The Almost-Dynasty: The 1990's Atlanta Braves

Xen

Banned
I can't see the Braves signing Bonds and Greg Maddux. Maddux' contract was for the highest annual value in history at the time (5 years, $28 million), but was almost immediately surpassed by Bonds' contract, which was the largest in history (6 years, $43.75 million). I think it'd have to be one or the other.

The Braves nearly had him signed in 1992/1993 timeframe but the deal fell through.

They also came close to trading Dave Justice and Kent Mercker or Mike Stanton to Pittsburgh for Bonds in 1992. Would have been interesting, and would have been a better deal for the Pirates as Justice would have been under contract until 1995 or 1996 and would have went along way to make up for the loss of Bonds that Pittsburgh left.

If Pittsburgh were smarter they would have kept Moises Alou in 1990 and when Bonilla left after 1991 would have put Alou in Rightfield until they made the above deal for Justice then move Alou to Leftfield and would have had a nucleas in the outfield of Alou in left, Van Slyke in center and Justice in right. Their dominance would have come to an end, but their hitting would have been awesome and the team would have been above average.
 
And the Braves wouldn't have been the same Braves with Bonds. They were always fairly buttoned down, and no one was really above the team. Bonds would have destroyed that dynamic, and probably the team with it.
Plus, he's always struck me as an asshole, even aside from the cheating, and the thought of him as a World Champion makes me sick.
 
This is an interesting thread, as it does propose another sports what-if?

One that I'm thinking about doing a really mini-tl (like one or two posts) is what if the Big Bad Bruins stayed focus on winning and not on personal glory?
 
1997

The Braves nearly had him signed in 1992/1993 timeframe but the deal fell through.

They also came close to trading Dave Justice and Kent Mercker or Mike Stanton to Pittsburgh for Bonds in 1992. Would have been interesting, and would have been a better deal for the Pirates as Justice would have been under contract until 1995 or 1996 and would have went along way to make up for the loss of Bonds that Pittsburgh left.

If Pittsburgh were smarter they would have kept Moises Alou in 1990 and when Bonilla left after 1991 would have put Alou in Rightfield until they made the above deal for Justice then move Alou to Leftfield and would have had a nucleus in the outfield of Alou in left, Van Slyke in center and Justice in right. Their dominance would have come to an end, but their hitting would have been awesome and the team would have been above average.

And, if those guys somehow would have stayed there until 1997 with the "Freak Show" Pirates, they may have pushed them over the hump in a weak division, and they might have upset Atlanta in the first round that year. They did well against Atlanta in 1997 without those guys.
 
1996.
Braves-Yankees.
In this ATL, the Braves would have been shooting for their 2nd straight World Series title, and their 3rd overall.
Marquis Grissom didn't make an error in the 4th, which meant Charlie Hayes never reached 2nd.
So, John Smoltz and Andy Pettite dueled into into the 9th, when Pettite was swapped for closer John Wetteland. Wetteland would immediately give up a home run to Chipper Jones, the only score of the game.
The Braves would win, 1-0, denying the Yankees their 23rd World Championship. John Smoltz would be named MVP for his 2-game, shutout, 14 strikeout Series.
 
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