We return to the potent Milwaukee Braves team of the 1950’s, where we have Joe Adcock, a slugger who went yard for the franchise 239 times, including a 38 dinger season in 1956. 

Adcock arrived in Milwaukee in a complex four-team trade, which he benefited from, as he was not playing at his natural First Base position, as Cincinnati had Ted Kluszewski.  Adcock’s power always seemed to come at unique times.  He had a four Home Run game in 1954, and it was Adcock who hit a Home Run (which he didn’t get credit for due to Hank Aaron’s baserunning error, but there was a runner ahead who scored) to end Harvey Haddix’s legendary game where he pitched 12 perfect innings.  Adcock would thrice finish the season with MVP votes, and he had 1,206 Hits with a .285 Batting Average.  He was also instrumental in the 1957 World Series Championship.  It is also worth noting that Adcock didn’t want to play at First Base because he preferred it, he was also really good at it.  He would finish first in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage three and four times, respectively, as a Brave among all National League First Basemen.

In 1914, the Boston Braves would win their first World Series Championship.  Dick Rudolph went 2-0 in that series with a 0.50 ERA over 18 Innings.  Safe to say if there was a World Series MVP, he would have won it, right?

Prior to joining the Braves, Rudolph had a cup of coffee with the New York Giants, and after plying his trade in the minors, he received another opportunity with the Boston Braves.  In his first season in Boston, he went 14-13, and he fit in like a glove.  The following year was the season of his postseason triumph, during which he went 26-10 in the regular season and finished 7^th in MVP voting.  He would win 22 and 19 Games in the two years that followed, but his efficiency would decline in the years after, and he would be officially released in 1927 after years of playing.

His overall career with the Braves would see him go 121-108 with five top ten finishes in bWAR for Pitchers.

David Justice, at one time, was one of the most recognized sluggers in baseball.   A star for the high-profile Atlanta Braves, Justice was the star hitter for the perennially playoff-bound team. He was named one of People’s Magazine’s Most Beautiful People (1994) and was married to Halle Barry.  The last two might be interesting, but they don’t help propel him to this rank, do they? 

Justice was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 1990, where he helped the Braves reach the World Series the following two seasons.  All three of his first full campaigns (1990-92) would see him hit 20 or more Home Runs, but he increased that in 1993 with 40 Home Runs and a career-high 120 Runs Batted In.  He would be named to his first of two All-Stars and was also a Silver Slugger for the first time.  The strike-shortened 1994 season would also see him return to the All-Star Game.  Justice would remain in Atlanta until he was traded to Cleveland before the 1997 season.  As a Brave, he hammered 160 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .275/.374/.499.

Atlanta elected Justice to their Hall of Fame in 2007.

Prior to joining the Boston Braves, Bob Elliott was already a proven commodity in professional baseball, having been a three-time All-Star for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  His first season in Boston would be his best, as in 1947 he posted a career-high .317 Batting Average with 22 Home Runs and 113 RBI. 

As a Boston Brave, Bob Elliott was nicknamed “Mr. Team,” a moniker that reflects how selfless and excellent a teammate he was and why his value to the Braves extended beyond his stat line.  The Third Baseman continued his strong performance in Boston, being named an All-Star again in 1948 while helping the Braves win the National League Pennant as their clean-up hitter.  He was with the Braves for three more seasons, and in his five years in Boston, he had 101 Home Runs with a Slash Line of .295/.398/485.