As another Atlanta Braves season ends suddenly, we take a look at past postseason tragedies that have become part of the team’s culture of coming up short.
This was going to be the year for the Atlanta Braves. A dynamic lineup, a pitching rotation full of budding stars, and a fired-up fan base.
The wind was at their backs as they hosted the St. Louis Cardinals, a team that just barely fended off the surging Milwaukee Brewers to keep their Divisional Series berth. The first four games of this series were well-played baseball games, and then, as well-publicized, the wheels not only came off, they burst into flames and rolled down I-75 into rush hour traffic.
When the dust cleared, they had surrendered a historically bad inning (10 runs) and still had two outs to get.
For Braves fans, disappointment in the postseason isn’t a new concept. In fact, it has become such a significant part of the team’s recent history, that many are floating the “cursed” idea.
Usually, the “C” word is reserved for teams who have created a sort of mystique around their teams, thanks to a pattern of both the bizarre and the tragic seeming that always seems to surface when the games matter most.
The situations are so outlandish, the circumstances so poetic that fans lose the ability to rationalize what is happening, and begin to invoke the power of the supernatural.
Sound familiar? You must be an Atlanta Braves fan. Let’s take a look at some of the moments that have led to the Atlanta faithful to think that their team is doomed to a life of hope and despair, in that order.
Atlanta Braves: Titans of Tragedy
1991: Kirby Puckett Goes “Angels in the Outfield”
For many, this was the beginning. The 1991 World Series (Often called the “Cinderella Series”) is described by many as one of the greatest played in recent memory, and for good reason.
Seven closely contested games between two teams who just a season ago, sat on the bottom of their respective leagues standings. Either team would have been worthy to take home the trophy, but as is the unfortunate case in baseball, someone has to win.
It would be Jack Morris who outlasted John Smoltz in an incredible seventh game to win the series for the Twins, but for many, it was Kirby who lifted them to victory. The portly outfielder made an incredible catch and walk-off home run in the 11th inning of the sixth game to help put down the Atlanta Braves.
The catch was a miraculous feat, with Puckett seemingly floating off the ground, defying the very laws of physics to ensure that Ron Gant didn’t get a hit, and also nearly doubling off Terry Pendleton in the process.
1997: The Strike Zone as Big as a Truck
It was the 1997 National League Championship Series. In the run of dominance that the Braves enjoyed in the 1990s, this team may have been one of its best. Let by MVP Chipper Jones and the best rotation in baseball, the Florida Marlins were outclassed by the Braves in every facet.
Or ya know, so they thought. It was Game 5 when things really started going off course for the Braves, with the series knotted at 2 games each.
The culprit, in this case, was umpire Eric Gregg, who gave Livan Hernandez a strike zone wide enough that many pitches that were virtually unhittable were called strikes. Gregg would defend his strike zone, and Fangraphs would later do an analysis on it (mostly defending it), but regardless, Hernandez went on to strike out 15 batters on the way to a 2-1 Marlins win.
They would eventually go on to beat the Indians in the World Series, and the Braves would have to watch from home… again.
Atlanta Braves: Titans of Tragedy
2010: Brooks Conrad Forgets how to Baseball
OK, so this one’s on us. It was the third game of the National League Divisional Series, and the Atlanta Braves were in control.
Despite the defensive misadventures of second baseman Brooks Conrad, the Braves took a 2-1 lead into the ninth inning, poised to take the lead in the series, and force the Giants into an elimination game situation on the road. Craig Kimbrel surrendered the tying run but had also forced the Giants down to their final out.
Buster Posey represented the final out with a runner on second base and hit a sharp ground ball right to Conrad. Take a deep breath, send it to extras right?
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Nope. That’s not what happened. Instead, the ball took a funny hop and slipped straight through the legs of Conrad into right field, allowing the go-ahead run to score on his THIRD error of the game. The crowd at Turner Field fell sickeningly silent, watching their chances slip away. Ugh.
2012: Infield Fly
This one’s still hard to talk about. It was the first year of the single-elimination Wild Card game, and the Braves were squaring off against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinals had a decisive 6-3 lead going into the eighth inning, but the Braves were threatening. With runners on first and second with one out, Andrelton Simmons hit a fly ball to left field. Matt Holliday and shortstop Pete Kozma seemed to miscommunicate and the ball dropped to the field, thus loading the bases for the Braves.
But wait… there’s more.
Sam Holbrook apparently had called an infield fly rule, resulting in Simmons being called out. Shock and confusion overtook Turner Field, since the ball was CLEARLY not anywhere near the infield.
I mean SERIOUSLY not anywhere near it.
That's our old friend Sam Holbrook at third base everyone. You may remember him from such hits as "The Outield Fly Rule" in 2012. pic.twitter.com/eQJ8TMNF1G
— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) May 16, 2018
Fans would take their outrage literally and begin throwing debris on the field, delaying the game nearly 20 minutes, and Fredi Gonzalez played the game under protest. It all around wasn’t a great moment.
But seriously… NO.WHERE.NEAR.THE.INFIELD.
2019: The Meltdown
The first four games of the 2019 NLDS between the Braves and Cardinals were widely considered to be a pretty good series. Neither team really blew out the other, the games were well executed for the most part, and there wasn’t a whole lot else to say.
The fifth and deciding game was shaping up to be a classic, and the game really could go either way. On the mound for the Braves was Mike Foltynewicz, who pitched a gem in Game 2, outdueling ace-jack Flaherty to even the series and put momentum back in Atlanta’s corner.
Next. The Yankees have advantage over Houston in ALCS. dark
Instead, the Cardinals recorded 10 runs, before Folty recorded the SECOND OUT OF THE GAME. Before fans could even find their seats the game, the series, and the season were effectively over. It was shortstop Dansby Swanson who summed it up best:
“Pretty Much just worst nightmare coming true”
Yes, it was, Dansby… Yes, it was.