The Braves will be back!

A Wednesday AJC tagline…The Atlanta Braves still hold the big league record by reaching 14 straight postseasons. No one team in the majors has currently made the playoffs more than two years in a row.

The Yankees made the playoffs 13 straight years, with a payroll twice most MLB teams…but several times they were the wild card team. Fewer still are the teams that made the World Series, and even fewer won the Series.

So many Braves fans still think the team should win every game, every World Series, every year. This is not reality. We should consider ourselves fortunate to have experienced the unequaled run of success that they were able to achieve. People think only elite, expensive free agents like Mark Texeria should be signed, not remembering the Braves consistently won with much less expensive players…and players coming back from injuries, like Andres Gallaraga, John Burkett, Denny Neagle, and Jaret Wright.

Every team has an All-Star or two. During the playoff run the Braves were fortunate to field perhaps the greatest starting rotation ever assembled, and several potential Hall of Famers: Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, Chipper, Bobby Cox, John Schuerholz, and Leo Mazzone. All Stars are already being forgotten, but include MPV Terry Pendleton, David Justice, Steve Avery, Javy Lopez, Fred McGriff, Andruw Jones, Marcus Giles, and now Brian McCann. Other players became fan favorites because of the games they won and memories they created…Steve Bedrosian, Kent Mercker, Alejandro Pena, Mark Wohlers, John Rocker, Otis Nixon, Rafael Belliard, Jeff Blauser, Mark Lemke, Deion Sanders, Lonnie Smith, Greg Olsen, Rafael Furcal, Jeff Francoeur, and Francisco Cabrera.

But the Braves rich Atlanta history also includes fond memories from losing years as well. Memories of games, seasons, and the old stadium are cherished even as the standings are forgotten. Besides Hank Aaron, Phil Neikro, and Dale Murphy, other players still remembered include Rico Carty, Ralph Garr, Dusty Baker, Tony Cloninger, Glenn Hubbard, Rowland Office, Mike Lum, Orlando Cepada, Felix Millan, Joe Torre, Bob Horner, Bruce Benedict, Claudell Washington, Willie Montenez, Rick Camp, Rick Mahler, Buzz Capra, and Chris Chambliss. The list could go on and on.

Before this 2008 season there were experts out in the anti-Braves media who actually picked them to win the World Series. The talent was there. Then many more injuries than usual were suffered. The top three relievers and the entire starting rotation spent the majority of the year on the DL. With little hope of making the playoffs, GM Frank Wren made wise decisions, trading expiring contracts for talented youngsters who can contribute in the future. This off-season there will be lots of money to dangle at free agent pitchers and outfielders. Youngsters will also compete for positions. Next year there’s no reason the Braves shouldn’t be right back in the playoff hunt.