Search Results for “1999 atlanta braves season”

Source: 1999 Atlanta Braves season

The 1999 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 34th season in Atlanta and its 129th season overall. The Braves commenced the season as consecutive National League runner-ups and clinched their eighth successive division title with a record of 103–59, holding a 6-game lead over the New York Mets. During the 1990s, the Braves reached the World Series for the fifth time. However, they were swept in all four games of the 1999 World Series by the New York Yankees. This marked their second World Series appearance against the Yankees in a span of four years, with the previous one occurring in 1996, which they lost in six games. The Braves wouldn't return to the World Series until 22 years later.
Two pivotal figures on the 1999 Braves roster were Chipper Jones and John Rocker. Jones earned the National League's Most Valuable Player award, boasting a .310 batting average, 45 home runs, and 110 RBIs. He solidified his claim to the award with his remarkable performances in September against the New York Mets. John Rocker, functioning as Atlanta's closer, notched 38 saves. However, he ignited controversy due to his racist and homophobic remarks in a December 27, 1999, Sports Illustrated article.
This season marked the concluding campaign for John Smoltz as a starting pitcher, including the final full season for the pitching trio referred to as the Big Three. Smoltz would sit out the subsequent season due to Tommy John surgery but returned in 2001 in a closer role, a position he would uphold for the remainder of his career.