While it wasn’t exactly the 1990s, the Atlanta Braves managed to put out some pretty good teams during the past decade. Let’s take a look at their All-2010s team.
From 2010 to 2019, the Atlanta Braves managed to put together an 843-776 record, including five 90 win seasons, three division titles and five postseason appearances.
It wasn’t all a bed of roses for the Bravos though, having to endure a tough rebuilding process in the middle part of the decade, and extending their unfortunate postseason series losing streak to 18 years.
Some quality players have gone through the Atlanta system over the past 10 years though, so let’s take a closer look at what a Braves “All-Decade” starting lineup would look like, starting with the backstop…
CATCHER: BRIAN MCCANN
- 2005-2013, 2019
- 236 Home Runs
- 115 OPS+
- 7 All-Star appearances
- 5 Silver Sluggers (All with Braves)
In the long, winding history of the Atlanta Braves franchise, few catchers stand out quite like Brian McCann does.
Originally part of the “Baby Braves” movement in the mid-2000s, B-Mac quickly cemented his standing on the Braves as a contributor on the field, and a leader off of it. He was let go by the Braves in 2014 and went on to play for the Yankees and Astros (where he won the World Series in 2017, catching the final pitch from former Braves minor league teammate, Charlie Morton).
McCann ultimately returned to the Braves in 2019 to bring some veteran leadership to the team, and after the season he retired. In the long, winding history of America’s oldest continually running sports franchise, McCann just might be the greatest to field his position in its history.