Major League Baseball team season
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
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
Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
|
| Team
|
ATL
|
CHC
|
CIN
|
HOU
|
LAD
|
MON
|
NYM
|
PHI
|
PIT
|
SD
|
SF
|
STL
|
| Atlanta
|
— |
3–9 |
12–6 |
15–3 |
9–9 |
8–4 |
4–8 |
6–6 |
8–4 |
13–5 |
9–9 |
6–6
|
| Chicago
|
9–3 |
— |
6–6–1 |
8–4 |
6–6 |
10–8 |
8–10 |
12–6 |
7–11 |
11–1 |
6–6 |
9–9
|
| Cincinnati
|
6–12 |
6–6–1 |
— |
9–9 |
10–8 |
8–4 |
6–6 |
10–2 |
5–7 |
11–7 |
10–8 |
8–4
|
| Houston
|
3–15 |
4–8 |
9–9 |
— |
6–12 |
11–1 |
10–2 |
8–4 |
3–9 |
10–8 |
10–8 |
7–5
|
| Los Angeles
|
9–9 |
6–6 |
8–10 |
12–6 |
— |
10–2 |
4–8 |
8–4 |
8–4 |
12–6 |
5–13 |
3–9
|
| Montreal
|
4–8 |
8–10 |
4–8 |
1–11 |
2–10 |
— |
5–13 |
11–7 |
5–13 |
4–8 |
1–11 |
7–11
|
| New York
|
8–4 |
10–8 |
6–6 |
2–10 |
8–4 |
13–5 |
— |
12–6 |
10–8 |
11–1 |
8–4 |
12–6
|
| Philadelphia
|
6-6 |
6–12 |
2–10 |
4–8 |
4–8 |
7–11 |
6–12 |
— |
10–8 |
8–4 |
3–9 |
7–11
|
| Pittsburgh
|
4–8 |
11–7 |
7–5 |
9–3 |
4–8 |
13–5 |
8–10 |
8–10 |
— |
10–2 |
5–7 |
9–9
|
| San Diego
|
5–13 |
1–11 |
7–11 |
8–10 |
6–12 |
8–4 |
1–11 |
4–8 |
2–10 |
— |
6–12 |
4–8
|
| San Francisco
|
9–9 |
6–6 |
8–10 |
8–10 |
13–5 |
11–1 |
4–8 |
9–3 |
7–5 |
12–6 |
— |
3–9
|
| St. Louis
|
6–6 |
9–9 |
4–8 |
5–7 |
9–3 |
11–7 |
6–12 |
11–7 |
9–9 |
8–4 |
9–3 |
—
|
Opening Day starters
Notable transactions
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
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pitching
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
