1980 Atlanta Braves season

The 1980 Atlanta Braves season was the 15th season in Atlanta along with the 110th season as a franchise overall.

Offseason November 20, 1979: Relief pitcher Al Hrabosky signed as a free agent. December 5, 1979: Barry Bonnell, Pat Rockett, and Joey McLaughlin were traded by the Braves to the Toronto Blue Jays for Chris Chambliss and Luis Gómez.Chris Chambliss page at Baseball Reference December 6, 1979: Adrian Devine and Pepe Frías were traded by the Braves to the Texas Rangers for Doyle Alexander, Larvell Blanks and $50,000.Doyle Alexander page at Baseball Reference

Regular season On August 6, umpire Jerry Dale ruled that Braves shortstop Rafael Ramírez did not step on second base while turning a double play. Manager Bobby Cox argued the call and confronted Dale while tobacco juice streamed out of his mouth. Cox was accused of spitting on the umpire.Sports Illustrated, "Thumbing his Way back home" by Thomas Lake, July 26, 2010, p. 49

Phil Niekro became the only pitcher in the history of the National League to lead the NL in losses for four consecutive seasons.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 348, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York,

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions June 3, 1980: Ken Dayley was drafted by the Braves in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1980 Major League Baseball draft.Ken Dayley page at Baseball Reference July 1, 1980: Bill Haselrig (minors) was traded by the Braves to the New York Mets for Randy Johnson.Randy Johnson page at Baseball Reference August 8, 1980: Larvell Blanks was released by the Braves.Larvell Blanks page at Baseball-Reference

Game log

|-bgcolor=#fbb | 1 || April 9 || @ Reds || 0–9 || Pastore (1–0) || Niekro (0–1) || || 51,774 || 0–1 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 2 || April 11 || @ Reds || 0–6 (6) || LaCoss (1–0) || McWilliams (0–1) || || 12,902 || 0–2 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 3 || April 12 || @ Reds || 4–5 || Hume (1–0) || Hrabosky (0–1) || || 11,839 || 0–3 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 4 || April 13 || @ Reds || 0–5 || Leibrandt (1–0) || Niekro (0–2) || || 32,996 || 0–4 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 5 || April 14 || @ Astros || 4–5 || Sambito (1–0) || Garber (0–1) || || 15,017 || 0–5 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 6 || April 15 || @ Astros || 2–6 || Niekro (1–0) || McWilliams (0–2) || || 15,712 || 0–6 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 7 || April 17 || Reds || 1–4 || Pastore (2-0) || Niekro (0–3) || || 15,742 || 0–7 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 8 || April 18 || Reds || 3–0 || Matula (1–0) || Leibrandt (1–1) || || 5,624 || 1–7 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 9 || April 19 || Reds || 1–6 || Bonham (1–0) || Alexander (0–1) || || 9,684 || 1–8 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 10 || April 20 || Reds || 3–5 || Tomlin (2–0) || Bradford (0–1) || Hume (1) || 8,002 || 1–9 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 11 || April 22 || Padres || 3–2 (10) || Hrabosky (1–1) || Shirley (0–1) || || 4,710 || 2–9 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 12 || April 23 || Padres || 2–1 || Matula (2–0) || Jones (1–2) || Hrabosky (1) || 4,166 || 3–9 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 13 || April 24 || Padres || 8–7 || Garber (1–1) || Fingers (2–1) || || 4,498 || 4–9 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 14 || April 25 || Expos || 8–7 (11) || Bradford (1–1) || Bahnsen (0–1) || || 6,929 || 5–9 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 15 || April 26 || Expos || 3–4 || Grimsley (1–1) || Niekro (0–4) || Fryman (2) || 13,705 || 5–10 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 16 || April 27 || Expos || 6–3 || McWilliams (1–2) || Sanderson (1–2) || Hrabosky (2) || 12,917 || 6–10 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || April 28 || @ Padres || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: June 28 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || April 29 || @ Padres || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 21 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 17 || April 30 || @ Padres || 1–2 || Rasmussen (1–2) || Matula (2–1) || Shirley (3) || 9,018 || 6–11

|-bgcolor=#fbb | 18 || May 1 || @ Padres || 3–4 || Shirley (1–1) || Camp (0–1) || || 12,131 || 6–12 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 19 || May 2 || @ Pirates || 6–1 || Niekro (1–4) || Rooker (2–2) || || 11,476 || 7–12 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 20 || May 3 || @ Pirates || 3–1 (10) || Hrabosky (1–1) || Jackson (2–1) || || 34,104 || 8–12 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 21 || May 4 || @ Pirates || 4–13 || Bibby (4–0) || Boggs (0–1) || || 14,358 || 8–13 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 22 || May 5 || @ Phillies || 1–7 || Carlton (5–1) || Matula (2–2) || || 26,165 || 8–14 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 23 || May 6 || @ Phillies || 5–10 || Ruthven (2–2) || Alexander (0–2) || Noles (2) || 25,302 || 8–15 |-bgcolor=#bbb | – || May 7 || @ Phillies || colspan=7| Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 25 as a traditional double-header |-bgcolor=#bfb | 24 || May 9 || Astros || 5–4 || McWilliams (2–2) || Forsch (4–1) || Bradford (1) || 11,111 || 9–15 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 25 || May 10 || Astros || 2–3 (11) || LaCorte (2–0) || Garber (1–2) || Sambito (3) || 13,798 || 9–16 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 26 || May 11 || Astros || 7–4 || Niekro (2–4) || Niekro (4–2) || || 10,871 || 10–16 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 27 || May 13 || Phillies || 7–3 || Alexander (1–2) || Lerch (0–5) || Camp (1) || 10,146 || 11–16 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 28 || May 14 || Phillies || 1–9 || Carlton (6–2) || McWilliams (2–3) || || 4,625 || 11–17 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 29 || May 16 || Mets || 3–5 || Falcone (2–2) || Niekro (2–5) || Allen (6) || 6,135 || 11–18 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 30 || May 18 || Mets || 2–1 || Matula (3–2) || Zachry (0–2) || Camp (2) || – || 12–18 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 31 || May 18 || Mets || 1–2 || Allen (1–3) || Garber (1–3) || || 11,807 || 12–19 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 32 || May 19 || @ Expos || 8–11 || Palmer (3–0) || McWilliams (2–4) || Fryman (7) || 20,656 || 12–20 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 33 || May 20 || @ Expos || 1–0 || Niekro (3–5) || Sanderson (3–3) || || 11,071 || 13–20 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 34 || May 21 || @ Expos || 2–3 || Rogers (4–4) || Garber (1–4) || || 13,606 || 13–21 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 35 || May 23 || @ Mets || 1–2 || Burris (3–3) || Matula (3–3) || Allen (8) || 7,864 || 13–22 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 36 || May 24 || @ Mets || 4–5 (10) || Allen (2–3) || Camp (0–2) || || 7,221 || 13–23 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 37 || May 25 || @ Mets || 0–3 || Swan (3–3) || Niekro (3–6) || || 13,624 || 13–24 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 38 || May 26 || Giants || 2–1 || Boggs (1–1) || Minton (1–2) || Bradford (2) || 5,822 || 14–24 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 39 || May 27 || Giants || 6–3 || McWilliams (3–4) || Knepper (3–6) || Garber (1) || 5,277 || 15–24 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 40 || May 28 || Giants || 3–2 (12) || Hrabosky (2–1) || Lavelle (0–5) || || 5,500 || 16–24 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 41 || May 29 || @ Dodgers || 0–3 || Welch (5–1) || Niekro (3–7) || || 24,630 || 16–25 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 42 || May 30 || @ Dodgers || 4–8 || Hooton (5–3) || Matula (3–4) || || 32,200 || 16–26 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 43 || May 31 || @ Dodgers || 6–5 || Boggs (2–1) || Reuss (6–1) || Garber (2) || 40,161 || 17–26

|-bgcolor=#bfb | 44 || June 1 || @ Dodgers || 9–5 || Alexander (2–2) || Goltz (3–4) || Camp (3) || 49,320 || 18–26 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 45 || June 2 || @ Giants || 4–2 || Niekro (4–7) || Whitson (2–6) || || 3,768 || 19–26 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 46 || June 3 || @ Giants || 2–3 || Minton (2–2) || Bradford (1–2) || || 9,294 || 19–27 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 47 || June 4 || @ Giants || 7–2 || Matula (4–4) || Montefusco (2–5) || || 5,593 || 20–27 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 48 || June 6 || Dodgers || 0–5 || Reuss (7–1) || Niekro (4–8) || || 18,331 || 20–28 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 49 || June 7 || Dodgers || 6–1 || Alexander (3–2) || Goltz (3–5) || || 25,723 || 21–28 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 50 || June 8 || Dodgers || 1–3 || Sutton (5–2) || Boggs (2–2) || Sutcliffe (4) || 12,543 || 21–29 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 51 || June 9 || Cardinals || 5–8 (10) || Littlefield (1–0) || Bradford (1–3) || Frazier || 6,513 || 21–30 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 52 || June 10 || Cardinals || 5–2 || Niekro (5–8) || Sykes (1–5) || || 6,763 || 22–30 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 53 || June 11 || Cardinals || 3–4 (10) || Forsch (6–4) || Bradford (1–4) || Seaman (1) || 6,755 || 22–31 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 54 || June 13 || @ Cubs || 7–6 || Alexander (4–2) || McGlothen (3–3) || Garber (3) || 14,470 || 23–31 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 55 || June 14 || @ Cubs || 5–10 || Lamp (6–6) || Niekro (5–9) || || 25,108 || 23–32 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 56 || June 15 || @ Cubs || 1–4 || Krukow (4–7) || Matula (4–5) || Sutter (13) || 11,421 || 23–33 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 57 || June 16 || @ Cardinals || 6–3 || Boggs (3–2) || Forsch (6–5) || || 16,809 || 24–33 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 58 || June 17 || @ Cardinals || 2–3 || Vuckovich (6–5) || Alexander (4–3) || || 13,524 || 24–34 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 59 || June 18 || Pirates || 3–2 || Garber (2–4) || Tekulve (5–4) || || – || 25–34 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 60 || June 18 || Pirates || 5–4 || Camp (1–2) || Romo (3–3) || Garber (4) || 17,154 || 26–34 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 61 || June 19 || Pirates || 4–3 || Matula (5–5) || Robinson (2–3) || Bradford (3) || 10,585 || 27–34 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 62 || June 20 || Cubs || 2–4 || McGlothen (4–4) || Boggs (3–3) || Sutter (16) || 10,273 || 27–35 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 63 || June 21 || Cubs || 8–0 || Alexander (5–3) || Hernandez (1–6) || || 14,516 || 28–35 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 64 || June 22 || Cubs || 2–3 || Lamp (8–6) || Niekro (5–10) || Tidrow (3) || 15,070 || 28–36 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 65 || June 24 || @ Reds || 2–8 || Leibrandt (7–4) || McWilliams (3–5) || || 22,682 || 28–37 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 66 || June 25 || @ Reds || 3–15 || Seaver (3–4) || Matula (5–6) || || 32,603 || 28–38 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 67 || June 27 || @ Padres || 5–3 || Camp (2–2) || Curtis (3–6) || Garber (5) || 15,303 || 29–38 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 68 || June 28 || @ Padres || 5–4 || Bradford (2–4) || Shirley (5–4) || Garber (6) || – || 30–38 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 69 || June 28 || @ Padres || 2–3 || D'Acquisto (2–1) || Camp (2–3) || || 17,554 || 30–39 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 70 || June 29 || @ Padres || 4–2 || McWilliams (4–5) || Rasmussen (1–7) || || 11,938 || 31–39 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 71 || June 30 || Astros || 5–4 || Hrabosky (3–1) || Sambito (2–1) || || 8,208 || 32–39

|-bgcolor=#bfb | 72 || July 1 || Astros || 13–4 || Alexander (5–3) || Niekro (8–7) || || 9,546 || 33–39 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 73 || July 2 || Astros || 14–0 || Niekro (6–10) || Ruhle (5–2) || || 21,908 || 34–39 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 74 || July 3 || Astros || 3–5 || Richard (10–4) || Boggs (3–4) || LaCorte (7) || 15,769 || 34–40 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 75 || July 4 || Padres || 9–0 || McWilliams (5–5) || Rasmussen (1–8) || || 46,071 || 35–40 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 76 || July 5 || Padres || 3–2 || Matula (6–6) || Fingers (7–7) || || 18,932 || 36–40 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 77 || July 6 || Padres || 6–5 || Alexander (6–3) || Shirley (5–6) || Niekro (1) || 14,302 || 37–40 |-bgcolor=#bbcaff | – || July 8 ||colspan=7 |1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles |-bgcolor=#fbb | 78 || July 10 || Reds || 6–8 || Moskau || Niekro || || 19,177 || 37–41 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 79 || July 11 || Reds || 3–5 || Soto || Alexander || Hume || 26,139 || 37–42 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 80 || July 12 || @ Astros || 5–9 || Niekro || McWilliams || Smith || 38,610 || 37–43 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 81 || July 13 || @ Astros || 5–6 || Sambito || Garber || LaCorte || – || 37–44 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 82 || July 13 || @ Astros || 1–6 || Ruhle || Boggs || || 31,230 || 37–45 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 83 || July 14 || @ Astros || 2–0 || Niekro || Pladson || || 20,247 || 38–45 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 84 || July 15 || Mets || 2–9 || Zachry || Alexander || || 21,608 || 38–46 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 85 || July 16 || Mets || 5–2 || McWilliams || Swan || || 5,414 || 39–46 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 86 || July 17 || Mets || 0–6 || Pacella || Matula || || 7,107 || 39–47 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 87 || July 18 || Phillies || 2–7 || Espinosa || Niekro || Noles || 13,908 || 39–48 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 88 || July 19 || Phillies || 5–2 || Alexander || Ruthven || || – || 40–48 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 89 || July 19 || Phillies || 7–2 || Boggs || Larson || Camp || 35,524 || 41–48 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 90 || July 20 || Phillies || 3–2 || McWilliams || Walk || || 9,335 || 42–48 |-bgcolor=#fbb | 91 || July 21 || Expos || 6–8 || Sanderson || Matula || Sosa || 6,894 || 42–49 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 92 || July 22 || Expos || 7–5 || Niekro || Bahnsen || Camp || 37,108 || 43–49 |-bgcolor=#bfb | 93 || July 23 || Expos || 6–5 || Camp || Gullickson || || 10,873 || 44–49 |-bgcolor=#fbb