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MLB: The NL all-time bracket, bottom half edition

By Bill Felber

7 Oct 1998: Infielder Chipper Jones #10 and pitcher John Rocker #49 of the Atlanta Braves confer during the National League Championship Series game against the San Diego Padres at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The Padres defeated the Braves 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport
7 Oct 1998: Infielder Chipper Jones #10 and pitcher John Rocker #49 of the Atlanta Braves confer during the National League Championship Series game against the San Diego Padres at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. The Padres defeated the Braves 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport /
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(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

MLB: The NL All-Time Bracket (Bottom Half Edition)

1998 Atlanta Braves vs. 1982 Milwaukee Brewers

This series not only pits the American League vs. the National League, but it also sends a current Milwaukee franchise against a former one.

The 1998 Braves lost to San Diego in the NLCS after cruising to the NL East title by 18 games. Glavine was 20-6 with a 2.47 ERA, winning the Cy Young Award.  Maddux finished 18-9 and Smoltz 17-3, all three with ERAs under 3.00.

Chipper Jones hit  .313 with 34 homers and 107 RBIs and first baseman Andres Galarraga provided 44 homers and 121 RBIs. Andruw Jones and Javy Lopez also topped 30 homers, Jones driving in 90 runs and Lopez 106.

The 1998 Braves won the franchise championship by defeating the 2019  team in four straight, the 1957 World Series winners in six, and the 2002 Braves in five.

The 2018 Milwaukee Brewers won the NL Central in a playoff against the Cubs, then swept a  division series from Colorado before losing the NLCS to Los Angeles in seven games.

Its strength was a powerful and versatile outfield with Ryan  Braun and Christian Yelich in the corners and Lorenzo Cain playing center. Yelich won the MVP on a .326 average, 36 homers and 110 RBIs. Braun contributed 20 homers, and Cain hit .308.

The starting pitching was ordinary but the bullpen, buttressed by Cory Knebel, Jeremy Jeffress, and sensational newcomer Josh Hader, came to the rescue almost daily. As a trio, they saved 43  games,  working 213 innings and striking out 320 opponents.

The 2018 Brewers won the franchise bracket by ousting the 1978 team in six games, surprising the 1982 American league champions in six and eliminating the 1981 Brewers in five.

Related Story. The MLB all-time bracket challenge: Part 1. light

Game 1: The 1998 Braves had  .654 regular-season percentage. Despite their strong finish, winning 10 of their final 11 games, he 2018 Brewers only played .589 ball.

Game 2: The Brewers had a .600 post-season record, beating out the Braves’  .556 post-season record.

Game 3: Both teams had 107 OPS+. That sends us to a tie-breaker, highest OPS+ among regulars. In the case of the 2018 Brewers, that’s obviously Christian Yelich, at 164. The 1998 Braves were led by Andres Galarraga, but he only reached 157. The Brewers go-ahead 2-1.

Game 4: The 1998 Braves relied on their pitching, and they had a 128 staff ERA+ to prove it. The 2018 Brewers stopped at 110.

Game 5: The 1998 Braves amassed an impressive 55.9 WAR, far better than the 2018 Brewers’ 39.3. The Braves take a 3-2 series lead.

Game 6: The 1998 Braves fielded .985, four points better than the league average. The 2018 Brewers fielded .982, and that was two points worse than the league average.

Result: 1998 Braves in six games. They advance to play the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers in the second round.

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