Atlanta Braves history: the franchise’s top five third basemen
By Fred Owens
Number one – The Brookfield Bomber
Edwin Lee “Eddie” Mathews joined the Boston Braves in 1949 at the age of 17. According to his SABR Bio, Eddie and his father did their research to make sure the team he signed with gave him the fastest route to the majors even if that team didn’t offer the most money.
"Eddie and Boston Braves scout Johnny Moore waited until midnight on the night of his graduation in June 1949 and signed the contract a few minutes after midnight. Mathews got a $6,000 bonus."
The $6,00 check to Mathews looks like one of the biggest bargains ever struck. In Atlanta in 1951 with the AA Crackers, Mathews hit 32 homers and impressed Ty Cobb, quoted in Mathews Bio linked above.
"“I’ve only known three or four perfect swings in my time,” said Cobb. “This lad has one of them.”"
The plan worked. The Braves traded Bob Elliot and the 1952 season opened with the 20-year old Mathews manning third base; he held that position for the next 15 years.
The 1952 season saw him bat .242/.320/.447/.667 with a 113 OPS+, hit 25 homers, finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting, and #21 in MVP voting.
In 1953, the Braves moved to Milwaukee and cavernous County Stadium and Mathews hit 47 homers, batted .302/.406/.627/1.033, with a 171 OPS+, led the league in homers and intentional walks earned, received an All-star game nod, and finished second in the MVP race (despite outpacing Roy Campanella in nearly every offensive category).
In the years 1952 through 1963, Mathews batted .280/.387/.535/.922, with an OPS+ of 152. Among player with 6500 PA from 1952 through 1864:
- Led baseball with 422 home runs
- Ranked second in baseball with 1155 walks (Mickey Mantle 1248)
- Ranked third in baseball with:
- 52.8 WAA (Mantle 70.8, Willie Mays 68.6
- 86.1 fWAR (Mantle 100.3, Mays 98.4
- 148 wRC+ (Mays 162, Mantle 178)
Mathews won game four of the 1957 World Series with a homer in the bottom of the tenth. In game seven, he doubled in two runs in the third inning and saved the game with a sterling fielding play to end the game.
"“Without (Mathews) in that Milwaukee lineup,” moaned losing manager Casey Stengel, “it would have been a different Series.”"
On June 28, 1965, Mathew hit homer #28 of the year, and the #773rd he and Hank Aaron hit as the power tandem in the Braves lineup, taking them past the teammates record of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
The Braves let Mathews leave after his first season as one of the Atlanta Braves. His career as a member of the Braves ended with a .273/.379/.517/.896 line, a 145 OPS+, 493 homers, 338 doubles, and 70 triples.
The Hall of Fame welcomed Mathews in 1978 – no, I don’t know why it took so long either – with 301 writers voting for him, and 78 voters sitting firmly on their ears.
His Hall of Fame Page includes a scouting report on Mathews by Rogers Hornsby.
"“Mathews is the most dangerous hitter in baseball today,” was the assessment of Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby way back in 1954. “And he’s going to get better because he wants to learn, because he’s always asking questions. He’s got power and he’s got rhythm, along with a fine level swing. Those big, powerful, awkward guys you see around who can bust a ball a mile are as good now as they’ll ever be. Mathews is different. He’s loose, limber and coordinated. He’ll be a star when most of the guys competing with him now aren’t ever remembered.”"
It ends with this quote from Mathews.
“The one thing I’m proudest of is that every day I played,” Mathews said, “I gave the best I had.”
That’s a wrap
The list of honorable mentions at third base is long probably worth its own post, but that’s for a later date, so her’s the list with a post to come later.
The sheer number of high-quality third basemen who played so well for this franchise is eye-opening. When one leaves, there’s a gap when the Atlanta Braves look for the new <insert name here> to take his place.
The search is always long these days, but the franchise always seems to attract and keep one (*cough* Nolan Arenado), or grow one within the organization.
Next. Not the return of that king. dark
Next on the list: the shortstops.