Braves staff writer David O’Brien lists five Braves likely to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
1. Greg Maddux
No player has been a unanimous selection to the baseball Hall of Fame, but Maddux should come close in 2014. The winner of four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards, including three with the Braves, “Mad Dog” finished with 355 wins (eighth all-time) and won 15 or more games in a record 17 consecutive seasons. An eight-time All-Star, four-time ERA leader, five-time innings leader and 18-time Gold Glove winner.
2. Tom Glavine
Like Maddux, Glavine is a virtual lock for first-ballot Hall of Fame election in 2014. A five-time 20-game winner, he collected 305 wins and two Cy Young awards, and he finished second or third in the Cy Young balloting four other times. The smooth lefty had the biggest win in Atlanta Braves history, pitching a one-hit shutout over eight innings in the 1995 World Series-clinching Game 6.
3. John Smoltz
The only pitcher with at least 200 wins and 150 saves, Smoltz won the 1996 Cy Young award with a 24-8 record and Braves-record 276 strikeouts. Collected 210 of 213 career wins with the Braves and a franchise-record 3,011 strikeouts. Had at least 44 saves in each of three full seasons as closer, including 55 (then an NL record) in 2002. Went 15-4 with 2.65 ERA in 40 Braves postseason games. HOF eligible in 2015.
4. Chipper Jones
The all-time RBIs leader among major league third basemen, Jones retired with a .303 average, .401 OBP and .529 slugging percentage and had 468 homers and 1,623 RBIs in 19 seasons. The 1999 MVP won the NL batting title (.364) in 2008 at age 36. The only switch-hitter with at least 300 homers and a .300 career average, he likely will be elected to the HOF on the first ballot in 2018.
5. Bobby Cox
Had fourth-most managerial wins (2,504) in major league history, including 2,149 in 25 seasons with the Braves. Cox had fifteen 90-win seasons and six 100-win seasons, a record eight Sporting News Manager of the Year awards and was a perennial best-manager winner in big-league player polls. His Braves won the 1995 World Series, Atlanta’s first major pro sports title. He could be selected by Veterans Committee for the 2014 HOF class.
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