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Atlanta Braves Franchise best catchers: Joe Torre

By Fred Owens

Atlanta Braves manager Joe Torre coaches on the mound during a 1983 season game. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Atlanta Braves manager Joe Torre coaches on the mound during a 1983 season game. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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Joe Torre caught for the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Braves from 1960-68 (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Joe Torre, major leaguer

An injury to Del Crandall resulted in Torre’s return to Milwaukee the following May.  In 441 PA over 113 games, he hit ten home runs, and batted .278/.330/.424/.754 with a 106 OPS+, to finish 21st in NL MVP voting, and second in the NL Rookie of the Year chase to Billy Williams.

Crandall returned in 1962 to split catching duties with Torre. In 1963 the new manager pushed Crandall into a bench role and made Torre the Braves primary catcher. In 1964, Torre batted .321/.365/.498/.863, with a 140 OPS+, hit 20 homers, and also earned a trip to his second All-Star Game.

He also hit into more double plays than anyone in the NL that season.  The writers ignored the double plays and placed him fifth in the MVP race; not bad for a player on a fifth-place team.

In 1965, Torre upped his homer total to 27, and batted .291/.372/.489/.862 with a 141 OPS, returned to the ASG, where his first-inning two-run homer gave the NL a 3-0 lead.  He went on to catch the whole game.

He ended the year leading the league in GDP again, and once again, the writers voted him into 11th place in the MVP race; and stunningly, he won a Gold Glove.

The Gold Glove was a stunning event because no one thought Torre was a good defensive catcher. Bill James said it statistically in his Baseball Abstract, as noted by Fox sports.

"Joe Torre won the Gold Glove at catcher in the National League in 1965, but is seen by my system as the 12th-best catcher . . .(actually the 12th most valuable catcher.) Occasionally… Gold Glove voting system just goes haywire and somebody wins the award who obviously shouldn’t.. . . this is one of them.   Torre was never regarded as an outstanding defensive catcher, and Whitey Herzog said ..that his friend Joe Torre was the worst defensive catcher he ever saw."

James was very diplomatic in stating Herzog’s view of Torre as a catcher. On page 141 of You’re Missin’ a Great Game, he said it in plain English.

"Joe Torre was the worst catcher I ever saw. The fans in the center field bleachers knew his number better than the ones behind home plate did!"

Torre remained the Braves catcher when they moved to Atlanta the following year and became the Atlanta Braves.

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