Chipper Jones, Big Three highlight Braves' All-Turner Field roster
Longtime Atlanta Braves staples John Schuerholz and Bobby Cox announced the All-Turner Field Team as voted by fans, and there were more than a couple surprises.
Alongside the likes of Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz and soon-to-be first-ballot HOFer Chipper Jones, former Braves stars Andruw Jones, Tim Hudson and Craig Kimbrel highlighted the list. Here’s the full team:
Now, there are quite a few surprise selections in that group.
It’s worth pointing out once again that this was a team selected by the fans (as opposed to the organization itself or a panel of voters). With that in mind, there were a few glaring omissions.
In right field, the selection of Brian Jordan — obvious full disclosure: a FOX Sports South analyst — over more productive outfielders Jason Heyward and Gary Sheffield was the most eye-opening. Jordan logged 71 home runs in a Braves uniform during the Turner Field era, but Sheffield lapped Jordan’s all-around production, particularly offensively, in an electric two-year window while Heyward (21.7 wins above replacement) easily provided the most statistical value of any outfielder in Turner Field history this side of Andruw Jones.
At other positions, the voting slanted toward Braves players from the franchise’s glory years. Javy Lopez, a longtime fan favorite, beat out Brian McCann despite the latter’s longer career and better track record at Turner Field. Ryan Klesko received the nod in left field, but the organization’s most productive left fielder since 1997, Justin Upton, was not even listed on the official ballot.
On the pitching side of things, Kevin Millwood has a legitimate gripe after being left out of the starting rotation, but current starter Julio Teheran is a worthy candidate behind the Big Three and Tim Hudson.
The only other potential "upset" (and another defensible choice) was Rafael Furcal's all-around game beating out defensive wunderkind Andrelton Simmons at shortstop.
The @Braves All Turner Field Team. #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/onf9q9N5yO
— FOX Sports Southeast (@FOXSportsSE) September 27, 2016
[pullquote align="center" attribution=""]C: Javy Lopez1B: Freddie Freeman2B: Marcus GilesSS: Rafael Furcal3B: Chipper JonesLF: Ryan KleskoCF: Andruw JonesRF: Brian JordanUTIL: Martin PradoSP: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Tim Hudson, Julio TeheranRP: Craig Kimbrel[/pullquote]
Congrats @FreddieFreeman5 - the first baseman on the @Braves #AllTFTeam! #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/cODnEnUQV4
— FOX Sports Southeast (@FOXSportsSE) September 27, 2016
