The Greatest MLB Tournament Ever Created (NL, Round of 32/Sweet 16 Group 2)

last group

Two teams are into the NL Elite 8 - the '76 Reds and the '05 Giants.  Who will join them from Group 2?

2. 1902 Pirates (1st in NL-no playoffs-Fred Clarke)
v.
31. 1997 Braves (lost NLCS-Bobby Cox)

Catcher: Smith (27) v. Lopez (26) Winner: Braves-Lopez

First Base: Bransfield (27) v. McGriff (33)Winner: Pirates-Bransfield
Second Base: Ritchey (28) v. Lemke (31) Winner: Pirates-Ritchey
Shortstop: Conroy (25) v. Blauser (31)  Winner: Braves-Blauser
Third Base: Leach (24) v. Jones (25) Winner: Pirates-Leach
Left Field: Clarke (29) v. Klesko (26) Winner: Pirates-Clarke
Center Field: Beaumont (25) v. Lofton (30) Winner: Push
Right Field: Wagner (28) v. Jones (20)Winner: Pirates-Wagner
SP1: Chesbro (28) v. Smoltz (30) Winner: Braves-Smoltz
SP2: Phillippe (30) v. Glavine (31) Winner: Braves-Glavine
SP3: Tannehill (27) v. Neagle (28) Winner: Braves-Neagle
Closer: McLaughlin (26) v. Wohlers (27) Winner: Braves-Wohlers
Team Offense: Pirates
Team Pitching: Braves

Braves 8 Pirates 7 - the 2nd overall seed in the National League is out - those Braves arms are just tough to beat, they needed a clean sweep and they got a clean sweep.  If Kenny Lofton doesn't earn that push in CF, probably the Pirates take the tiebreaker.  

The 1997 Atlanta Braves are one of the 16 greatest teams in National League history.  

15. 1975 Reds (World Champions-Sparky Anderson)
v.
18. 1908 Giants (2nd in NL-no playoffs-John McGraw)


Catcher: Bench (27) v. Bresnahan (29) Winner: Cin-Bench
First Base: Perez (33) v. Tenney (36) Winner: Cin-Perez
Second Base: Morgan (31) v. Doyle (21) Winner: Cin-Morgan
Shortstop: Concepcion (27) v. Bridwell (24) Winner: Cin-Concepcion
Third Base: Rose (34) v. Devlin (28) Winner: Push
Left Field: Foster (26) v. McCormick (27) Winner: Cin-Foster
Center Field: Geronimo (27) v. Seymour (35) Winner: Cin-Geronimo
Right Field: Griffey (25) v. Donlin (30) Winner: NYG-Donlin
SP1: Nolan (27) v. Mathewson (27)Winner: NYG-Mathewson
SP2: Billingham (32) v. Wiltse (28) Winner: NYG-Wiltse
SP3: Norman (32) v. Crandall (20) Winner: NYG-Crandall
Closer: Eastwick (24) v. Malarkey (29) Winner: Cin-Eastwick
Team Offense: Cin
Team Pitching: NYG

Reds 9 Giants 6 - it might be a preview of the Elite 8 matchup already in the books; the Reds bats beat the Giants arms.

The 1975 Cincinnati Reds - one of the 16 greatest teams in National League history

15. 1975 Reds (World Champions-Sparky Anderson)
v.
31. 1997 Braves (lost NLCS-Bobby Cox)

Catcher: Bench (27) v. Lopez (26) Winner: Cin-Bench
First Base: Perez (33) v. McGriff (33)Winner: Cin-Perez
Second Base: Morgan (31) v. Lemke (31) Winner: Cin-Morgan
Shortstop: Concepcion (27) v. Blauser (31) Winner: Atl-Blauser
Third Base: Rose (34) v. Jones (25) Winner: Cin-Rose
Left Field: Foster (26) v. Klesko (26) Winner: Cin-Foster
Center Field: Geronimo (27) v. Lofton (30)  Winner: Atl-Lofton
Right Field: Griffey (25) v. Jones (20)Winner: Atl-Jones
SP1: Nolan (27) v. Smoltz (30)Winner: Atl-Smoltz
SP2: Billingham (32) v. Glavine (31)Winner: Atl-Glavine
SP3: Norman (32) v. Neagle (28) Winner: Atl-Neagle
Closer: Eastwick (24) v. Wohlers (27)Winner: Cin-Eastwick
Team Offense: Cin
Team Pitching: Atl

Reds 9 Braves 8 - it took a tiebreaker; this Reds team just has very little pitching, and they are matched against a tremendous Braves staff - but Eastwick gets the Reds a point from the closer's spot, that forced the tiebreak - and then the Reds offensive total is just too overwhelming to deny. The Big Red Machine earns their 2nd spot in the Elite 8!


The 1975 Cincinnati Reds - one of the 8 greatest teams in National League history