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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > October > 08 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USRays take same path as ‘91 Braves
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
OK, stop me if you’ve heard any of this before. You’ve got a team that finished with baseball’s worst record. The next year, that team does the ridiculous by sitting four victories shy of the World Series against a playoff-seasoned foe. That team is built around splendid pitching, efficient defense and timely hitting.
You’ve guessed it.
The spirit of the 1991 Braves lives in the current Tampa Bay Rays.
Well, sort of. While those Braves were spurred by energy from the tomahawk chop at old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium as much as by Terry Pendleton, Steve Avery and the rest, these Rays had sparse and quiet home crowds until recently.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed, and that’s a big difference,” said Mark Lemke, the second baseman and a key sparkplug for the 1991 Braves. “For us, there were 40,000 or 50,000 every night. That was huge, and we still talk about it to this day about how awesome it was. To me, that’s a once in a lifetime experience. For a fan base of that size, to keep up that intensity level for that period of time, it was amazing.
“It’s one thing when you go to a football game, and it’s a Sunday or a Saturday afternoon, and everybody’s fired up, and it’s game day. For us, it was game day for a month and a half.”
Not so much for these Rays, who still found ways to use their quirky domed stadium to manage the game’s best home record. They eventually joined the 1991 Braves as the only teams ever to go from losing more games than anybody in baseball one season to the playoffs the next. And, like those Braves, these Rays had more than a few chances to collapse.
For instance: While the 1991 Braves were 9 1/2 games behind the mighty Dodgers at the All-Star break, these Rays dropped seven straight games at the All-Star break to tumble out of first place in their stifling division that features the Yankees and the Red Sox. Even so, those Braves and these Rays responded dramatically.
For those Braves, there was everything from a combined no-hitter to David Justice’s clutch homer off Rob Dibble. For these Rays, there were a couple of showdown series in September against a Boston team with two World Series titles since 2004. It didn’t matter. The Rays won both series and then the division.
“Like us, in 1991, they played a lot of one-run games, and we both came up with a lot of big wins, which helps you in the playoffs,” said Lemke, whose inexperienced Braves faced a Pittsburgh Pirates bunch with stars Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla making their second consecutive trip to the NLCS. The inexperienced Rays will meet the loaded Red Sox on Friday night for the start of the ALCS.
Added Lemke, “This will be a coming-out party for a lot of their guys. Now everybody can see how talented (B.J.) Upton and (Evan) Longoria are. Plus, you’ll see how good their pitching is, which I don’t think gets a lot of credit.”
Maybe the Rays’ Scott Kazmir and Andy Sonnanstine are the next Tom Glavine and John Smoltz. But who is the next Lemke, an obscure but significant player? “If I had to pick one, it would be their shortstop, (Jason) Bartlett,” said Lemke of a fourth-year player who still has a ways to go to become Lemke. Just like these Rays have a ways to go to become those Braves.
Those Braves reached the World Series, and during it, Lemke wasn’t obscure anymore after hitting .417.
Permalink | Comments (10) | Categories: Braves/MLB
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By Milton Jeff
October 8, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this
Glad to see the Rays in it. I personally love it when a group of players make to the playoffs that earn 1/10th of what the Yankees,BoSox,Phillies,Angels etc make in a year. Rays vs Dodgers for World Series matchup. A great story if it comes to it.
By Ryder
October 8, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this
TM, I weep when I go back and remember how it used to be, when the “Chop Shop” was the place to be from 91-96!
Those Braves teams weren’t exactly the most talented but they had something guys like Francoeur, Escobar, and everyone else (sans McCann) don’t have today, and that’s HEART! Sure they had a young pitching staff that put it all together as well, but watching the Rays are just like what you mentioned.
I’m definitely rooting for them in the ALCS.
By Tomahawkin
October 8, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this
If the Rays upset the hated Red Sox then I will compare them to the 91 braves…
Aslo Free agency and its effects on a core of players was a lot different from the 91 Braves to todays Rays Team…I will put money on it that there will be less than 5 players on that Rays squad two years from now, since the economic climate of the game is a lot different now than it was in 1991…
By william cranman
October 8, 2008 8:25 PM | Link to this
Great column Terrance. I live in Tampa but was born and raised in Savannah and will always be a die hard Braves fan. These Rays are a scrappy bunch and very much remind me of the ‘91 Braves. I don’t think however that the pitching on the Rays is as deep as it was on that Braves team. They also do not have an established closer as Wheeler is shaky at best and in my opinion Percival should not be in the majors. The ‘91 season was so magical, and it is fun to watch the fans in this area getting so into this run. Go Braves!
By Josh
October 8, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this
Nice article, Terrence. I bet it’s a lot of fun to be a Rays fan now; it sure was a blast rooting for the Braves back in the early 90s, and while I’ve continued to be a fan, there’s never been the energy of those early days of success. Maybe the people of Tampa/St. Pete will quit being bandwagon Yankees fans!
By marc
October 8, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
I think this will bs an interestng series its good to see someone else win the AL east the sox should win on pitching and playoff experience but Lowell being out doesnt help
By Terence Moore
October 8, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the nice comments on the column. That was a special time for the Braves. Whether it can be EXACTLY the same for the Rays will depend on if they can win the pennant — like the Braves.
By juan berenger
October 9, 2008 12:16 AM | Link to this
dominant closers aren’t a post season necessity. your manager will just give the ball to charlie liebrandt anyway.
By Bo
October 9, 2008 12:31 AM | Link to this
Great job TM=2 in a row!! I’m a Braves fan from 1966 but I’ve been AL Rays Fan for three years. Hope RAYS win it all. It would really be great to see a Braves-Rays World Series. Maybe in two years?Why in 2 years? Cox will be gone I hope.
By Terence Moore
October 9, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the comments. It was an electric time to be in Atlanta during that Braves’ run of 1991.