Quote:
Originally Posted by KevB
Montgomery, Lamb and Duffy didn't turn out to be Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz. Simple as that. Braves were obviously well run, but if they don't have three HOF'ers at the top of their staff, they don't have the run of success that generates so much respect.
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It's more Glavine/Smoltz/Avery, as they signed Maddux as a FA in the middle of their run.
But yes... the Braves had great luck with 3 very young pitchers all hitting to some degree (by the time Avery flamed out, they had acquired more talent to replace him).
They also did a better job developing young hitters... some of that, maybe, you can pin on having more veteran support around them.... but are Terry Pendleton and Sid Bream really better in 1991 than Billy Butler and Alex Gordon are in 2011? (No).
Only real difference there is that the Braves had several proven winners on that 1991 team that turned it all around (Leibrandt, Bream, Pendleton, Juan Berenguer), which is not something the Royals have really had until the past two years.