1997 Atlanta Braves season

1997  Atlanta Braves
National League East champions
League	National League
Division	East
Ballpark	Turner Field
City	Atlanta
Record	101–61 (.623)
Divisional place	1st
Owners	Time Warner
General managers	John Schuerholz
Managers	Bobby Cox
Television	WTBS TBS Superstation (Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson) SportSouth (Tim Brando, Ernie Johnson, Bob Rathbun)
Radio	WSB (AM) (Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Joe Simpson)
←  1996 Seasons 1998  →

The 1997 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 32nd season in Atlanta and 127th overall. The Braves entered the season as defending National League champions, having lost the 1996 World Series to the Yankees in 6 games. They won their seventh consecutive division title, taking the National League East by 9 games over the second place Florida Marlins. However, the Marlins would later defeat the Braves in the NLCS. 1997 was the first year that the Braves played their home games in Turner Field, a reconstruction of the former Centennial Olympic Stadium, which originally served as the main venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Off season

• November 20, 1996: John Smoltz was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. ^[1]
• November 25, 1996: Paul Byrd was traded by the New York Mets with a player to be named later to the Atlanta Braves for Greg McMichael. The New York Mets sent Andy Zwirchitz (minors) (May 25, 1997) to the Atlanta Braves to complete the trade. ^[2]
• December 19, 1996: Mike Bielecki was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. ^[3]
• March 25, 1997: Kenny Lofton was traded by the Cleveland Indians with Alan Embree to the Atlanta Braves for Marquis Grissom and David Justice.

Regular season

The first game at Turner Field took place on April 4, 1997, with Denny Neagle making the start for the Braves. ^[4]

Opening day starters

• Kenny Lofton – CF
• Mark Lemke – 2B
• Chipper Jones – 3B
• Fred McGriff – 1B
• Ryan Klesko – LF
• Michael Tucker – RF
• Javy López – C
• Jeff Blauser – SS
• John Smoltz – P

Season standings

• v
• t
• e

NL East

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Atlanta Braves	101	61	.623	—	50‍–‍31	51‍–‍30
Florida Marlins	92	70	.568	9	52‍–‍29	40‍–‍41
New York Mets	88	74	.543	13	50‍–‍31	38‍–‍43
Montreal Expos	78	84	.481	23	45‍–‍36	33‍–‍48
Philadelphia Phillies	68	94	.420	33	38‍–‍43	30‍–‍51

Record vs. opponents

1997 National League record Source: MLB Standings Grid – 1997 v t e
Team	ATL	CHC	CIN	COL	FLA	HOU	LAD	MTL	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL	AL
Atlanta	—	9–2	9–2	5–6	4–8	7–4	6–5	10–2	5–7	10–2	5–6	8–3	7–4	8–3	8–7
Chicago	2–9	—	7–5	2–9	2–9	3–9	5–6	4–7	6–5	6–5	7–5	6–5	5–6	4–8	9–6
Cincinnati	2–9	5–7	—	5–6	5–6	5–7	6–5	6–5	2–9	8–3	8–4	5–6	4–7	6–6	9–6
Colorado	6–5	9–2	6–5	—	7–4	5–6	5–7	7–4	6–5	4–7	4–7	4–8	4–8	7–4	9–7
Florida	8–4	9–2	6–5	4–7	—	7–4	7–4	7–5	4–8	6–6	7–4	5–6	5–6	5–6	12–3
Houston	4–7	9–3	7–5	6–5	4–7	—	7–4	8–3	7–4	4–7	6–6	6–5	3–8	9–3	4–11
Los Angeles	5–6	6–5	5–6	7–5	4–7	4–7	—	7–4	6–5	10–1	9–2	5–7	6–6	5–6	9–7
Montreal	2–10	7–4	5–6	4–7	5–7	3–8	4–7	—	5–7	6–6	5–6	8–3	6–5	6–5	12–3
New York	7–5	5–6	9–2	5–6	8–4	4–7	5–6	7–5	—	7–5	7–4	5–6	3–8	9–2	7–8
Philadelphia	2–10	5–6	3–8	7–4	6–6	7–4	1–10	6–6	5–7	—	5–6	7–4	3–8	6–5	5–10
Pittsburgh	6–5	5–7	4–8	7–4	4–7	6–6	2–9	6–5	4–7	6–5	—	5–6	8–3	9–3	7–8
San Diego	3–8	5–6	6–5	8–4	6–5	5–6	7–5	3–8	6–5	4–7	6–5	—	4–8	5–6	8–8
San Francisco	4–7	6–5	7–4	8–4	6–5	8–3	6–6	5–6	8–3	8–3	3–8	8–4	—	3–8	10–6
St. Louis	3–8	8–4	6–6	4–7	6–5	3–9	6–5	5–6	2–9	5–6	3–9	6–5	8–3	—	8–7

Roster

1997 Atlanta Braves
Roster
Pitchers 26 Mike Bielecki 50 Joe Borowski 49 Chris Brock 45 Paul Byrd 38 Mike Cather 30 Brad Clontz 40 Chad Fox 47 Tom Glavine 50 John LeRoy 46 Kerry Ligtenberg 31 Greg Maddux 34 Kevin Millwood 15 Denny Neagle 29 John Smoltz 36 Terrell Wade 43 Mark Wohlers		Catchers  8 Javy López 48 Greg Myers 12 Eddie Pérez  9 Tim Spehr Infielders  2 Rafael Belliard  4 Jeff Blauser 23 Greg Colbrunn 11 Ed Giovanola 14 Tony Graffanino 10 Chipper Jones 20 Mark Lemke  1 Keith Lockhart 27 Fred McGriff 16 Mike Mordecai 33 Randall Simon		Outfielders 17 Danny Bautista 19 Tommy Gregg 25 Andruw Jones 18 Ryan Klesko  7 Kenny Lofton 24 Michael Tucker		Manager  6 Bobby Cox Coaches 37 Jim Beauchamp (bench) 39 Pat Corrales (third base) 22 Bobby Dews (first base) 28 Clarence Jones (hitting) 54 Leo Mazzone (pitching) 42 Ned Yost (bullpen)

Game log

1997 Game Log: 101–61 (Home: 50–31; Away: 51–30)
April: 19–6 (Home: 12–2; Away: 7–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 1 @ Astros 1–2 Reynolds (1–0) Smoltz (0–1) Wagner (1) 44,618 0–1 2 April 2 @ Astros 3–4 Hampton (1–0) Maddux (0–1) Wagner (2) 16,308 0–2 3 April 3 @ Astros 3–2 Glavine (1–0) Kile (0–1) Wohlers (1) 17,963 1–2 4 April 4 Cubs 5–4 Clontz (1–0) Adams (0–1) Wohlers (2) 45,044 2–2 – April 5 Cubs Suspended (rain); completed April 6 [a] 5 April 6 Cubs 11–5 Smoltz (1–1) Casian (0–1) — 45,698 3–2 6 April 6 Cubs 4–0 Maddux (1–1) Mulholland (0–2) — 41,318 4–2 7 April 8 Astros 4–2 Glavine (2–0) Hampton (1–1) Wohlers (3) 31,064 5–2 8 April 9 Astros 4–3 (12) Embree (1–0) Lima (0–1) — 33,986 6–2 9 April 10 Astros 3–5 Holt (1–0) Smoltz (1–2) Hudek (1) 33,637 6–3 – April 11 @ Cubs Postponed (snow); rescheduled for July 22 10 April 12 @ Cubs 2–1 Bielecki (1–0) Patterson (0–1) Wohlers (4) 23,944 7–3 11 April 13 @ Cubs 6–4 Clontz (2–0) Wendell (0–1) Wohlers (5) 21,244 8–3 12 April 14 Reds 15–5 Neagle (1–0) Schourek (0–2) — 31,427 9–3 13 April 15 Reds 3–0 Smoltz (2–2) Mercker (1–1) — 31,962 10–3 14 April 16 Reds 7–1 Byrd (1–0) Smiley (1–3) — 38,411 11–3 15 April 18 @ Rockies 14–0 Glavine (3–0) Wright (2–1) — 48,070 12–3 16 April 19 @ Rockies 8–7 Neagle (2–0) Ritz (1–3) Bielecki (1) 48,065 13–3 17 April 20 @ Rockies 2–9 Holmes (1–0) Smoltz (2–3) — 48,155 13–4 18 April 22 @ Giants 4–0 Maddux (2–1) Van Landingham (1–1) — 18,404 14–4 19 April 23 @ Giants 3–4 Henry (2–0) Embree (1–1) — 17,050 14–5 20 April 25 Padres 5–4 Neagle (3–0) Cunnane (0–1) Wohlers (6) 43,376 15–5 21 April 26 Padres 3–2 (10) Wohlers (1–0) Hoffman (0–1) — 45,473 16–5 22 April 27 Padres 2–0 (5) Maddux (3–1) Valenzuela (1–3) — 36,399 17–5 23 April 28 Dodgers 14–0 Glavine (4–0) Martinez (2–2) — 28,357 18–5 24 April 29 Dodgers 2–6 Park (1–1) Wade (0–1) — 35,442 18–6 25 April 30 @ Reds 12–3 Neagle (4–0) Mercker (1–3) — 18,278 19–6
May: 17–11 (Home: 8–6; Away: 9–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 26 May 1 @ Reds 4–2 Smoltz (3–3) Burba (3–3) Wohlers (7) 19,991 20–6 27 May 2 Pirates 2–3 Peters (1–0) Bielecki (1–1) Loiselle (1) 37,577 20–7 28 May 3 Pirates 0–3 Loaiza (3–0) Glavine (4–1) Rincon (2) 46,602 20–8 29 May 4 Pirates 3–1 Wade (1–1) Cordova (1–3) Wohlers (8) 42,037 21–8 30 May 5 @ Cardinals 2–1 Neagle (5–0) Al. Benes (3–3) Wohlers (9) 26,113 22–8 31 May 6 @ Cardinals 3–4 Mathews (1–1) Bielecki (1–2) Eckersley (7) 28,620 22–9 32 May 7 @ Marlins 3–2 (10) Byrd (2–0) Powell (0–1) Bielecki (2) 26,838 23–9 33 May 8 @ Marlins 1–5 Saunders (1–1) Glavine (4–2) — 32,088 23–10 34 May 9 @ Pirates 0–9 Cordova (2–3) Wade (1–2) — 18,006 23–11 35 May 10 @ Pirates 9–3 Neagle (6–0) Lieber (1–4) — 34,143 24–11 36 May 11 @ Pirates 8–2 Smoltz (4–3) Cooke (3–4) — 29,895 25–11 37 May 12 @ Pirates 10–2 Maddux (4–1) Schmidt (1–2) — 12,114 26–11 38 May 13 Marlins 5–11 Saunders (2–1) Wade (1–3) — 38,365 26–12 39 May 14 Marlins 3–4 Brown (4–2) Bielecki (1–3) Nen (10) 38,902 26–13 40 May 16 Cardinals 1–0 (13) Borowski (1–0) Frascatore (2–2) — 46,626 27–13 41 May 17 Cardinals 11–6 Smoltz (5–3) Morris (1–2) — 48,366 28–13 42 May 18 Cardinals 5–1 Glavine (5–2) An. Benes (2–2) — 35,046 29–13 43 May 19 Cardinals 7–3 Neagle (7–0) Stottlemyre (2–3) — 33,497 30–13 44 May 20 Expos 4–2 Wade (2–3) Hermanson (1–3) Wohlers (10) 38,278 31–13 45 May 21 Expos 3–2 Maddux (5–1) Urbina (2–3) — 41,528 32–13 46 May 23 @ Dodgers 4–2 Smoltz (6–3) Astacio (3–3) Wohlers (11) 38,735 33–13 47 May 24 @ Dodgers 3–10 Martinez (4–3) Glavine (5–3) — 49,074 33–14 48 May 25 @ Dodgers 0–2 Valdez (3–5) Neagle (7–1) To. Worrell (13) 40,417 33–15 49 May 26 @ Padres 12–5 Borowski (2–0) Ti. Worrell (2–6) — 17,265 34–15 50 May 27 @ Padres 9–2 Maddux (6–1) Hamilton (3–2) — 18,231 35–15 51 May 29 Giants 2–4 Estes (7–2) Smoltz (6–4) Beck (16) 38,844 35–16 52 May 30 Giants 3–2 Wohlers (2–0) Henry (2–1) — 45,181 36–16 53 May 31 Giants 4–6 Poole (2–0) Borowski (2–1) Beck (17) 46,445 36–17
June: 16–12 (Home: 5–5; Away: 11–7) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 54 June 1 Giants 4–3 Bielecki (2–3) Poole (2–1) Wohlers (12) 46,501 37–17 55 June 2 Padres 4–5 Murray (1–0) Maddux (6–2) Hoffman (9) 33,659 37–18 56 June 3 Padres 2–5 Smith (1–0) Wohlers (2–1) Hoffman (10) 41,902 37–19 57 June 4 @ Expos 6–3 Glavine (6–3) Juden (5–2) — 16,429 38–19 58 June 5 @ Expos 9–0 Neagle (8–1) Hermanson (2–4) — 12,212 39–19 59 June 6 @ Giants 9–5 Byrd (3–0) Roa (1–4) — 16,948 40–19 60 June 7 @ Giants 5–2 Maddux (7–2) Henry (2–2) Wohlers (13) 30,440 41–19 61 June 8 @ Giants 3–5 Poole (3–1) Smoltz (6–5) Beck (19) 36,689 41–20 62 June 9 @ Rockies 3–8 Bailey (6–5) Glavine (6–4) — 48,047 41–21 63 June 10 @ Rockies 8–3 Neagle (9–1) Ritz (5–5) — 48,103 42–21 64 June 11 @ Rockies 6–9 Thomson (2–4) Clontz (2–1) — 48,633 42–22 65 June 13 Orioles 3–4 Key (11–1) Maddux (7–3) Myers (21) 48,334 42–23 66 June 14 Orioles 4–6 (12) Rhodes (4–2) Borowski (2–2) Myers (22) 47,344 42–24 67 June 15 Orioles 3–5 (10) Mathews (1–1) Wohlers (2–2) Myers (23) 48,088 42–25 68 June 16 @ Blue Jays 3–0 Neagle (10–1) Clemens (11–2) — 34,409 43–25 69 June 17 @ Blue Jays 8–7 Maddux (8–3) Andujar (0–3) Wohlers (14) 31,356 44–25 70 June 18 @ Blue Jays 3–5 Williams (2–6) Smoltz (6–6) Timlin (6) 31,717 44–26 71 June 20 @ Phillies 4–1 Glavine (7–4) Leiter (4–8) — 20,648 45–26 72 June 21 @ Phillies 9–8 Clontz (3–1) Blazier (0–1) Wohlers (15) 24,309 46–26 73 June 22 @ Phillies 12–5 Maddux (9–3) Stephenson (2–3) — 25,534 47–26 74 June 23 @ Mets 2–3 Reed (5–4) Smoltz (6–7) — 22,193 47–27 75 June 24 @ Mets 5–6 McMichael (4–6) Wohlers (2–3) — 26,663 47–28 76 June 25 @ Mets 14–7 Glavine (8–4) Jones (12–4) — 27,980 48–28 77 June 26 Phillies 5–4 Neagle (11–1) Beech (0–3) Wohlers (16) 41,762 49–28 78 June 27 Phillies 7–1 Maddux (10–3) Stephenson (2–4) — 48,234 50–28 79 June 28 Phillies 9–1 Smoltz (7–7) Schilling (9–7) — 48,557 51–28 80 June 29 Phillies 6–5 Bielecki (3–3) Brewer (0–1) Wohlers (17) 47,902 52–28 81 June 30 @ Yankees 0–1 (10) Stanton (5–0) Bielecki (3–4) — 39,887 52–29
July: 17–11 (Home: 9–6; Away: 8–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 82 July 1 @ Yankees 3–1 Neagle (12–1) Mendoza (3–3) Wohlers (18) 39,596 53–29 83 July 2 @ Yankees 2–0 Maddux (11–3) Gooden (3–1) — 36,606 54–29 84 July 3 @ Expos 15–2 Smoltz (8–7) Bullinger (5–8) — 18,064 55–29 85 July 4 @ Expos 6–3 Clontz (4–1) Urbina (2–6) Wohlers (19) 19,939 56–29 86 July 5 @ Expos 5–3 Glavine (9–4) Martinez (10–4) Wohlers (20) 24,788 57–29 87 July 6 @ Expos 2–6 Juden (11–2) Neagle (12–2) — 21,316 57–30 68th All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio 88 July 10 Mets 7–10 McMichael (5–6) Bielecki (3–5) Franco (21) 47,685 57–31 89 July 11 Mets 7–9 Lidle (4–1) Glavine (9–5) Franco (22) 40,094 57–32 90 July 12 Mets 7–4 Maddux (12–3) Clark (7–6) Wohlers (21) 48,091 58–32 91 July 13 Mets 6–7 (10) McMichael (6–6) Bielecki (3–6) Franco (23) 42,111 58–33 92 July 14 Phillies 10–6 Millwood (1–0) Brewer (0–2) Wohlers (22) 38,118 59–33 93 July 15 Phillies 1–8 Stephenson (3–4) Smoltz (8–8) — 39,494 59–34 94 July 16 Rockies 2–1 Glavine (10–5) Dipoto (3–2) Wohlers (23) 48,400 60–34 95 July 17 Rockies 8–2 Maddux (13–3) Swift (4–3) — 48,024 61–34 96 July 18 Dodgers 4–1 Neagle (13–2) Reyes (1–1) Wohlers (24) 48,721 62–34 97 July 19 Dodgers 1–4 Astacio (6–7) Millwood (1–1) Radinsky (1) 49,758 62–35 98 July 20 Dodgers 3–8 Park (8–5) Smoltz (8–9) — 48,414 62–36 99 July 21 Dodgers 5–4 (10) Embree (2–1) Dreifort (3–1) — 49,318 63–36 100 July 22 (1) @ Cubs 4–1 Maddux (14–3) Gonzales (7–3) — N/A 64–36 101 July 22 (2) @ Cubs 4–5 Bottenfield (2–2) Cather (0–1) Rojas (12) 31,804 64–37 102 July 23 @ Cubs 1–3 Tapani (1–0) Millwood (1–2) Rojas (13) 34,230 64–38 103 July 25 @ Reds 7–3 Smoltz (9–9) Schourek (5–6) — 34,931 65–38 104 July 26 @ Reds 6–7 (11) Shaw (3–0) Wohlers (2–4) — 33,115 65–39 105 July 27 @ Reds 3–2 Maddux (15–3) Burba (6–10) Wohlers (25) 30,167 66–39 106 July 28 Cubs 6–0 Neagle (14–2) Tapani (1–1) — 47,266 67–39 107 July 29 Cubs 7–2 Millwood (2–2) Trachsel (5–9) — 44,131 68–39 108 July 30 Cubs 6–5 Embree (3–1) Rojas (0–4) — 43,090 69–39 109 July 31 @ Marlins 0–1 Saunders (3–3) Byrd (3–1) Nen (27) 18,409 69–40
August: 16–11 (Home: 8–6; Away: 8–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 110 August 1 @ Marlins 2–3 (12) Powell (2–2) Cather (0–2) — 40,669 69–41 111 August 2 @ Marlins 4–2 Neagle (15–2) Leiter (8–7) Wohlers (26) 41,643 70–41 112 August 3 @ Marlins 4–8 Fernandez (13–8) Millwood (2–3) — 41,193 70–42 113 August 4 @ Pirates 6–0 Smoltz (10–9) Cooke (8–11) — 21,609 71–42 114 August 5 @ Pirates 4–5 Schmidt (7–6) Glavine (10–6) Loiselle (18) 20,069 71–43 115 August 6 Cardinals 4–3 Wohlers (3–4) Petkovsek (4–5) — 46,880 72–43 116 August 7 Cardinals 3–0 Neagle (16–2) Stottlemyre (11–8) Wohlers (27) 46,687 73–43 117 August 8 Marlins 4–6 Fernandez (14–8) Byrd (3–2) Nen (28) 49,335 73–44 118 August 9 Marlins 4–3 Smoltz (11–9) Stanifer (1–1) Wohlers (28) 47,552 74–44 119 August 10 Marlins 2–4 (10) Powell (3–2) Bielecki (3–7) Nen (29) 47,649 74–45 120 August 11 Marlins 2–1 Wohlers (4–4) Heredia (4–2) — 47,870 75–45 121 August 12 Pirates 2–5 Sodowsky (2–2) Wohlers (4–5) Loiselle (19) 42,435 75–46 122 August 13 Pirates 1–2 Lieber (7–12) Smoltz (11–10) Loiselle (20) 40,793 75–47 123 August 15 @ Cardinals 2–3 (12) King (1–0) Cather (0–3) — 43,863 75–48 124 August 16 @ Cardinals 5–3 Maddux (16–3) Morris (8–8) Wohlers (29) 47,229 76–48 125 August 17 @ Cardinals 1–3 King (2–0) Neagle (16–3) Eckersley (29) 40,968 76–49 126 August 19 @ Astros 4–3 Smoltz (12–10) Hampton (10–8) Wohlers (30) 32,145 77–49 127 August 20 @ Astros 3–1 Glavine (11–6) Reynolds (6–8) Wohlers (31) 25,593 78–49 128 August 22 Reds 6–2 Maddux (17–3) Remlinger (6–5) — 48,937 79–49 129 August 23 Reds 10–3 Neagle (17–3) Tomko (8–5) — 48,499 80–49 130 August 24 Reds 4–6 (10) Shaw (4–2) Fox (0–1) Belinda (1) 45,577 80–50 131 August 26 Astros 7–6 (11) Clontz (5–1) Wagner (7–6) — 37,313 81–50 132 August 27 Astros 4–6 (13) Hudek (1–2) Byrd (3–3) Lima (2) 33,019 81–51 133 August 28 Astros 4–2 Neagle (18–3) Kile (17–4) Wohlers (32) 37,849 82–51 134 August 29 @ Red Sox 9–1 Smoltz (13–10) Sele (12–11) — 32,577 83–51 135 August 30 @ Red Sox 15–2 Millwood (3–3) Wakefield (9–15) — 32,865 84–51 136 August 31 @ Red Sox 7–3 Glavine (12–6) Avery (6–6) — 33,147 85–51
September: 16–10 (Home: 8–6; Away: 8–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 137 September 1 Tigers 2–4 Moehler (9–10) Maddux (17–4) T. Jones (26) 38,950 85–52 138 September 2 Tigers 5–0 Neagle (19–3) Keagle (1–4) — 32,308 86–52 139 September 3 Tigers 4–12 Blair (15–6) Smoltz (13–11) — 36,556 86–53 140 September 4 @ Padres 8–7 (11) Wohlers (5–5) Worrell (3–8) — 12,804 87–53 141 September 5 @ Padres 2–6 Ashby (8–10) Glavine (12–7) — 21,492 87–54 142 September 6 @ Padres 9–1 Maddux (18–4) Hitchcock (10–9) — 32,099 88–54 143 September 7 @ Padres 4–0 Neagle (20–3) Hamilton (10–6) — 21,052 89–54 144 September 9 @ Dodgers 4–3 Smoltz (14–11) Valdez (9–11) Wohlers (33) 37,270 90–54 145 September 10 @ Dodgers 7–0 Glavine (13–7) R. Martinez (9–4) — 41,564 91–54 146 September 12 Rockies 1–3 Munoz (3–3) Wohlers (5–6) Dipoto (14) 47,772 91–55 147 September 13 Rockies 6–10 Holmes (8–2) Cather (0–4) DeJean (2) 49,097 91–56 148 September 14 Rockies 0–4 Astacio (11–9) Smoltz (14–12) — 46,245 91–57 149 September 15 Giants 5–4 Ligtenberg (1–0) Beck (5–4) — 38,641 92–57 150 September 16 Giants 6–4 Millwood (4–3) Alvarez (12–11) — 37,661 93–57 151 September 17 Mets 10–2 Maddux (19–4) B. Jones (14–9) — 40,974 94–57 152 September 18 Mets 11–4 Byrd (4–3) Isringhausen (2–2) — 41,373 95–57 153 September 19 Expos 2–1 Smoltz (15–12) Perez (12–12) — 47,156 96–57 154 September 20 Expos 3–1 Glavine (14–7) P. Martinez (17–8) — 48,147 97–57 155 September 21 Expos 1–7 DeHart (2–1) Neagle (20–4) — 47,179 97–58 156 September 22 Expos 3–2 (11) Cather (1–4) Bennett (0–1) — 41,268 98–58 157 September 23 @ Phillies 6–0 Millwood (5–3) Leiter (10–17) — 14,264 99–58 158 September 24 @ Phillies 1–5 Stephenson (8–6) Byrd (4–4) — 16,772 99–59 159 September 25 @ Phillies 3–2 (10) Cather (2–4) Spradlin (3–8) Clontz (1) 15,030 100–59 160 September 26 @ Mets 7–6 (11) LeRoy (1–0) Rojas (0–6) Ligtenberg (1) 21,864 101–59 161 September 27 @ Mets 1–2 Crawford (4–3) Wohlers (5–7) — 31,472 101–60 162 September 28 @ Mets 2–8 Acevedo (3–1) Neagle (20–5) — 27,176 101–61
Legend:       = Win       = Loss Bold = Braves team member

1. Game was suspended in the bottom of the 7th with the Braves leading 8–5.

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Javy López	123	414	122	.295	23	68
1B	Fred McGriff	152	564	156	.277	22	97
2B	Mark Lemke	109	351	86	.245	2	26
SS	Jeff Blauser	151	519	160	.308	17	70
3B	Chipper Jones	157	597	176	.295	21	111
LF	Ryan Klesko	143	467	122	.261	24	84
CF	Kenny Lofton	122	493	164	.333	5	48
RF	Michael Tucker	138	499	141	.283	14	56

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Andruw Jones	153	399	92	.231	18	70
Eddie Pérez	73	191	41	.215	6	18
Tony Graffanino	104	186	48	.258	8	20
Keith Lockhart	96	147	41	.279	6	32
Danny Bautista	64	103	25	.243	3	9
Mike Mordecai	61	81	14	.173	0	3
Rafael Belliard	72	71	15	.211	1	3
Greg Colbrunn	28	54	15	.278	2	9
Tommy Gregg	13	19	5	.263	0	0
Randall Simon	13	14	6	.429	0	1
Tim Spehr	8	14	3	.214	1	4
Greg Myers	9	9	1	.111	0	1
Ed Giovanola	14	8	2	.250	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note; G = Games pitched, IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
John Smoltz	35	256.0	15	12	3.02	241
Tom Glavine	33	240.0	14	7	2.96	152
Denny Neagle	34	233.1	20	5	2.97	172
Greg Maddux	33	232.2	19	4	2.20	177

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Kevin Millwood	12	51.1	5	3	4.03	42
Terrell Wade	12	42.0	2	3	5.36	35
Chris Brock	7	30.2	0	0	5.58	16

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Mark Wohlers	71	5	7	33	3.50	92
Alan Embree	66	3	1	0	2.54	45
Brad Clontz	51	5	1	1	3.75	42
Mike Bielecki	50	3	7	2	4.08	60
Mike Cather	35	2	4	0	2.39	29
Paul Byrd	31	4	4	0	5.26	37
Chad Fox	30	0	1	0	3.29	28
Joe Borowski	20	2	2	0	3.75	6
Kerry Ligtenberg	15	1	0	1	3.00	19
John LeRoy	1	1	0	0	0.00	3

Turner Field

Turner Field exterior from Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard

In 1997, the Braves moved into Turner Field. The ballpark was built across the street from the former home of the Braves, Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, which was demolished in the summer of 1997.

The most popular name choice among Atlanta residents for the new stadium at the time of its construction (according to a poll in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ) was Hank Aaron Stadium. After the ballpark was instead named after Ted Turner, the city of Atlanta renamed the section of Capitol Avenue on which the stadium sits Hank Aaron Drive, giving Turner Field the street number 755, after Aaron's home run total.

After the 1996 Summer Olympics were complete the stadium was officially given as a gift to the Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc. (the Atlanta Braves) Ted Turner, then owner of the Braves, agreed to pay a large sum of the cost to build Centennial Olympic Stadium (approximately $170 million of the $209 million bill), if in turn, the stadium was built in a way that it could be converted to a new baseball stadium and that the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) paid for the conversion. ^[5] This was considered a good agreement for both the Olympic Committee and the Braves, because there would be no use for a permanent 85,000 seat track and field stadium in Downtown Atlanta (as the 71,000 seat Georgia Dome was completed four years earlier by the state of Georgia) and the Braves had already been exploring opportunities for a new stadium. ^[6]

Postseason

Game log

1997 Postseason Game Log
National League Division Series: 3–0 # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 September 30 Astros 2–1 Maddux (1–0) Kile (0–1) — 46,467 1–0 2 October 1 Astros 13–3 Glavine (1–0) Hampton (0–1) — 49,200 2–0 3 October 3 @ Astros 4–1 Smoltz (1–0) Reynolds (0–1) — 53,688 3–0
National League Championship Series: 2–4 # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 October 7 Marlins 3–5 Brown (1–0) Maddux (1–1) Nen (1) 49,244 0–1 2 October 8 Marlins 7–1 Glavine (2–0) Fernandez (1–1) — 48,933 1–1 3 October 10 @ Marlins 2–5 Hernandez (1–0) Smoltz (1–1) Nen (2) 53,857 1–2 4 October 11 @ Marlins 4–0 Neagle (1–0) Leiter (0–1) — 54,890 2–2 5 October 12 @ Marlins 1–2 Hernandez (2–0) Maddux (1–2) — 51,982 2–3 6 October 14 Marlins 4–7 Brown (2–0) Glavine (2–1) — 50,446 2–4

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Richmond Braves	International League	Bill Dancy
AA	Greenville Braves	Southern League	Randy Ingle
A	Durham Bulls	Carolina League	Paul Runge
A	Macon Braves	South Atlantic League	Brian Snitker
A-Short Season	Eugene Emeralds	Northwest League	Jim Saul
Rookie	Danville Braves	Appalachian League	Rick Albert
Rookie	GCL Braves	Gulf Coast League	Frank Howard

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Greenville ^[7]

References

1. "John Smoltz Stats".
2. Paul Byrd Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
3. "Mike Bielecki Stats".
4. 100 Things Braves Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die: Revised and Updated, Jack Wilkinson, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2019, ISBN 978-1-62937-694-3, p.140
5. Sandomir, Richard (July 30, 1996). "At Close of Games, Braves Will Move Into Olympic Stadium". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
6. Kendrick, Scott. "Turner Field". About.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2008.
7. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

External links

• 1997 Atlanta Braves at Baseball Reference
• Braves on Baseball Almanac