Phillies vs. Braves: A Statistical Breakdown of the Rivalry

Introduction

The rivalry between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves is one of the most storied in Major League Baseball. The two teams have met in the National League Division Series (NLDS) five times, with the Braves holding a 3-2 advantage. In the regular season, the Braves have a slight edge, winning 1,059 games to the Phillies' 1,051.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the player stats from the Phillies vs. Braves rivalry. We will compare the batting, pitching, and fielding statistics of the two teams' best players. We will also highlight some of the key moments in the rivalry's history.

Batting

The Phillies have a slight edge over the Braves in batting, with a team batting average of .269 to the Braves' .266. The Phillies also have a higher on-base percentage (.341 to .338) and slugging percentage (.448 to .442).

Some of the best hitters in the Phillies-Braves rivalry include:

• Mike Schmidt: The Phillies' all-time home run leader, Schmidt hit 548 home runs in his career, including 18 against the Braves.
• Ryan Howard: The Phillies' all-time RBI leader, Howard drove in 1,328 runs in his career, including 98 against the Braves.
• Chipper Jones: The Braves' all-time home run leader, Jones hit 468 home runs in his career, including 23 against the Phillies.
• Hank Aaron: The Braves' all-time hits leader, Aaron had 3,771 hits in his career, including 120 against the Phillies.

Pitching

The Braves have a slight edge over the Phillies in pitching, with a team ERA of 3.69 to the Phillies' 3.72. The Braves also have a higher strikeout rate (8.8 per 9 innings) than the Phillies (8.3 per 9 innings).

Some of the best pitchers in the Phillies-Braves rivalry include:

• Steve Carlton: The Phillies' all-time wins leader, Carlton won 241 games in his career, including 18 against the Braves.
• Greg Maddux: The Braves' all-time wins leader, Maddux won 194 games in his career, including 12 against the Phillies.
• John Smoltz: The Braves' all-time strikeouts leader, Smoltz struck out 3,084 batters in his career, including 178 against the Phillies.
• Tom Glavine: The Braves' all-time innings pitched leader, Glavine pitched 2,665.1 innings in his career, including 170.1 against the Phillies.

Fielding

The Phillies and Braves have been evenly matched in fielding over the years. The Phillies have a slight edge in fielding percentage (.986 to .985), but the Braves have a higher range factor (3.96 to 3.94).

Some of the best fielders in the Phillies-Braves rivalry include:

• Mike Schmidt: A Gold Glove winner at third base, Schmidt had a career fielding percentage of .971.
• Ryan Howard: A Gold Glove winner at first base, Howard had a career fielding percentage of .994.
• Chipper Jones: A Gold Glove winner at third base, Jones had a career fielding percentage of .974.
• Andruw Jones: A Gold Glove winner at center field, Jones had a career fielding percentage of .980.

Key Moments in the Rivalry

The Phillies-Braves rivalry has been filled with many memorable moments. Some of the most notable moments include:

• The 1993 NLCS: The Phillies and Braves met in the NLCS for the first time in 1993. The Braves won the series in four games, but the Phillies made a strong showing, winning Game 3 in extra innings.
• The 1999 NLDS: The Phillies and Braves met in the NLDS for the first time in 1999. The Braves won the series in three games, but the Phillies made a strong showing, winning Game 2 in extra innings.
• The 2010 NLDS: The Phillies and Braves met in the NLDS for the third time in 2010. The Phillies won the series in three games, advancing to the NLCS for the first time since 1993.
• The 2011 NLDS: The Phillies and Braves met in the NLDS for the fourth time in 2011. The Braves won the series in three games, advancing to the NLCS for the first time since 2001.
• The 2012 NLDS: The Phillies and Braves met in the NLDS for the fifth time in 2012. The Braves won the series in three games, advancing to the NLCS for the second straight year.

Stories and Lessons

The Phillies-Braves rivalry is one of the most storied in Major League Baseball. The two teams have been competitive with each other for decades, and they have produced some of the best players in the game. The rivalry has also been filled with many memorable moments, including several dramatic playoff series.

Here are three stories and lessons that we can learn from the Phillies-Braves rivalry:

• Never give up: The Phillies have often been the underdog in their rivalry with the Braves, but they have never given up. They have always fought hard, and they have always had a chance to win.
• Anything can happen in the playoffs: The Phillies-Braves rivalry has taught us that anything can happen in the playoffs. The underdog can always win, and the favorite can always lose.
• The rivalry is good for baseball: The Phillies-Braves rivalry is one of the best in baseball. It is a rivalry that is full of passion, intensity, and drama. It is a rivalry that makes baseball more fun to watch.

Effective Strategies

There are a few effective strategies that the Phillies and Braves can use to win the rivalry.

• The Phillies need to hit the ball: The Phillies have a strong offense, but they need to be able to hit the ball in order to win. They need to be able to get runners on base and drive them in.
• The Braves need to pitch well: The Braves have a strong pitching staff, but they need to be able to pitch well in order to win. They need to be able to throw strikes and keep the ball in the park.
• Both teams need to play good defense: Both the Phillies and Braves have good defenses, but they need to be able to play good defense in order to win. They need to be able to make the routine plays and make the big plays when they need to.

Pros and Cons

There are both pros and cons to the Phillies-Braves rivalry.

Pros:

• The rivalry is good for baseball. It is a rivalry that is full of passion, intensity, and drama. It is a rivalry that makes baseball more fun to watch.
• The rivalry is good for the Phillies and Braves. It helps to keep both teams motivated and competitive. It also helps to generate revenue for both teams.
• The rivalry is good for the fans. It gives the fans something to cheer for and something to get excited about. It also helps to create a sense of community among the fans.

Cons:

• The rivalry can be stressful for the players and the fans. It can lead to injuries and even violence.
• The rivalry can be divisive. It can create a divide between the fans of the two teams.
• The rivalry can be expensive. It can cost a lot of money to travel to games and to buy tickets.

FAQs

1. Who has the better record in the Phillies-Braves rivalry? The Braves have the better record, with a 1,059-1,051 advantage.
2. Who has won more NLDS series between the Phillies and Braves? The Braves have won more NLDS series, with a 3-2 advantage.
3. Who has the better batting average in the Phillies-Braves rivalry? The Phillies have the better batting average, with a .269 average to the Braves' .266 average.
4. Who has the better ERA in the Phillies-Braves rivalry? The Braves have the better ERA, with a 3.69 ERA to the Phillies' 3.72 ERA.
5. Who has the better fielding percentage in the Phillies-Braves rivalry? The Phillies have the better fielding percentage, with a .986 fielding percentage to the Braves' .985 fielding percentage.
6. Who has won the most Gold Gloves in the Phillies-Braves rivalry? Mike Schmidt has won the most Gold Gloves