Braves Mt. Rushmore: Left Field
Now that we’ve completed the Mt. Rushmores for each infield position, we’re making our way around the outfield.
I’m going to be straight up with you here, Left Field was SLIM. There’s good depth at the corner outfield position, but there’s no real superstar that separates himself from the pack.
Rico Carty
“Beeg Boy” spent parts of eight seasons with the Braves, both in Milwaukee & Atlanta.
1970 was his career year. That season he was the National League Batting Champion with a .366 batting average & was selected to his lone career All-Star selection.
He started out as a catcher, but was so bad defensively they stuck him in the outfield in the hopes of mitigating his defensive print on the game. He started the 1970 All-Star game in the outfield alongside Hank Aaron & Willie Mays. Talk about a “Welcome to the Big Time” moment.
Carty also rattled off a 31-game hitting streak in 1970 (the longest by a Braves hitter in the franchise's Atlanta history until Dan Uggla surpassed it with a 33-game streak in 2011).
After getting into fights with Hank Aaron & other teammates, he was traded to the Texas Rangers in 1972 for Jim Panther.
Ron Gant
First & foremost, Ron Gant was safe. Gant debuted with the Braves in 1987 & would stay with the team until 1994 when Atlanta released him following an ATV accident in which he broke his leg.
With the Braves he was an All-Star in 1992 & a 1991 Silver Slugger.
He had back-to-back 30-30 seasons in 1990 & 1991. 30-30 means a player hits at least 30 home runs & steals at least 30 bases in the same season.
Ryan Klesko
Klesko was a mainstay for the Braves in the 1990’s, playing in Atlanta from 1992-1999. Including the 1995 World Series Title.
His three World Series home runs in 1995 is tied for most in a single World Series by a Braves player with Jorge Soler. He hit a home run in Games 3, 4, & 5 against the Cleveland Indians.
Since 2019, Klesko is a sometimes pre & postgame analyst for the Braves on FOX Sports South & SportsSouth.
Lonnie Smith
No, not the Jazz musician. Lonnie played for the Braves from 1988-1992 & was a part of the “Worst to First” Braves in 1991. He won three World Series’, but none with Atlanta.
His best season came with Atlanta in 1989 when he hit .315, had a .415 on-base percentage, and hit 21 home runs.
His contributions to the Braves in 1991 helped the Braves reach the World Series for the first time since moving from Milwaukee.
Honorable Mention
Justin Upton is perhaps better in Atlanta than he’s remembered to be, possibly due to the wildly underwhelming production his brother BJ/Melvin had?
He played only 2013 & 2014 with Atlanta, but he took home a Silver Slugger Award in 2014.
Him & his brother hit a home run in the same game for a record five times in Atlanta, passing brother tandems: Vladimir & Wilton Guerrero and Jason & Jeremy Giambi.