The Atlanta Braves are competing in the World Series for the first time since 1999.
The Braves had a rough start to their 2021 season facing multiple injuries early on. Pitcher Mike Soroka had been recovering from a torn Achilles tendon since the 2020 season, and in June suffered the same injury a second time.
Star player Ronald Acuña Jr. also has been unavailable for most of the season, tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament during a game against the Miami Marlins in early July.
Without one of their best offensive players and young pitcher, the Braves were not able to stay above .500 until August.
A large part of their success in getting to the World Series has been due to moves made by General Manager Alex Anthopoulos around the trade deadline.
The Braves first acquired outfielder Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a prospect. So far in the post-season, Pederson has nine RBIs and three home runs for the Braves.
Also acquired at the trade deadline was left fielder Eddie Rosario from the Cleveland Guardians. Rosario was injured at the time of the trade and made his Braves debut in late August. Through the post-season, he has 11 RBIs and three home runs.
The Braves also acquired Adam Duvall from the Marlins and Jorge Soler from the Kansas City Royals.
At the end of the season, the Braves won nine straight games to clinch their fourth consecutive National League title.
In the 2020 season, the Braves lost the National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers after leading 3-1 in the series.
This year, after facing and defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Divisional Series, the Braves were able to defeat the Dodgers in six games to make it to the World Series for the first time since 1999, facing the Houston Astros.
In 1999, the Braves were swept by the New York Yankees. However, it was in 1995 that Atlanta was able to defeat Cleveland to bring home a world series title.
Through the 1990s the Braves were a powerhouse in the MLB, and while the Braves were on a roll in downtown Atlanta, our Owls were doing well here in Kennesaw.
In 1994 Kennesaw State Baseball won the NAIA National Championship. This win helped the program become an NCAA Division II team, which then went on to win three more national titles over the following three years.
The Owls captured their first NCAA Division II championship in 1996, only one year after Atlanta became the World Series Champions.
Kennesaw looks to follow in the Braves’ footsteps once again, as they begin their 2022 season on Feb. 18 against Morehead State at Stillwell Stadium.
