House That Hank Built
Fansided

Atlanta Braves Opening Day countdown: 33, collection

By Benjamin Chase

14 Oct 1995: Pitcher Steve Avery #33 of the Atlanta Braves winds up for the pitch during game four of the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds at Fulton Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Reds 6-0.. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport
14 Oct 1995: Pitcher Steve Avery #33 of the Atlanta Braves winds up for the pitch during game four of the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds at Fulton Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Reds 6-0.. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport /
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Boston Braves pitchers Warren Spahn (1921 – 2003) (left) and Johnny Sain wear their uniforms and hold baseballs out in front of them, October 15, 1948. (Photo by Hulton Archive Getty Images) /

Pray for rain

The old phrase in the 1940s for the Braves was “Spahn and Sain and then pray for rain”. Johnny Sain made his debut in 1942 with the Braves before serving three years of military service.

When he returned in 1946, he had the first of what would be four 20-win seasons in the Braves rotation, leading the National League in complete games with 24. In 1948, Sain was worthy of the World Series MVP in a losing effort as the Braves fell to Cleveland. He made two starts, completing both, tossing 17 innings without walking a single batter and striking out 9, allowing just 2 earned runs in total, though the team went 1-1 in his two starts.

In parts of 7 seasons with Boston, Sain went 104-91 over 1,624 1/3 innings, posting a 3.49 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He was selected as an All-Star twice and finished as high as second (1948) in MVP voting in the days before the Cy Young Award.

Sain to Lew

In the 1951 season, the Braves traded Sain to the New York Yankees straight up for a young righty by the name of Lew Burdette. Burdette would spend the next two seasons primarily serving as the Braves long man as they transitioned to Milwaukee. He joined the rotation in 1954, and he was a fixture in the Braves rotation from that point for a decade.

Lew made three All-Star teams, in 1957 and 1959 (2). He also won 20 games twice for the club. However, it’s his performance in the 1957 World Series that will always have Burdette as one of the team’s legends. He won the World Series MVP as the Yankees were taken down by the Braves in seven games. The Braves won all 3 of Burdette’s starts, as he tossed 3 complete games, allowing just 2 earned runs over 27 innings.

He would spend parts of 13 seasons with the Braves, finishing with a 179-120 record and a 3.53 ERA over 2,638 innings.

Now to a couple notable more recent arms…

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