2004 Atlanta Braves season

The 2004 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 39th season in Atlanta and 134th overall. The Braves won their tenth consecutive division title, finishing 10 games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.

On September 29, 2004, Bobby Cox won his 2,000th game as a manager. He became the ninth manager to achieve the feat, doing so with a 6–3 win over the New York Mets at Turner Field in the final home game of the year He was named Manager of the Year after the season ended.

J. D. Drew replaced Gary Sheffield (lost to the Yankees in free agency) in the outfield, free agent John Thomson joined the rotation, and rookies Adam LaRoche and Charles Thomas saw significant playing time on a younger 2004 Braves team.

The Braves would face the Houston Astros in the NLDS (the fourth time that these two teams met in seven years, all of which were won by Atlanta), but the Braves lost three games to two.

Offseason October 25, 2003: DeWayne Wise was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. November 14, 2003: Jorge Velandia was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. December 10, 2003: John Thomson signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. December 13, 2003: J. D. Drew was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Eli Marrero to the Atlanta Braves for Jason Marquis, Ray King, and Adam Wainwright.J. D. Drew Statistics Baseball-Reference.com December 23, 2003: Antonio Alfonseca signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves. January 12, 2004: Julio Franco was re-signed from free agency to the Atlanta Braves.Julio Franco Statistics Baseball-Reference.com February 5, 2004: Russell Branyan was signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Braves.Russell Branyan Statistics Baseball-Reference.com March 26, 2004: Chris Reitsma was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the Atlanta Braves for Bubba Nelson (minors) and Jung Bong.

Regular season

Opening Day starters + Position NameStarting PitcherRuss OrtizCatcher Johnny EstradaFirst BasemanJulio FrancoSecond BasemanMarcus GilesThird BasemanMark DeRosaShortstopRafael FurcalLeft FielderChipper JonesCenter FielderAndruw JonesRight FielderJ. D. Drew

Season standings

National League East

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions April 25, 2004: Russell Branyan was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Cleveland Indians for Scott Sturkie (minors). June 7, 2004: Clint Sammons was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 6th round of the 2004 amateur draft. Player signed July 12, 2004.

Roster 2004 Atlanta Braves Roster Pitchers Catchers

Infielders OutfieldersManager

Coaches (bench) (bullpen) (third base) (first base)

(hitting)

Game log

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 || April 6 || Mets || 2–7 || Glavine (1–0) || Ortiz (0–1) || — || 49,460 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 || April 7 || Mets || 18–10 || Gryboski (1–0) || Trachsel (0–1) || — || 22,775 || 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 || April 8 || Mets || 10–8 || Cunnane (1–0) || Franco (0–1) || Smoltz (1) || 26,585 || 2–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 || April 9 || Cubs || 1–2 || Mercker (1–0) || Cunnane (1–1) || Borowski (2) || 35,650 || 2–2 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 || April 10 || Cubs || 5–2 || Alfonseca (1–0) || Pratt (0–1) || Gryboski (1) || 39,685 || 3–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 || April 11 || Cubs || 2–10 || Wood (2–0) || Ortiz (0–2) || — || 27,701 || 3–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 || April 12 || @ Mets || 6–10 || Trachsel (1–1) || Hampton (0–1) || Looper (2) || 53,666 || 3–4 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 || April 14 || @ Mets || 6–1 || Thomson (1–0) || Yates (0–1) || — || 15,894 || 4–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 || April 15 || @ Mets || 0–4 || Leiter (1–0) || Ramirez (0–1) || — || 33,212 || 4–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 || April 16 || Marlins || 5–4 || Wright (1–0) || Oliver (1–1) || Smoltz (2) || 29,638 || 5–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 || April 17 || Marlins || 4–1 || Ortiz (1–2) || Beckett (1–1) || Smoltz (3) || 31,401 || 6–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 || April 18 || Marlins || 3–2 || Alfonseca (2–0) || Perisho (2–1) || — || 29,829 || 7–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 || April 20 || @ Reds || 2–3 || Acevedo (2–0) || Thomson (1–1) || Graves (7) || 20,232 || 7–6 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 || April 21 || @ Reds || 9–5 || Reitsma (1–0) || Reith (0–1) || — || 29,472 || 8–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 || April 22 || @ Reds || 3–5 || Lidle (2–1) || Wright (1–1) || — || 19,909 || 8–7 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 || April 23 || @ Marlins || 6–1 || Ortiz (2–2) || Beckett (1–2) || — || 32,477 || 9–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 || April 24 || @ Marlins || 4–7 || Penny (2–1) || Hampton (0–2) || Benítez (9) || 41,226 || 9–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 || April 25 || @ Marlins || 7–2 || Thomson (2–1) || Bump (0–1) || — || 27,977 || 10–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 || April 26 || @ Giants || 2–3 || Schmidt (1–2) || Ramirez (0–2) || Herges (7) || 35,866 || 10–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 || April 27 || @ Giants || 12–3 || Wright (2–1) || Rueter (0–3) || — || 36,371 || 11–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 || April 28 || @ Giants || 7–10 || Tomko (1–1) || Ortiz (2–3) || — || 36,210 || 11–10 |- bgcolor="#cccccc" | – || April 30 || @ Rockies || colspan=7|Postponed (snow); rescheduled for May 1

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 || May 1 || @ Rockies || 2–3 || Nunez (3–0) || Reitsma (1–1) || Chacon (6) || 30,176 || 11–11 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 || May 1 || @ Rockies || 11–7 || Nitkowski (1–0) || Nunez (3–1) || — || 24,272 || 12–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 || May 2 || @ Rockies || 4–13 || Estes (4–1) || Ramirez (0–3) || — || 35,234 || 12–12 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 || May 4 || Padres || 4–2 || Ortiz (3–3) || Eaton (1–2) || Smoltz (4) || 22,046 || 13–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 || May 5 || Padres || 0–2 || Wells (2–2) || Wright (2–2) || Hoffman (8) || 21,444 || 13–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 || May 6 || Padres || 3–7 || Lawrence (4–2) || Hampton (0–3) || — || 26,137 || 13–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 || May 7 || Astros || 3–5 || Redding (1–3) || Thomson (2–2) || Dotel (5) || 27,902 || 13–15 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 || May 8 || Astros || 5–4 || Alfonseca (3–0) || Stone (1–1) || — || 35,220 || 14–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 || May 9 || Astros || 1–2 || Pettitte (3–1) || Ortiz (3–4) || Dotel (6) || 26,825 || 14–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 || May 11 || @ Cardinals || 1–5 || Williams (1–3) || Wright (2–3) || — || 35,000 || 14–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 || May 12 || @ Cardinals || 2–5 || Morris (4–3) || Hampton (0–4) || Isringhausen (6) || 28,921 || 14–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 || May 13 || @ Cardinals || 6–5 || Alfonseca (4–0) || Suppan (3–4) || Smoltz (5) || 40,472 || 15–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 || May 14 || @ Brewers || 2–0 || Ramirez (1–3) || Vizcaino (0–2) || Smoltz (6) || 33,061 || 16–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 || May 15 || @ Brewers || 11–6 || Alfonseca (5–0) || Kinney (1–3) || — || 26,862 || 17–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 || May 16 || @ Brewers || 1–4 || Sheets (4–2) || Wright (2–4) || — || 20,654 || 17–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 || May 18 || Diamondbacks || 0–2 || Johnson (4–4) || Hampton (0–5) || — || 23,381 || 17–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 || May 19 || Diamondbacks || 4–6 || Bruney (2–0) || Almanza (0–1) || — || 19,971 || 17–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 || May 20 || Diamondbacks || 5–1 || Ramirez (2–3) || Fossum (0–1) || — || 21,044 || 18–21 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 || May 21 || Dodgers || 2–0 || Ortiz (4–4) || Perez (2–3) || Smoltz (7) || 27,194 || 19–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 || May 22 || Dodgers || 4–7 || Weaver (3–5) || Wright (2–5) || — || 31,850 || 19–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 || May 23 || Dodgers || 5–1 || Hampton (1–5) || Alvarez (2–1) || — || 29,738 || 20–22 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 || May 24 || @ Expos || 5–0 || Thomson (3–2) || Day (3–5) || — || 4,675 || 21–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 || May 25 || @ Expos || 1–3 || Ohka (2–5) || Ramirez (2–4) || Biddle (10) || 4,235 || 21–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 || May 26 || @ Expos || 6–1 || Ortiz (5–4) || Hernandez (3–4) || — || 4,544 || 22–23 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 || May 27 || @ Phillies || 6–1 || Wright (3–5) || Millwood (4–3) || — || 38,802 || 23–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 || May 28 || @ Phillies || 2–3 || Worrell (1–1) || Alfonseca (5–1) || — || 40,187 || 23–24 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 || May 29 || @ Phillies || 9–3 || Thomson (4–2) || Padilla (4–5) || — || 44,057 || 24–24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 || May 30 || @ Phillies || 1–4 || Milton (6–1) || Smith (0–1) || Worrell (7) || 44,304 || 24–25 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 || May 31 || Expos || 8–2 || Ortiz (6–4) || Hernandez (3–5) || — || 24,945 || 25–25

|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 || June 1 || Expos || 7–6 || Almanza (1–1) || Biddle (0–3) || — || 20,271 || 26–25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 || June 2 || Expos || 4–8 || Vargas (4–3) || Hampton (1–6) || — || 21,055 || 26–26 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 || June 3 || Phillies || 8–4 || Thomson (5–2) || Hancock (0–1) || — || 23,405 || 27–26 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 || June 4 || Phillies || 1–9 || Milton (7–1) || Smith (0–2) || — || 27,699 || 27–27 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 || June 5 || Phillies || 3–5 || Myers (4–3) || Ortiz (6–5) || Worrell (8) || 29,252 || 27–28 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 || June 6 || Phillies || 6–4 || Wright (4–5) || Millwood (4–4) || Smoltz (8) || 27,775 || 28–28 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 || June 8 || @ Tigers || 4–3 || Reitsma (2–1) || Patterson (0–3) || Smoltz (9) || 19,062 || 29–28 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 || June 9 || @ Tigers || 2–4 || Dingman (1–0) || Thomson (5–3) || Urbina (8) || 20,577 || 29–29 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 || June 10 || @ Tigers || 4–7 || Maroth (5–3) || Alfonseca (5–2) || Urbina (9) || 21,166 || 29–30 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 || June 11 || @ White Sox || 6–4 || Wright (5–5) || Schoeneweis (5–4) || — || 23,217 || 30–30 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 || June 12 || @ White Sox || 8–10 || Loaiza (7–3) || Thomson (5–4) || Takatsu (1) || 34,719 || 30–31 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 || June 13 || @ White Sox || 3–10 || Buehrle (7–1) || Smith (0–3) || — || 32,589 || 30–32 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 || June 15 || Royals || 3–2 || Reitsma (3–1) || Grimsley (3–3) || Smoltz (10) || 23,350 || 31–32 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 || June 16 || Royals || 4–10 || Cerda (1–1) || Reitsma (3–2) || — || 27,048 || 31–33 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 || June 17 || Royals || 4–10 || May (4–8) || Thomson (5–5) || — || 28,578 || 31–34 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 || June 18 || Indians || 2–4 || Lee (6–1) || Hampton (1–7) || Jimenez (6) || 28,000 || 31–35 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 || June 19 || Indians || 4–0 || Byrd (1–0) || Westbrook (6–3) || Smoltz (11) || 41,987 || 32–35 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 || June 20 || Indians || 2–5 || Davis (2–5) || Ortiz (6–6) || Jimenez (7) || 31,000 || 32–36 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 || June 22 || @ Marlins || 3–4 || Pavano (8–2) || Gryboski (1–1) || Benítez (25) || 14,716 || 32–37 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 || June 23 || @ Marlins || 0–6 || Penny (7–5) || Thomson (5–6) || — || 15,294 || 32–38 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 || June 24 || @ Marlins || 9–4 || Hampton (2–7) || Willis (6–5) || — || 23,856 || 33–38 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 72 || June 25 || @ Orioles || 0–5 || Cabrera (4–3) || Byrd (1–1) || — || 33,579 || 33–39 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 || June 26 || @ Orioles || 5–0 || Ortiz (7–6) || Lopez (5–4) || Smoltz (12) || 47,438 || 34–39 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 74 || June 27 || @ Orioles || 8–7 || Cruz (1–0) || Grimsley (3–4) || Smoltz (13) || 39,095 || 35–39 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 75 || June 28 || Marlins || 6–1 || Thomson (6–6) || Penny (7–6) || — || 31,969 || 36–39 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 76 || June 29 || Marlins || 4–5 || Manzanillo (1–1) || Hampton (2–8) || Benítez (26) || 25,105 || 36–40 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 || June 30 || Marlins || 9–6 || McConnell (1–0) || Oliver (2–3) || Smoltz (14) || 23,040 || 37–40

|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 || July 1 || Marlins || 9–1 || Ortiz (8–6) || Tejera (0–1) || — || 20,600 || 38–40 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 79 || July 2 || Red Sox || 6–3 || Cruz (2–0) || Martinez (2–1) || — || 42,231 || 39–40 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc"