Can the 2015 Braves replicate the 1991 Braves?

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Similarity Nine: Trading Away the Team’s Superstar

On a “less happy” note, one of the big things that sparked my review of the 1991 season was the trade this offseason of Jason Heyward, arguably the Braves’ biggest perceived superstar, for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins. On August 3rd of 1990, a young Ben was distraught when the star player that had helped to attract me to the Braves as a youngster (along with Bob Horner) was traded away when Dale Murphy was moved to the Philadelphia Phillies. The 2015 Braves are certainly hoping for more than the return that the Braves got for Murphy. Jeff Parrett was the key point to the deal, and while he pitched well in 1990 after the trade, his pitching was so poor in 1991 that the Braves limited him to 18 appearances and 21 1/3 innings where he put up a 6.33 ERA and 2.02 WHIP. Jim Vatcher and Victor Rosario combined for less than 40 plate appearances for the Braves. The Braves added Tommy Greene to the deal to the Phillies, and he ended up the most productive player in the whole deal as he pitched very well in 1991 and again in 1993 for the Phillies team that knocked Atlanta out of their possible third consecutive World Series.

While Heyward is certainly considered in the prime of his career while Murphy was on his decline, on a strictly PR standpoint, the moves were of equal importance. The 1991 team needed to re-focus their team image around their young starters and players like Ron Gant and David Justice, and perhaps the team image can focus from the outfield focus the team had on Heyward-Upton-Upton to a pitching and contact-hitting focus with their current roster. Nothing is guaranteed of course, but you’ve seen now nine ways that there are similarities between the rosters. We can certainly hope for the same success!

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did reliving that wonderful 1991 season!