1991 Atlanta Braves season

MLB yearly infobox alt
name = Atlanta Braves
season = 1991
misc = 1991 NL West Champions
1991 NL Champions

current league = National League
y1 = 1876
division = Western Division
y2 = 1969
Uniform
ballpark = Fulton County Stadium
y4 = 1966
city = Atlanta, Georgia
y5 = 1966
owners = Ted Turner
general managers = John Schuerholz
managers = Bobby Cox
television = WTBS
TBS Superstation
(Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton)
SportSouth
(Chip Caray, Ernie Johnson, Jr.)
radio = WSB
(Pete Van Wieren, Skip Caray, Don Sutton, Dave O'Brien)|

In 1991, the Atlanta Braves became the first team in the National League to go from worst one year to first place the next. This feat was also accomplished by the 1991 Minnesota Twins. The last Major League Baseball team to accomplish this was the 1890 Louisville Colonels of the American Association.

The Braves had a last place finish in 1990 but managed to overtake the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West.

Offseason

*December 3, 1990: Terry Pendleton was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pendlte01.shtml Terry Pendleton Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*December 5, 1990: Sid Bream was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/breamsi01.shtml Sid Bream Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*January 19, 1991: Jerry Willard was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/willaje01.shtml]
*January 30, 1991: Deion Sanders signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sandede02.shtml Deion Sanders Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*March 9, 1991: Randy St. Claire was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/st.clra01.shtml]

Regular season

* September 9, 1991 – Dave Justice had 5 RBI in a game against the San Francisco Giants.

Opening Day Starters

* Rafael Belliard
* Sid Bream
* Ron Gant
* Mike Heath
* David Justice
* Terry Pendleton
* Deion Sanders
* John Smoltz
* Jeff Treadway

eason standings

Notable transactions

*April 1, 1991: Otis Nixon was traded by the Montreal Expos with Boi Rodriguez (minors) to the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named later and Jimmy Kremers. The Atlanta Braves sent Keith Morrison (minors) (June 3, 1991) to the Montreal Expos to complete the trade. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/n/nixonot01.shtml Otis Nixon Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*May 6, 1991: Danny Heep was traded by the Chicago White Sox to the Atlanta Braves for Kevin Castleberry (minors). [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/heepda01.shtml Danny Heep Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*June 14, 1991: Rick Mahler signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mahleri01.shtml Rick Mahler Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*June 17, 1991: Danny Heep was released by the Atlanta Braves.
*August 8, 1991: Rick Mahler was released by the Atlanta Braves.
*September 29, 1991: Damon Berryhill was traded by the Chicago Cubs with Mike Bielecki to the Atlanta Braves for Turk Wendell and Yorkis Perez. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/berryda01.shtml]

Draft Picks

*June 3, 1991: Mike Kelly was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 1991 amateur draft. Player signed July 22, 1991. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kellymi02.shtml]
*June 3, 1991: Jason Schmidt was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 8th round of the 1991 amateur draft. Player signed June 14, 1991. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/schmija01.shtml Jason Schmidt Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]

Roster

[ http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/1991.shtml]

Other batters

"Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In; Avg. = Batting Average; SB = Stolen Bases"

Relief pitchers

"Note: G = Games played; IP = Innings Pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned Run Average; SO = Strikeouts; BB = Bases on Balls"

Game 3

October 12: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

Game 6

October 16: Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Game 2

October 20, 1991 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game 5

October 24, 1991 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

Award Winners

* Steve Avery, NLCS MVP
* Bobby Cox, The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
* Ron Gant, OF, Silver Slugger
* Tom Glavine, National League Pitcher of the Month, May
* Tom Glavine, National League Cy Young Award
* Tom Glavine, Silver Slugger
* Tom Glavine, The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award
* David Justice, National League Player of the Month, May
* Terry Pendleton, National League Most Valuable Player

1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
* Tom Glavine, Pitcher, Starter

Team Leaders

* Home Runs - Ron Gant (32)
* Runs Batted In - Ron Gant (105)
* Batting Average - Terry Pendleton (.319)
* Hits - Terry Pendleton (187)
* Stolen Bases - Otis Nixon (72)
* Walks - Otis Nixon (71)
* Wins - Tom Glavine (20)
* Earned Run Average - Juan Berenguer (2.24)
* Strikeouts - Tom Glavine (192)

Farm system [Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., "The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball". Durham, N.C.: Baseball America, 1997]

* Class AAA: Richmond Braves (International League; Phil Niekro, manager)
* Class AA: Greenville Braves (Southern League; Chris Chambliss, manager)
* Class A: Durham Bulls (Carolina League; Grady Little, manager)
* Class A: Macon Braves (South Atlantic League; Roy Majtyka, manager)
* Rookie: Pulaski Braves (Appalachian League; Randy Ingle, manager) -- LEAGUE CHAMPION
* Rookie: GCL Braves (Gulf Coast League; Jim Saul, manager)
* Rookie: Idaho Falls Braves (Pioneer League; Steve Curry, manager)

References

“”* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/1991.shtml 1991 Atlanta Braves team page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1991&t=ATL Atlanta Braves on Baseball Almanac]

ee also

* 1991 National League Championship Series
* 1991 World Series