The 1969 Atlanta Braves season was the fourth in Atlanta and the 99th overall season of the franchise. The National League had been split into two divisions before the season, with the Braves somewhat incongruously being assigned to the National League West. The Braves finished with a record of 93–69, winning the first ever NL West title by three games over the San Francisco Giants.

After the season, the Braves played in the first inter-divisional National League Championship Series. They went on to lose the NLCS to the eventual World Champion New York Mets, three games to none.

Offseason

The new National League

The 1969 season marked the first year of divisional play in Major League Baseball. The Braves (along with the Cincinnati Reds) were placed in the National League West division, despite being located further east than the two westernmost teams in the new National League East, the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. This was because the New York Mets wanted to be in the same division as the reigning power in the NL, which were the Cardinals at the time (to compensate for playing against the Dodgers and Giants fewer times each season). The Cubs consequently demanded to be in the NL East as well in order to continue playing in the same division as the Cardinals, one of the Cubs' biggest rivals. But the primary reason for this odd alignment was that the Cardinals, Giants, and Cubs finished 1-2-3 the previous two seasons and it was feared putting them all in the West would create too big of a disparity in strength between the West and East.

Notable transactions October 14, 1968: 1968 Major League Baseball expansion draft Al Santorini was drafted from the Braves by the San Diego Padres with the 7th pick.Al Santorini page at Baseball-Reference Skip Guinn was drafted from the Braves by the Montreal Expos with the 17th pick.Skip Guinn page at Baseball Reference Carl Morton was drafted from the Braves by the Expos with the 45th pick.Carl Morton page at Baseball Reference Cito Gaston was drafted from the Braves by the Padres with the 59th pick.Cito Gaston page at Baseball-Reference December 2, 1968: Darrell Evans was drafted by the Braves from the Oakland Athletics in the 1968 rule 5 draft.Darrell Evans page at Baseball Reference March 17, 1969: Joe Torre was traded by the Braves to the St. Louis Cardinals for Orlando Cepeda.Orlando Cepeda page at Baseball Reference

Regular season Second baseman Félix Millán started the All-Star Game, along with right fielder Hank Aaron, and won his first Gold Glove.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Opening Day starters Hank Aaron Felipe Alou Clete Boyer Orlando Cepeda Tito Francona Sonny Jackson Pat Jarvis Félix Millán Bob Tillman

Notable transactions June 5, 1969: Larvell Blanks was drafted by the Braves in the 3rd round of the 1969 Major League Baseball draft.Larvell Blanks page at Baseball-Reference June 13, 1969: Van Kelly, Walt Hriniak and Andy Finlay (minors) were traded by the Braves to the San Diego Padres for Tony González.Van Kelly page at Baseball Reference August 19, 1969: Claude Raymond was purchased from the Braves by the Montreal Expos.Claude Raymond page at Baseball Reference September 8, 1969: Mickey Rivers and Clint Compton were traded by the Braves to the California Angels for Hoyt Wilhelm and Bob Priddy.Hoyt Wilhelm page at Baseball Reference September 11, 1969: Chico Ruiz was signed as an amateur free agent by the Braves.Chico Ruiz page at Baseball Reference

Roster 1969 Atlanta Braves Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI C 114 352 90 .256 0 32 1B 154 573 147 .257 22 88 2B 162 652 174 .267 6 57 3B 144 496 124 .250 14 57 SS 98 318 76 .239 1 27 LF 104 304 104 .342 16 58 CF 123 476 134 .282 5 32 RF 147 547 164 .300 44 97

Other batters Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI 89 320 94 .294 10 50 82 227 50 .220 0 10 82 198 50 .253 3 24 69 190 37 .195 12 29 121 168 45 .268 1 22 51 88 26 .295 2 22 49 60 15 .250 1 5 22 27 6 .222 0 2 12 26 6 .231 0 1 7 7 1 .143 0 0 3 7 0 .000 0 0 7 4 1 .250 0 0 2 1 0 .000 0 0

Pitching

Starting pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 40 284.1 23 13 2.56 193 36 241.1 18 10 3.47 160 37 217.1 13 11 4.43 123 26 144.0 6 10 3.62 72 1 3.0 0 0 3.00 3 1 2.1 0 1 15.43 2

Other pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G IP W L ERA SO 36 165.1 13 10 3.65 102 24 88.0 7 5 3.78 60 9 29.0 0 1 4.97 20

Relief pitchers Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts Player G W L SV ERA SO 62 6 4 27 2.91 57 36 2 0 4 2.08 25 33 2 2 1 5.25 15 29 1 2 0 3.90 42 8 2 0 4 0.73 14 2 0 0 0 3.00 1 1 0 0 0 0.00 1 1 0 0 0 13.50 2 1 0 0 0 18.00 1

Postseason

National League Championship Series

GameDateVisitorScoreHomeScoreRecord (NYM-ATL)Attendance1October 4New York9Atlanta51–050,1222October 5New York11Atlanta62–050,2703October 6Atlanta4New York73–053,195 NYM won 3, ATL won 0. New York wins the National League Championship and advances to the World Series

Awards and honors Rawlings Gold Glove Award Félix Millán, second base Clete Boyer, third base

All-Stars 1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game Hank Aaron, OF, starter Félix Millán, 2B, starter Phil Niekro, reserve

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Greenwood

Notes

References

1969 Atlanta Braves team page at Baseball Reference Atlanta Braves on Baseball Almanac