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Atlanta Braves Opening Day countdown: 43, quartet

By Benjamin Chase

3 Mar 2002: Tim Spooneybarger #43 of the Atlanta Braves prepares to pitch during the spring training game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Florida. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: M. David Leeds/Getty Images
3 Mar 2002: Tim Spooneybarger #43 of the Atlanta Braves prepares to pitch during the spring training game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Florida. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: M. David Leeds/Getty Images /
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Rico

One of the most natural hitters in Atlanta Braves history, Rico Carty made his debut with the Braves while they were still in Milwaukee in 1963. He was only able to play one full season in 1964 due to injury in 1965. He came back to play two seasons in Atlanta before he missed the entire 1968 season due to tuberculosis. Another major injury would cost him all of the 1971 season, and his fiery temper would end up being his final ticket out of town with the Braves, an example of an incredible career that might have been.

Rico had a very natural swing from the right side, one that generated easy bat control while also generating impressive raw power off the bat. Carty made his big splash with the organization in 1964 when he hit .330/.388/.554 while hitting 22 home runs as a rookie. He finished 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting that season.

Though an injury ended his 1965 season early, he was still able to hit over .300 with 10 home runs in just 83 games. Back healthy in 1966, he hit .326/.391/.468 with 15 home runs. He separated his shoulder in 1967, and he attempted to play through the injury, seeing his hitting suffer, with his worst batting average as a Brave, hitting .255/.329/.401 with 15 home runs.

After missing the 1968 season, Carty came back in force in the 1969 season, hitting .342/.401/.549 with 16 home runs over 104 games. He was fully healthy, for the last time with the Braves, in 1970, making his only All-Star game, leading the league in hitting and on-base with a .366/.454/.584 line with 25 home runs.

Carty hit .277/.378/.402 when he returned in 1972, but his relationship with Braves brass had already grown so negative that it was his final season. The Atlanta Braves traded Carty in October 1972 to the Texas Rangers.

Over a 15-year major league career that encompassed 1,651 games and 6,318 plate appearances, Carty hit .299/.369/.464 with 204 home runs.

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