Well, I reckon it’s time we talk about them ol’ Braves from 1986. Now, I ain’t no fancy sports expert or nothin’, but I can tell ya a thing or two about that team. You know, the 1986 Atlanta Braves wasn’t exactly the best team out there, but they sure gave it their all. They ended the season with a record of 72 wins and 89 losses. Not great, but I’d say they did what they could, given the situation. The team finished 6th in the NL West, which ain’t exactly something to brag about, but they kept on playin’.
The Braves had a whole bunch of players, from the pitchers to the batters, and let me tell ya, some of ‘em sure made an impression, even if the team didn’t win too much. Let’s start with the batters. Some folks say they didn’t have the power hitters like them Yankees or them big city teams, but they had some grit. A lotta players, like Dale Murphy, who was a big ol’ name in Atlanta, did their best to hold things together. He might not have hit the biggest home runs, but he sure knew how to get on base and help the team.
Now, pitching? That was a whole ‘nother story. You see, the Braves didn’t have the best pitchers out there, but they had folks like Craig McMurtry, a feller who did his best to keep ‘em in the game. But, sometimes the pitches just didn’t land right, and them runs would pile up faster than you could blink. Still, McMurtry, along with others like Mike Stanton and Charlie Leibrandt, put in the work, even if the season didn’t go the way they hoped.
Let me tell ya though, 1986 wasn’t the best season for the Braves, but it sure laid some of the groundwork for later on. Some of the younger players were just starting to get their feet wet, and it wouldn’t be too long before Atlanta had one of the strongest teams in the league, but that’s a whole ‘nother story. They had their ups and downs in ’86, but they kept on swingin’ and throwin’ the ball.
And I reckon it’s important to talk about them other fellers too – the guys who might not have been stars, but they helped fill the roster. Players like Bruce Benedict behind the plate and the ol’ reliable Rafael Ramirez in the infield were just as important as anyone else. Sometimes folks forget how much them backup players matter. They may not have gotten the attention, but they kept the wheels turnin’ and the team in the game, day in and day out.
The Braves’ roster that year wasn’t full of Hall of Famers, but they were a hardworking bunch. They didn’t win the big one that year, but you could see they had heart, and maybe that’s worth something too. And who knows, some of them players from the ’86 season went on to bigger things. Like I said, this wasn’t the year the Braves took home the World Series, but you could see the seeds being planted for the future.
In the end, 1986 was just one of them years where the Braves had to learn a few things the hard way. But, heck, every team has them rough years, don’t they? By the time ’95 rolled around, them Braves sure made up for it, takin’ home the World Series title. But in ’86? Well, they just kept tryin’, and that’s all you can really ask for, ain’t it?
Tags：[1986 Atlanta Braves roster, Atlanta Braves 1986 season, Braves 1986 team, Atlanta Braves players, MLB 1986 stats, Dale Murphy, Craig McMurtry, Atlanta baseball team, Braves pitching and batting stats]
