Atlanta Braves Throwback Thursday Special: the Hot Corner

1969-1975.  Darrell Evans

Evans enjoyed a long career in the majors covering 21 seasons from 1969-1989, including 107 games returning to the Braves for that last 1989 season.

He wasn’t spectacular, but was steady for a long time – and that added up.  Evans was the prototypical average-fielding big hitting 3B guy.  Over one two-year stretch, though, he was awesome:  9.7 and 6.8 WAR in 1973-74.  In 1973, he busted out with 41 homers as part of the trio of teammates to hit 40 in a single year.  He made the All-Star roster that year, and again in 1983 – over the gap of a full decade.

Evans got some consideration for MVP in those years, plus again in 1987 and 1989 as his home run prowess got another boost … starting at age 36 in 1983, peaking again with 40 homers in 1985.  Evans hit a total of 414 dingers in his career among 3 clubs:  the Braves, Giants, and Tigers.

Wanna know just how good Evans was?  On that “all-time” chart that placed Mathews 3rd… Darrell Evan is 17th.  Miguel Cabrera will pass him this season, but then Miggy isn’t a 3B so much any more.  Evan is also 3 slots better than Tony Perez – who is in the Hall of Fame.