By John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College
Those tired of the Atlanta Braves string of success across the decades seem ever gleeful to report “the cupboard is bare,” when it comes to the Cobb County-located franchise, hoping the good times are coming to an end. But if any franchise knows how to get blood from a stone, or find a diamond in the rough, it’s the folks whose address is 755 Battery Avenue.
At the start of the season, baseball experts claimed that the Atlanta Braves had the worst farm system in America since our agriculture during the Dust Bowl. Major League Baseball ranked the Braves dead last, while Keith Law pegged the Braves at 29th. Even the Atlanta Journal Constitution gloomily claimed “Understandably, Braves farm system isn’t what it used to be.” Flipboard called for a total restock. Bleacher Report had the Atlanta Braves at 30th.
The minor league records of the Atlanta Braves farm systems add to those assessments, as each franchise currently owns a losing record. As of this article’s writing, the Gwinnett Stripers are 33-46, tenth in the International League’s West Division. The Mississippi Braves are 39-40 in the Southern League’s South Division. The Rome Braves have 31 wins and 38 losses in the South Atlantic League, fifth in the South Division of the league. And the Augusta Green Jackets are 34-37 while playing in the Carolina League, fourth in the South Division. The FCL Braves also have a losing record. Of those franchises, only Rome and Augusta had winning records in 2022.
You can see title-parched media markets for New York, Philadelphia, Miami and others in the Midwest and West Coast soaking up the good news, eager for Atlanta to go the way of the 1915-1947 Boston Braves, or at least the 1970s at Fulton County Stadium.
They’ll probably be disappointed, again.
Currently, the Braves have a lot of outstanding former prospects. We now call them All-Stars, many of whom are…
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