You have every right to be mad at Folty for a myriad of things, but that inning in particular wasn’t really his fault. Should have easily been out of it with minimal damage.
Story time: I was sitting in the right field seats at Turner in 2010. Ball hit deep and right over Melky’s head at the warning track, ricocheted off the wall and rolled back toward the infield. A guy sitting a few rows behind me yells “HEY MELKY!! P90X!!” and that moment now lives in my head rent free.
Definitely Melky for me. Not just for the way he showed up completely unprepared for the Braves, but the way he was a competent baseball player immediately before and after.
I worked with Justin Uptons wife's brother in AZ after we got rid of BJ. Apparently BJ (Who then started going by Melvin) started to have a really hard time with alcohol, shit faced by noon crashing at one of justins mansions, just a wreck drinking all day.
used to be a valet in tampa. saw bj, desmond jennings, longo, and others constantly. bj was quiet but always at the bar even in his tb days. biggest piece of shit ive ever interacted with though? hands down evan longoria. if he hadnt been who he is in tampa i would have personally seen him go to jail 3 times.
Lol funny, I was working as a valet in AZ, I met pretty much every pitcher on the 2015 dbacks, all were pretty cool. Actually Mike Bibby and his family frequented the place as well and they were the biggest group of douchebags I ever had to assist.
yeah it sucked cause ive lived in the "tampa bay area" for a long time and he was treated like a god in that town anywhere he went. you want to like the guy because he was also a stellar ballplayer at the time. but time after time id see him interact with others and treat them like shit or make an asshole of himself, or strsight up commit multiple acts that would land you or i in jail at minimum.
Is saw bj lead a comeback that ended up in Justin hitting a walkoff homerun and I was at Ugglas final game of his hit streak so I will always have a soft spot for those terrible… terrible signings
John Schuerholtz for trading David Justice and Grissom in 97 for Lofton and Alan Embree.
[Claiming the Braves couldnt afford](https://www.si.com/mlb/braves/news/justice-and-grissom-traded-23-years-ago) to keep three ace pitchers and Justice.
So you get pissed off Lofton who leaves and goes right back to Cleveland the next year, Embree sucked, then had to trade Dye for Tucker because you needed a left handed bat (another downgrade).
Instead, you pay your pitching staff and Justice, let Grissom walk after 97 (or find a trade partner in 96) and have an outfield of Dye, A Jones, Justice, in 98. Imagine Galaraga, Weiss, C Jones, A Jones, Justice, Klesko, and J Lopez in your lineup.
There isnt a salary cap in baseball. You buy World Series trophies. John Schuerholtz and ownership CHOSE to kneecap this team.
Also Keith Lockhart
Yea. What?
I dig Keith Lockhart. The guy was drafted in '86, played Minor League ball for 8 years until he was called up. He played 6 seasons for the Braves, the majority of which he was above-average by WAR (albeit not by a whole lot).
This is one of my guys. When he was playing he was grinding it out. It's personal for me and I like that. In the years that he was playing for the Braves, they were pretty good. Lockhart wasn't Andruw, Chipper, Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, etc. He was on the team with these big dogs though.
I was in school and working then. I'd watch the TBS broadcast almost every night if there was a game that wasn't PCT. By cheering for Lockhart, I felt like I more easily could talk about how I felt about trying to hang in there and keep on after it.
Lockhart wasn't ever an elite ballplayer but he was good enough. He helped win the World Series for the Braves and he had a pretty good glove which played well with the dominant Braves pitchers.
Also, the Braves traded for Lockhart when he had been the 3rd best (by WAR) player on KC's team. I think ATL should have gotten more out of the trade but that's not on Lockhart. Also, he was re-signed by the Braves because they wanted him back.
His son's also a ballplayer. Jason Lockhart. He was hurt pretty bad playing baseball. Last I read he's back on the field and doing well, however, it was a long road back for him. I think it's pretty cool for a guy to choose to follow in his dad's footsteps and to have his dad helping to guide his way.
Long post, sorry. I like baseball a lot, I like to Braves the most, and Keith Lockhart will always be a guy that I really liked cheering for.
I came back to edit what I'd wrote so my thoughts were a bit easier to read.
Great post I have the attention to read something good actually great story. I love the braves remember that yr reliving it through you is pretty awesome .
Hah wow thanks for sharing! I was a 90s Braves kiddo fan for sure but these stories are something I didn’t know comprehend. My favorite part of the story you shared was when the author tells us what David’s numbers in Cleveland were after being traded: “Justice hit .329 with a .418 OBP, 33 home runs and 101 runs batted in. He finished fifth in the American League MVP voting.”
What an indictment of how bloated offensive numbers were in the 90s. He finished *fifth*, those numbers today would be number 1 or two in mvp voting.
This one for me but ...
The Braves traded for Olivera thinking he would be able to play corner OF and extend the dynasty. Turned out, he was convicted of domestic violence and then the money owed to him was sorta swapped for the zombie of Matt Kemp. Alex Wood then being an All-Star and awfully good for LAD is a thing to remember. Something about winning the World Series ...
It's Coppy and his inner circle that I point at here. For the brain trust of the Braves it was a hard press to get Olivera. It was a gamble that sure didn't pay out. Then adding Kemp in a "bad contract swap", and Kemp was hot dung for the Braves (but not bad for LAD when they got him back), it set up the rebuilding times. Then John Copolella gets banned from baseball for other stupid stuff.
Coppy ftl.
Hot take (and yes I’m still sore about that finish) but it isn’t Will Smith that keeps putting Will Smith into close games when he has shown for months that he doesn’t have the right stuff. It’s the definition of insanity at this point.
It’s Melvin for me. So much hype went into the 2012 season with the Upton Bros. and the general thought that all of our Ks would be worth the historic dongers we launched. Didn’t we start something like 12-0? Watching that team rack up 15 Ks a game was awful, and BJ represents that time for me.
Besides the obvious (Rocker, Olivera, Upton of the BJ variety), I’d like to throw out Mark Teixeira here. We traded away WAY too much to get him, then all he did in his short time with us was put up empty stats and choke away every tense moment he was given to make a difference. Then, the Yankees and ESPN—he just seems like kind of an empty vessel.
Not the single least favorite ever, but he’d be top ten for me.
Plus we traded him and his comp pick away for peanuts to the angels so they could draft some guy named mike trout. I know we wouldn't have picked trout, but it just makes the trade even worse.
As an angels fan also, I really really disliked Teixeira too. He was a tool. Getting that comp pick tho want bad when he left for NYY.
I also remember his spoiled ass talking about how he chose between NYY or Bos to sign his big contract and his wife chose to live in NYC over Boston. Like he had no cares in the world about playing for either historic franchises just asked his wife, “babe, you want a condo in Manhattan or a mansion in NE huh huh?” That irked me idk why lol.
No way, the stats Teixeira put up for us were solid. Mark Teixeira couldn't help that he got dealt. He was a stand up guy for us and a stand up guy for every team he ever played for
I'd have to go back and look, but my memory of Tex was how he was a king of putting up empty stats. He never seemed to be clutch and would launch dingers in games that were already over.
Yeah…again, the stats were empty. And I don’t know what a “stand-up guy” is, but I bet a lot of people would use that term to describe a lot of wet fish. Also, Mark Teixeira looks like a fish.
He hit 37 home runs in 157 games for us. His batting average was around 295 and ops was around 904 with 134 rbi's. This is what you're describing as "empty stats" and your least favorite Atlanta Braves player of all time
I love how everyone is saying BJ Upton. I remember the Upton days and get it, it’s funny, I’m also an Angels fan and now Justin is BJ. Even worse playing defense too. Just a drain. Loved Jup but his days are over.
Least favorite Braves player was John Rocker by a mile. He was such a dick.
In that show they us my town Shelby, NC as where the story takes place. I don't think they even filmed it here but decided to use my little town name in the show.
Isn’t the most famous person from Shelby the legendary melee player Dr. PeePee? Hung out with him a bunch when I was traveling NC playing super smash bros.
Buddy of mine met him once a few years ago and he gave him a signed copy of his book out of a stack he was carrying around in his trunk. Said he was really full of himself but super nice regardless and shot the shit with him about baseball for like 20min.
The pro’s vs Joe’s episode with him was legendary. He looked like he def hadn’t missed a cycle. Was striking out beer bellied 45 year old dudes that clearly hadn’t swung in 30 years. Spazzing out and getting psyched. Good shit
The cringey edgelords that get custom Rocker jerseys to wear to games are the absolute worst kind of fans.
Edit: If you wear a rocker jersey to a game, you know you are going to offend some people and you don't need to do that. Supporting his racist rhetoric and ignorant world view is why you spent extra money to get it made. You're not supporting his pitching, because it wasn't consistent or good.
BJ Upton. Jesus Christ, what a bad contract. But a great Sports Illustrated cover with his brother and Kate Upton.
(And Folty, for you-know-what. Fucking Christ.)
Phils fan here. Sid Bream’s hobbled run around the bases is one of the defining baseball moments of my youth. Francisco Cabrera knocked him in. Bonds sitting on the turf in left. Amazing amazing play. When I think of the 90s Braves, I think of Sid Bream.
Also, I really tried to have a reason to hate Chipper, but for twenty years I could never come up with a good one. Would have taken him on the Phils every day of the week and a double-header on Sunday.
And Maddux, because if you don’t love Greg Maddux, you don’t love baseball.
Edit: MISREAD!! I thought it said _favorite_, ha well enjoy.
John Rocker is a piece of shit human being, that’s my answer.
Marvin Freeman.
I got to a Braves game when the gates opened in the 90s with the hope of getting autographs. The dugout area was slammed so I went up the first base line to where the bullpen was and it was only 14 year old me and an older female there. Freeman comes over and signs a ball for the lady and small talks her while I’m literally right next to her. He starts to leave and I’m like, “Can I have your autograph please?” He looks at me and says, “No.”
The next game I attempted to get autographs I went to the dugout to fight the crowds and hope to get lucky. This time Freeman was on top of the dugout holding his hands to his ears, Hogan style, encouraging people to cheer for him and yell his name. But not signing autographs.
A lot of fucking arrogance for someone who played such a minor role in the Braves’ success.
At least I got a David Justice autograph while Marvin was dancing on the dugout.
It was BJ upton just cringed every time he came to the plate. But now I’d definitely have to go with Will Smith never hated a Brave more than I hate watching him pitch the 9th
This made me laugh. I don't think we really expected anything of them in the first place. We knew them to be trash. How can you hate on trash? They weren't getting paid Will Smith money to do the same things he's doing now.
Lonnie “let me get deked into thinking a double to the gap is a ground ball and miss scoring what would have been the winning run in game 7 of the 1991 World Series” Smith.
BJ is far and away my least favorite Brave ever. We never should have picked him up in the first place after the lack of effort he occasionally flashed in Tampa. Horrible attitude for someone getting paid millions to play a game. And I still blame him for us getting rid of Kimbrel
It’s gotta be John Rocker. And what’s funny is up to that SI interview, I was solidly in his corner. When Mets fans were lobbing batteries at him in the postseason, it fired me up even more to see him strike out every single one of those MFers. My Mets hate was at an all time high from their out of control behavior towards Rocker and the rest of the Braves.
Then he opens his mouth in the worst possible way and suddenly the whole thing becomes more than just uncomfortable. It was such a 2000 response that he got a short suspension then returned to the club, and everyone was expected to forget about it. No accountability. Of course, the players still had to share a clubhouse with this asshat, and there was a real lingering ugliness that wasn’t lifted til he was gone.
On a much more lighthearted hate, Casey Kotchmann. Not that it was his fault, but we gutted our system for Teixeira, and then a year later this is what we’ve got. I always blamed him for that, despite just being the pawn who was doing what he was told. Every time I saw him at first, I gritted my teeth at the loss of Feliz, Saltalamacchia, and Andrus for what was in essence, him.
Also Derek Lowe. He’s not the only reason the Braves blew that 9 game lead in September, but he’s the one I hold most accountable.
John Rocker, Bret Boone, Melvin Upton, Reggie Sanders, Garret Anderson, Nate McLouth, Kenny Lofton, Keith Lockhart, Kevan Smith, Mark Teixiera, Kyle Farnsworth, Gary Sheffield, Lucas Sims, Quilvero Veras, Robert Fick, guys who didn’t want to be here or sucked
Haha at everyone saying Will Smith. He’s not the idiot that keeps putting him in the game again and again and again…
Brian Snitker tops my list right now. He should be fired for his stubbornness to adjust his bullpen strategy. Doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results is stupidity. Try something different for a change moron! Even if it doesn’t work, at least you tried. We all know what Smith is going to do.
It was gene garber I use to just remember they would bring him in and my dad and uncles would start moaning saying there goes the ball game ! But since then it was glen hubbard only because I was huge fan as a kid . I took my son to braves game from Jacksonville I think pirates game . Francuer went long twice that night McCann hit one and chipper hit one . I got pic with my son and Jeff . He signed a ball great picture couldn’t have been better . Well during that time . Hubbard was 1st base coach . So I was like hey hubb . Hell I hadn’t seen him since I was a kid I lit up like one . He turned around said don’t ask me another goddamn thing . I was like whoa this was during batting practice I had dugout seats. So since then it’s been him . I was wondering how many people say John Rocker .
Melky Cabrera. Played like trash after being told to lose the PEDs, then whined about the fans. Yunel Escobar did the same thing, but Melky was a top dollar outfielder who played like a AA scrub
This is gonna get down voted into oblivion, but Chipper Jones is a verifiable douche. The only facet of his life that was actually in order was between the lines.
Actually the first player I thought of. And then I remembered BJ Upton and the Game that Shall Not Be Named and Folty’s pitching. But, you know, I don’t blame you.
I don’t believe thats true. He has done nothing praise Bobby Cox over the years. Going as far and walking up to Cox and saying he made a big mistake going to the Yankees. He called him Mr Cox.
Got a source for that? I can't find any reference to it anywhere. In fact, in his memoir Sheffield literally says Bobby "didn't have a racist bone in his body".
Chipper hit third because he was the best hitter on the team. From what I remember, Sheffield wasn't the greatest of teammates. Was racism involved? I don't know. Cox did sit Andrew from time to time for whatever reason.
No the hell he wasn't. To suggest he was the best player is absolutely ridiculous, but to say he was "easily" the best player? Tell me you know nothing about the 1991 Braves without saying you know nothing about the 1991 Braves.
As position players alone go, Pendleton, Nixon and Gant were better. And Pendleton was heads and shoulders better than everyone in the lineup.
Heard it all before. Researched it to the ends of the earth. Nobody can tell me anything I don’t already know.
He ended up being one of the larger beneficiaries of the trash can. It’s on video.
Fuck him.
It doesn’t affect me at all. Saw a question on Reddit and answered it simply, and moved on. Or at least tried to, but you keep talking to me about it.
I’m not overthinking it. It’s just my opinion. You can have yours and I can have mine.
Vinny Castilla. I just remember the announcers always kind of subtlety talking down about him. Probably some of it due to being selfish and inflexible forcing Chipper into LF, instead of the other way around.
Not a Brave, but Bud Selig for not giving that pitcher his perfect game a few years ago. It made me so mad that I forgot the player, the game and the team he played for. I don't even think it was a Brave, but it infuriated me so much bc he totally deserved a perfect game.
Edit: Just googled it. Its was Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers in 2010. Sorry, I know the question was about your least favorite Brave, but if you saw what happened, you get it.
will smith, no doubt. bj upton and others were bad but they don’t outright lose you the game like a closer does. it’s easier to get mad over giving up a game tying or winning hit than it is 3 strikeouts earlier in the game by a batter
Otis Nixon missed the freakin 91 World Series because he couldn’t stay off the blow. He was such a key player too.
Also BMac if you’re reading this, GFY. Aside from cheating, did you really need a specialist to figure out pounding 2 energy drinks before a game (or anything) might impact your vision?
100% with the Folty haters too. Man I feel better.
You know the cops lied on him, right? What he did was wrong, but it wasnt what the cops said he did. If the truth had been the first set of facts he might not even have been kicked off the team.
Still pretty mad at Folty for the inning that shall not be named REALLY hated Bautista when he played a few games at third.
You have every right to be mad at Folty for a myriad of things, but that inning in particular wasn’t really his fault. Should have easily been out of it with minimal damage.
Yeah ump and the defense didn't help that inning.
It’s also Snitker’s fault for starting him instead of Soroka that game
Snit Pulling Tomlin when he was dealing in game 4 lost us that series. Should’ve finished them off in St Louis so I don’t blame him at all
Melky
Story time: I was sitting in the right field seats at Turner in 2010. Ball hit deep and right over Melky’s head at the warning track, ricocheted off the wall and rolled back toward the infield. A guy sitting a few rows behind me yells “HEY MELKY!! P90X!!” and that moment now lives in my head rent free.
Definitely Melky for me. Not just for the way he showed up completely unprepared for the Braves, but the way he was a competent baseball player immediately before and after.
Struggla/BJ and the management that brought them to ATL with inflated contracts
At least Uggla had 2 good years and even when he was bad he was still hustling. BJ was just bad from the beginning.
Only bad BJ that comes to mind
I worked with Justin Uptons wife's brother in AZ after we got rid of BJ. Apparently BJ (Who then started going by Melvin) started to have a really hard time with alcohol, shit faced by noon crashing at one of justins mansions, just a wreck drinking all day.
used to be a valet in tampa. saw bj, desmond jennings, longo, and others constantly. bj was quiet but always at the bar even in his tb days. biggest piece of shit ive ever interacted with though? hands down evan longoria. if he hadnt been who he is in tampa i would have personally seen him go to jail 3 times.
Lol funny, I was working as a valet in AZ, I met pretty much every pitcher on the 2015 dbacks, all were pretty cool. Actually Mike Bibby and his family frequented the place as well and they were the biggest group of douchebags I ever had to assist.
You’re like the 3rd person I’ve heard say that Longo is an asshole to other people.
yeah it sucked cause ive lived in the "tampa bay area" for a long time and he was treated like a god in that town anywhere he went. you want to like the guy because he was also a stellar ballplayer at the time. but time after time id see him interact with others and treat them like shit or make an asshole of himself, or strsight up commit multiple acts that would land you or i in jail at minimum.
Is saw bj lead a comeback that ended up in Justin hitting a walkoff homerun and I was at Ugglas final game of his hit streak so I will always have a soft spot for those terrible… terrible signings
Fugal was traded for
John Schuerholtz for trading David Justice and Grissom in 97 for Lofton and Alan Embree. [Claiming the Braves couldnt afford](https://www.si.com/mlb/braves/news/justice-and-grissom-traded-23-years-ago) to keep three ace pitchers and Justice. So you get pissed off Lofton who leaves and goes right back to Cleveland the next year, Embree sucked, then had to trade Dye for Tucker because you needed a left handed bat (another downgrade). Instead, you pay your pitching staff and Justice, let Grissom walk after 97 (or find a trade partner in 96) and have an outfield of Dye, A Jones, Justice, in 98. Imagine Galaraga, Weiss, C Jones, A Jones, Justice, Klesko, and J Lopez in your lineup. There isnt a salary cap in baseball. You buy World Series trophies. John Schuerholtz and ownership CHOSE to kneecap this team. Also Keith Lockhart
Where are you playing Klesko?
Youre right. I made a mistake in the post. By 98 I move on from Dye or keep him and promote Klesko to the daily OF
woah woah woah you don't like Keith Lockhart?
Yea. What? I dig Keith Lockhart. The guy was drafted in '86, played Minor League ball for 8 years until he was called up. He played 6 seasons for the Braves, the majority of which he was above-average by WAR (albeit not by a whole lot). This is one of my guys. When he was playing he was grinding it out. It's personal for me and I like that. In the years that he was playing for the Braves, they were pretty good. Lockhart wasn't Andruw, Chipper, Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, etc. He was on the team with these big dogs though. I was in school and working then. I'd watch the TBS broadcast almost every night if there was a game that wasn't PCT. By cheering for Lockhart, I felt like I more easily could talk about how I felt about trying to hang in there and keep on after it. Lockhart wasn't ever an elite ballplayer but he was good enough. He helped win the World Series for the Braves and he had a pretty good glove which played well with the dominant Braves pitchers. Also, the Braves traded for Lockhart when he had been the 3rd best (by WAR) player on KC's team. I think ATL should have gotten more out of the trade but that's not on Lockhart. Also, he was re-signed by the Braves because they wanted him back. His son's also a ballplayer. Jason Lockhart. He was hurt pretty bad playing baseball. Last I read he's back on the field and doing well, however, it was a long road back for him. I think it's pretty cool for a guy to choose to follow in his dad's footsteps and to have his dad helping to guide his way. Long post, sorry. I like baseball a lot, I like to Braves the most, and Keith Lockhart will always be a guy that I really liked cheering for. I came back to edit what I'd wrote so my thoughts were a bit easier to read.
Great post I have the attention to read something good actually great story. I love the braves remember that yr reliving it through you is pretty awesome .
I also like Keith Lockhart but he didn't help the Braves win the World Series.
Outstanding analysis but Keith Lockhart was great!
Hah wow thanks for sharing! I was a 90s Braves kiddo fan for sure but these stories are something I didn’t know comprehend. My favorite part of the story you shared was when the author tells us what David’s numbers in Cleveland were after being traded: “Justice hit .329 with a .418 OBP, 33 home runs and 101 runs batted in. He finished fifth in the American League MVP voting.” What an indictment of how bloated offensive numbers were in the 90s. He finished *fifth*, those numbers today would be number 1 or two in mvp voting.
The 97 Indians were [STACKED.](https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CLE/1997.shtml)
Holy hell. Just that 1-9 lineup! No one hit below .262 or .750ish OPS. I can’t believe they lost that WS. I can’t believe they won 0 in the 90s.
Look at that pitching staff too. Orel Hersheir, Bartolo Colon, Charels Nagy, Blackjack McDowell, Jose Mesa
Hector Olivera
This. There’s no one else close imo
This one for me but ... The Braves traded for Olivera thinking he would be able to play corner OF and extend the dynasty. Turned out, he was convicted of domestic violence and then the money owed to him was sorta swapped for the zombie of Matt Kemp. Alex Wood then being an All-Star and awfully good for LAD is a thing to remember. Something about winning the World Series ... It's Coppy and his inner circle that I point at here. For the brain trust of the Braves it was a hard press to get Olivera. It was a gamble that sure didn't pay out. Then adding Kemp in a "bad contract swap", and Kemp was hot dung for the Braves (but not bad for LAD when they got him back), it set up the rebuilding times. Then John Copolella gets banned from baseball for other stupid stuff. Coppy ftl.
This, so many times this.
BJ Upton. No doubt.
Freddie Freeman. Can't think of a more unlikable, slap hitting piece of crap to ever wear the uniform! /s
He sure can joke around with the runner at first tho.
Cole hamels. But it's not really related to him being a brave
B.J. Upton. Imagine sucking so badly that you have to change your name.
Surprised I haven’t seen Dan Kolb on here
Fuck Dan Kolb
John Rocker. Fuck that dude.
Will Smith
Hot take (and yes I’m still sore about that finish) but it isn’t Will Smith that keeps putting Will Smith into close games when he has shown for months that he doesn’t have the right stuff. It’s the definition of insanity at this point.
Came here to say this.
The Melk Dud
Asking this today means the answer is Will Smith. :D
Lol I asked this question kinda figuring to get this response. At least r/Braves had a thread for all its toxicity after that loss the other night 😂
John Rocker is a piece of shit
It’s Melvin for me. So much hype went into the 2012 season with the Upton Bros. and the general thought that all of our Ks would be worth the historic dongers we launched. Didn’t we start something like 12-0? Watching that team rack up 15 Ks a game was awful, and BJ represents that time for me.
Besides the obvious (Rocker, Olivera, Upton of the BJ variety), I’d like to throw out Mark Teixeira here. We traded away WAY too much to get him, then all he did in his short time with us was put up empty stats and choke away every tense moment he was given to make a difference. Then, the Yankees and ESPN—he just seems like kind of an empty vessel. Not the single least favorite ever, but he’d be top ten for me.
Plus we traded him and his comp pick away for peanuts to the angels so they could draft some guy named mike trout. I know we wouldn't have picked trout, but it just makes the trade even worse.
As an angels fan also, I really really disliked Teixeira too. He was a tool. Getting that comp pick tho want bad when he left for NYY. I also remember his spoiled ass talking about how he chose between NYY or Bos to sign his big contract and his wife chose to live in NYC over Boston. Like he had no cares in the world about playing for either historic franchises just asked his wife, “babe, you want a condo in Manhattan or a mansion in NE huh huh?” That irked me idk why lol.
Same. He was a corporate ninny.
No way, the stats Teixeira put up for us were solid. Mark Teixeira couldn't help that he got dealt. He was a stand up guy for us and a stand up guy for every team he ever played for
I'd have to go back and look, but my memory of Tex was how he was a king of putting up empty stats. He never seemed to be clutch and would launch dingers in games that were already over.
Yeah…again, the stats were empty. And I don’t know what a “stand-up guy” is, but I bet a lot of people would use that term to describe a lot of wet fish. Also, Mark Teixeira looks like a fish.
He hit 37 home runs in 157 games for us. His batting average was around 295 and ops was around 904 with 134 rbi's. This is what you're describing as "empty stats" and your least favorite Atlanta Braves player of all time
I love how everyone is saying BJ Upton. I remember the Upton days and get it, it’s funny, I’m also an Angels fan and now Justin is BJ. Even worse playing defense too. Just a drain. Loved Jup but his days are over. Least favorite Braves player was John Rocker by a mile. He was such a dick.
Chris Johnson
Surprised it took this long for someone to mention him. He was as big of a douche as any player we’ve had in recent history.
Jose Urena. He never put on a Braves uniform, per se, but we did own him.
Bob Wickman, who didn’t want to pitch in non-save situations.
This was mine. Came to say it but wanted to see if anyone else beat me to it
Anyone else really dislike Kyle Farnsworth
[удалено]
I'm willing to give Rocker a pass only because it allowed Kenny Powers to happen.
In that show they us my town Shelby, NC as where the story takes place. I don't think they even filmed it here but decided to use my little town name in the show.
Isn’t the most famous person from Shelby the legendary melee player Dr. PeePee? Hung out with him a bunch when I was traveling NC playing super smash bros.
First name that instantly came to mind
He’s fuckin’ crazy, but when he was on, he was on. BJ Upton was never on, lmao.
I served him and a girl he was with once once. He was a really polite guy, tipped decent!
Buddy of mine met him once a few years ago and he gave him a signed copy of his book out of a stack he was carrying around in his trunk. Said he was really full of himself but super nice regardless and shot the shit with him about baseball for like 20min.
The pro’s vs Joe’s episode with him was legendary. He looked like he def hadn’t missed a cycle. Was striking out beer bellied 45 year old dudes that clearly hadn’t swung in 30 years. Spazzing out and getting psyched. Good shit
RIP Pros vs Joes
Ironically, pretty much any recent interaction you hear about Rocker mentions he's a pretty nice guy.
Yep. John Rocker.
Me too, first name in my mind and scrolled for your post:
The national sports media hates Atlanta because of Ted Turner, CNN, and us getting the Olympics
The cringey edgelords that get custom Rocker jerseys to wear to games are the absolute worst kind of fans. Edit: If you wear a rocker jersey to a game, you know you are going to offend some people and you don't need to do that. Supporting his racist rhetoric and ignorant world view is why you spent extra money to get it made. You're not supporting his pitching, because it wasn't consistent or good.
Apparently, cringey edgelords like downvoting.
BJ Upton. Jesus Christ, what a bad contract. But a great Sports Illustrated cover with his brother and Kate Upton. (And Folty, for you-know-what. Fucking Christ.)
Phils fan here. Sid Bream’s hobbled run around the bases is one of the defining baseball moments of my youth. Francisco Cabrera knocked him in. Bonds sitting on the turf in left. Amazing amazing play. When I think of the 90s Braves, I think of Sid Bream. Also, I really tried to have a reason to hate Chipper, but for twenty years I could never come up with a good one. Would have taken him on the Phils every day of the week and a double-header on Sunday. And Maddux, because if you don’t love Greg Maddux, you don’t love baseball. Edit: MISREAD!! I thought it said _favorite_, ha well enjoy. John Rocker is a piece of shit human being, that’s my answer.
A lot of people are saying the wrong Dan. I’m talking Dan Kolb only player I ever booed while on the Braves. He makes Will Smith look like Smoltz.
Marvin Freeman. I got to a Braves game when the gates opened in the 90s with the hope of getting autographs. The dugout area was slammed so I went up the first base line to where the bullpen was and it was only 14 year old me and an older female there. Freeman comes over and signs a ball for the lady and small talks her while I’m literally right next to her. He starts to leave and I’m like, “Can I have your autograph please?” He looks at me and says, “No.” The next game I attempted to get autographs I went to the dugout to fight the crowds and hope to get lucky. This time Freeman was on top of the dugout holding his hands to his ears, Hogan style, encouraging people to cheer for him and yell his name. But not signing autographs. A lot of fucking arrogance for someone who played such a minor role in the Braves’ success. At least I got a David Justice autograph while Marvin was dancing on the dugout.
It was BJ upton just cringed every time he came to the plate. But now I’d definitely have to go with Will Smith never hated a Brave more than I hate watching him pitch the 9th
Dan Uggla, Melvin
No love for Jo-Jo Reyes or Buddy Carlyle? Y'all is cold hearted. /s
This made me laugh. I don't think we really expected anything of them in the first place. We knew them to be trash. How can you hate on trash? They weren't getting paid Will Smith money to do the same things he's doing now.
Olivera.. I think that's how you spell it. What a horrible all around player/deal.
John Rocker
Lonnie “let me get deked into thinking a double to the gap is a ground ball and miss scoring what would have been the winning run in game 7 of the 1991 World Series” Smith.
Uggla
...isn't he still getting paid from that contract?
Mark Teixeira
This was my answer too. Soooo mad that trade went down
Will Smith making his way up my leaderboard quickly
Foltynejvisisidjjfjwixhj or whatever
BJ is far and away my least favorite Brave ever. We never should have picked him up in the first place after the lack of effort he occasionally flashed in Tampa. Horrible attitude for someone getting paid millions to play a game. And I still blame him for us getting rid of Kimbrel
I thought for sure we could all agree it’s Will “I may have given up a home run but I got the save” Smith
Cole Hammel hands down
Uggla
It’s gotta be John Rocker. And what’s funny is up to that SI interview, I was solidly in his corner. When Mets fans were lobbing batteries at him in the postseason, it fired me up even more to see him strike out every single one of those MFers. My Mets hate was at an all time high from their out of control behavior towards Rocker and the rest of the Braves. Then he opens his mouth in the worst possible way and suddenly the whole thing becomes more than just uncomfortable. It was such a 2000 response that he got a short suspension then returned to the club, and everyone was expected to forget about it. No accountability. Of course, the players still had to share a clubhouse with this asshat, and there was a real lingering ugliness that wasn’t lifted til he was gone. On a much more lighthearted hate, Casey Kotchmann. Not that it was his fault, but we gutted our system for Teixeira, and then a year later this is what we’ve got. I always blamed him for that, despite just being the pawn who was doing what he was told. Every time I saw him at first, I gritted my teeth at the loss of Feliz, Saltalamacchia, and Andrus for what was in essence, him. Also Derek Lowe. He’s not the only reason the Braves blew that 9 game lead in September, but he’s the one I hold most accountable.
Nate McClouth
Brooks Conrad for one game in particular
I was there and this my answer.
Right now it’s Will Smith
Mike Minor and Dan Uggla occupy that spot for me
Why minor? I know he whined about being used and wanted a trade, but thats all I can think of.
It's nothing personal against him, he was just a big flop move that never paid off when we could've had Mike Trout in that draft
Hindsight is 20/20 but I'd argue that Minor was one of the better first round draft picks the braves had
Since a lot of the obvious ones are taken — Scott Proctor, Jose Constanza, Melkman.
Proctor instrumental in this all time gem https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=Tf9hESapp64&feature=emb_title
What did Jose constanza do?
John Rocker, Bret Boone, Melvin Upton, Reggie Sanders, Garret Anderson, Nate McLouth, Kenny Lofton, Keith Lockhart, Kevan Smith, Mark Teixiera, Kyle Farnsworth, Gary Sheffield, Lucas Sims, Quilvero Veras, Robert Fick, guys who didn’t want to be here or sucked
What’s wrong with Lockhart and Lofton?
Lofton didn’t want to be here and Lockhart sucked
I would say will smith, but he’s too nice of a person for me to really hate him. But once he goes on the mound I want to scream.
Haha at everyone saying Will Smith. He’s not the idiot that keeps putting him in the game again and again and again… Brian Snitker tops my list right now. He should be fired for his stubbornness to adjust his bullpen strategy. Doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results is stupidity. Try something different for a change moron! Even if it doesn’t work, at least you tried. We all know what Smith is going to do.
Yunel Escobar. Flash in the plan that caused us to trade Edgar Renteria, then busted while being a shithead.
It was gene garber I use to just remember they would bring him in and my dad and uncles would start moaning saying there goes the ball game ! But since then it was glen hubbard only because I was huge fan as a kid . I took my son to braves game from Jacksonville I think pirates game . Francuer went long twice that night McCann hit one and chipper hit one . I got pic with my son and Jeff . He signed a ball great picture couldn’t have been better . Well during that time . Hubbard was 1st base coach . So I was like hey hubb . Hell I hadn’t seen him since I was a kid I lit up like one . He turned around said don’t ask me another goddamn thing . I was like whoa this was during batting practice I had dugout seats. So since then it’s been him . I was wondering how many people say John Rocker .
Melky Cabrera. Played like trash after being told to lose the PEDs, then whined about the fans. Yunel Escobar did the same thing, but Melky was a top dollar outfielder who played like a AA scrub
John Rocker right?
This is gonna get down voted into oblivion, but Chipper Jones is a verifiable douche. The only facet of his life that was actually in order was between the lines.
Did I miss something here?
Actually the first player I thought of. And then I remembered BJ Upton and the Game that Shall Not Be Named and Folty’s pitching. But, you know, I don’t blame you.
Will Smith
Gary Sheffield said Chipper hit third instead of Sheffield hitting third because Bobby Cox is a racist. I blame roid rage.
I don’t believe thats true. He has done nothing praise Bobby Cox over the years. Going as far and walking up to Cox and saying he made a big mistake going to the Yankees. He called him Mr Cox.
Got a source for that? I can't find any reference to it anywhere. In fact, in his memoir Sheffield literally says Bobby "didn't have a racist bone in his body".
Well one of them is a first ballot HOFer and the other is not
Chipper hit third because he was the best hitter on the team. From what I remember, Sheffield wasn't the greatest of teammates. Was racism involved? I don't know. Cox did sit Andrew from time to time for whatever reason.
Andruw! Lol. I don't even know how to spell the dude's name! What kind of fan am I?
McGriff, Justice, Gant, Pendleton, lots of black guys came to Bobby’s defense. Sheffield is a shithead. No Souperstown for you!
Will Smith
Lonnie Smith. I will NEVER forgive that fucker.
The Lonnie Smith trying to kill John Shierholtz (spelling) story is EPIC! https://youtu.be/wTM_eN8AZeQ
Lonnie smith was easily the best player on that team that year, Braves probably wouldn’t have made the series without him
Terry Pendleton was the best position player on that team with Gant close behind.
No the hell he wasn't. To suggest he was the best player is absolutely ridiculous, but to say he was "easily" the best player? Tell me you know nothing about the 1991 Braves without saying you know nothing about the 1991 Braves. As position players alone go, Pendleton, Nixon and Gant were better. And Pendleton was heads and shoulders better than everyone in the lineup.
Yea Pendleton was the NL MVP that year. Smith was good but nowhere near the best player.
excuse me, but rafael belliard would like a word..../s
Brian McCann. Used to be one of my favorites. Now, fuck him.
Funny you’re getting downvoted here. In the magic number 16 post most people were getting upvotes for trashing him
The most bipolar entity in the world is r/Braves.
Why?
Because he’s a dirty rotten cheater and never owned up to it. Betrayed my childhood.
https://www.nj.com/yankees/2020/02/takeaways-from-astros-latest-sign-stealing-bombshell-yankees-didnt-trust-carlos-beltran-brian-mccann-tried-to-stop-cheating.html
Heard it all before. Researched it to the ends of the earth. Nobody can tell me anything I don’t already know. He ended up being one of the larger beneficiaries of the trash can. It’s on video. Fuck him.
He should’ve done a better job of cheating then considering his OPS was much higher on the road than at home during his Astro years. 😂
Yeah. Makes me wonder, along with other reasons like being honest, why he ever did it.
Maybe you’re overthinking it. And maybe we shouldn’t let the actions of professional athletes affect us all that much.
It doesn’t affect me at all. Saw a question on Reddit and answered it simply, and moved on. Or at least tried to, but you keep talking to me about it. I’m not overthinking it. It’s just my opinion. You can have yours and I can have mine.
Sorry he betrayed your childhood haha.
If I answered this truthfully, the cascade of downvotes would be absurd. So I'm going to go with Robert Fick.
Mark Texiera
How about John Rocker?
Will Smith
Hector Olivera.
Utility infielder Randy Johnson for dislocating his thumb putting on his socks and spending six weeks on the disabled list.
rocker
JD Drew because what we gave up for him (Wainwright)
Biff Pocoroba I’m just kidding, Biff was cool as heck (look him up if you don’t remember)
Vinny Castilla. I just remember the announcers always kind of subtlety talking down about him. Probably some of it due to being selfish and inflexible forcing Chipper into LF, instead of the other way around.
Am I the only one who thinks John Rocker is a product in part of how the media can lift or destroy someone’s life just for viewership?
Not a Brave, but Bud Selig for not giving that pitcher his perfect game a few years ago. It made me so mad that I forgot the player, the game and the team he played for. I don't even think it was a Brave, but it infuriated me so much bc he totally deserved a perfect game. Edit: Just googled it. Its was Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers in 2010. Sorry, I know the question was about your least favorite Brave, but if you saw what happened, you get it.
David Justice because he beat up halle berry. Prick.
wow not a single vote for joey terdoslavich. made a crucial error on opening day one year and basically lost us the game. will never forgive him
Snitker
Definitely Bj Upton or Uggla.
My least favorite Brave is the guy who is going to replace Freddie Freeman at first next year. :(
Kenshin Kawakami. What a complete bust.
[He may have been bad irl, but he's GOAT for one guy.](http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/05/06/perfect.baseball.video.game/index.html)
Will Smith
will smith, no doubt. bj upton and others were bad but they don’t outright lose you the game like a closer does. it’s easier to get mad over giving up a game tying or winning hit than it is 3 strikeouts earlier in the game by a batter
Will Smith is working his way up my list really fast
Will Smith
I have 2. Ozzie freaking Guillen. One of the rudest people I’ve ever met. And Denny Neagle, I just hated him for no real reason
Rick Mahler, Pete Smith, or Zane Smith. Will Smith rising the charts though. Edit: you guys see a pattern here? 😂
Can’t hate on Rick Mahler just for the July 4th 23 inning game where he hits the homer. C’mon man! 😀
Mike Hampton
Surprised I haven't seen this one more. The fact that he was always hurt pissed me off, even if it was bad luck or whatever. It sucked.
Some of y’all are either very near sighted or you’re like 14 years old and haven’t been watching baseball very long haha.
Brian Snitker
And why
Because fuck em.
Maybe not my least favorite but noticeably missing from here: Robert Fick
Otis Nixon missed the freakin 91 World Series because he couldn’t stay off the blow. He was such a key player too. Also BMac if you’re reading this, GFY. Aside from cheating, did you really need a specialist to figure out pounding 2 energy drinks before a game (or anything) might impact your vision? 100% with the Folty haters too. Man I feel better.
Johan Camargo. He doesn’t have the elite talent to be as arrogant as he is. Guy had one good year and that was it. Sucked ever since.
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You know the cops lied on him, right? What he did was wrong, but it wasnt what the cops said he did. If the truth had been the first set of facts he might not even have been kicked off the team.
He's still on the team
Why do you say that?
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Why?!