Gregory Alan Maddux,also known as "Mad Dog" and "the Professor," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves over the Cleveland Indians. Maddux was the first pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995),matched by only one other pitcher,Randy Johnson. During those four seasons,Maddux had a 75–29 record with a 1.98 earned run average (ERA),while allowing less than one baserunner per inning.
John Andrew Smoltz,nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke",is an American former baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009,all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time All-Star,Smoltz was part of a celebrated trio of starting pitchers,along with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine,who propelled Atlanta to perennial pennant contention in the 1990s,highlighted by a championship in the 1995 World Series. He won the National League (NL) Cy Young Award in 1996 after posting a record of 24–8,equaling the most victories by an NL pitcher since 1972. Though predominantly known as a starter,Smoltz was converted to a reliever in 2001 after his recovery from Tommy John surgery,and spent four years as the team's closer before returning to a starting role. In 2002,he set a National League record with 55 saves and became only the second pitcher in history to record both a 20-win season and a 50-save season. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record both 200 wins and 150 saves. He is also the only pitcher in Major League history to record both 200 wins,150 saves,and 3,000 strikeouts.
Howard Bruce Sutter was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1976 and 1988. He was one of the sport's dominant relievers in the late 1970s and early 1980s,making effective use of the split-finger fastball. A six-time All-Star and 1982 World Series champion,Sutter recorded a 2.83 career earned run average and 300 saves,the third-most in MLB history at the time of his retirement. Sutter won the National League's (NL) Cy Young Award in 1979 as its top pitcher,and won the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award four times. He became the only pitcher to lead the NL in saves five times.
Steven Thomas Avery is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Atlanta Braves,Boston Red Sox,Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers in his career.
Todd Roland Worrell is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played all or part of eleven seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball,serving as those teams' closer for most of his seasons from 1985 through 1997. During his playing career,Worrell was a three-time National League (NL) All-Star.
Raymond Keith King is a retired American professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs,Milwaukee Brewers,Atlanta Braves,St. Louis Cardinals,Colorado Rockies,and Washington Nationals from 1999 to 2008.
The 1992National League Championship Series was played between the Atlanta Braves (98–64) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (96–66) from October 6 to 14. A rematch of the 1991 NLCS,Atlanta won the 1992 NLCS in seven games to advance to their second straight World Series. The series ended in dramatic fashion;in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7,with Atlanta down 2–1 and the bases loaded,the Braves' Francisco Cabrera cracked a two-run single that scored David Justice and Sid Bream. Bream famously slid to score the Series-winning run,beating the throw by Pirates left fielder Barry Bonds.
Jason Michael Grilli is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Chicago White Sox,Detroit Tigers,Colorado Rockies,Pittsburgh Pirates,Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,Atlanta Braves,Toronto Blue Jays,and Texas Rangers. Taken as the fourth overall selection of the 1997 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants,Grilli was one of the top starting pitcher prospects in all of Minor League Baseball,ranked 54th in 1998 and 44th in 1999. The Giants traded him to the Florida Marlins in 1999,for whom he debuted on May 11,2000.
Larry Dean McWilliams is an American former professional baseball pitcher,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves (twice),Pittsburgh Pirates,St. Louis Cardinals,Philadelphia Phillies,and Kansas City Royals,from 1978-1990. During his playing days,he stood 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) tall,weighing 180 pounds (82 kg).
Lee William Capra,is an American former professional baseball pitcher,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves,from 1971 to 1977. Nicknamed "Buzz",by a neighbor as a child,Capra was a National League (NL) All-Star and the NL earned run average (ERA) leader,in 1974.
James Robert Johnson is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles,Oakland Athletics,Detroit Tigers,Atlanta Braves,Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Angels. Johnson was an All-Star in 2012 and won the Rolaids Relief Man Award that year while leading MLB in saves. In 2013,Johnson became the first American League (AL) pitcher ever to have recorded back-to-back seasons of 50 saves or more. Johnson and Éric Gagnéare the only two MLB pitchers to accomplish this feat.
The 1978 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The Reds finished in second place in the National League West with a record of 92-69,2½games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds were managed by Sparky Anderson and played their home games at Riverfront Stadium. Following the season,Anderson was replaced as manager by John McNamara,and Pete Rose left to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies for the 1979 season.
The 2004 Houston Astros season was the 43rd season for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise in Houston,Texas. Five years removed from opening Minute Maid Park,the Astros hosted the All-Star Game,which was the first held in Houston since 1986. Having limped into the All-Star break with a 44–44 record,Phil Garner was named to replace Jimy Williams as manager. The Astros finished second in the American League Central and captured the NL Wild Card. The Astros won a postseason series for the first time in franchise history by defeating the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series (NLDS),scoring an NLDS-record 36 runs. Roger Clemens won the NL Cy Young Award,becoming the fourth pitcher to win the award in both leagues,and the only one with seven overall.
Jason Louis Motte is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals,Chicago Cubs,Colorado Rockies,and Atlanta Braves. The Cardinals drafted him as a catcher in 2003 and he converted to pitching in 2006. Motte played a key role in the 2011 World Series championship run,saving five postseason games. In 2012,he led the National League (NL) in saves with 42. Motte had Tommy John surgery to repair an ulnar collateral ligament injury that kept him from playing all of 2013. After returning to the Cardinals midway through the 2014 season,Motte signed a one-year,$4.5 million deal with the Cubs for 2015.
Kenley Geronimo Jansen is a Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.
Kristopher Allen Medlen is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves,Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks. As of 2023,Medlen works for Bally Sports South where he serves as an on-air analyst for Atlanta Braves baseball telecasts.
The 2010 Atlanta Braves season was the franchise's 45th season in Atlanta along with the 135th season in the National League and 140th overall. It featured the Braves' attempt to reclaim a postseason berth for the first time since 2005. The Braves once again were skippered by Bobby Cox,in his 25th and final overall season managing the team. It was their 45th season in Atlanta,and the 135th of the franchise. Finishing the season with a 91–71 record,the Braves won the NL Wild Card,only to be eliminated in the NLDS by the San Francisco Giants in four games.
Craig Michael Kimbrel is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves,San Diego Padres,Boston Red Sox,Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Los Angeles Dodgers,and Philadelphia Phillies. He is a nine-time All-Star,two-time Reliever of the Year,and a 2018 World Series champion.
The 2014 National League Wild Card Game was a play-in game during Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2014 postseason played between the National League's (NL) two wild card teams,the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. It was held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,on October 1,2014,starting at 8:07 p.m. EDT. After both teams finished the regular season with identical records of 88–74,the Pirates were awarded home field for the game,as they won the season series against the Giants,4–2. Despite this advantage,the Giants won by a score of 8–0 and advanced to play the Washington Nationals in the NL Division Series. In addition to being the third NL Wild Card Game played,it is notable for the first postseason grand slam hit by a shortstop. The game was televised on ESPN,and was also broadcast on ESPN Radio.
The 2016 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the franchise's 135th season overall,the 130th season as a member of the National League,and the 16th season at PNC Park. The regular season started with a win at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 3 and ended with a loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 2. The Pirates finished the regular season third in the National League Central with 78 wins,83 losses and one tie. For the first time since the 2012 season,the Pirates finished with a losing record and did not qualify for the postseason.
