Larvell Blanks - Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves

Having been used all over the infield in the minors. Blanks played second base primarily in 1972. He ended his first month in the majors with a .415 batting average, but cooled off to .329 by the end of the season. During the off-season, regular second baseman Félix Millán was dealt to the New York Mets, seemingly opening the door for Blanks to inherit the second base job until the Braves acquired Davey Johnson from the Baltimore Orioles four weeks later. Instead, Blanks spent the first two months of the 1973 season as a pinch hitter and pinch runner for Atlanta before being demoted to the triple A Richmond Braves at the end of May. Blanks batted .261 with twenty home runs and 82 runs batted in over two seasons at Richmond before receiving a call back up to the majors in September 1974.

With incumbent shortstop Craig Robinson not hitting, Blanks was shifted over to short early in the 1975 season. He batted .234 with three home runs and 38 RBIs while committing 27 errors on the field his only major league season as a regular. Feeling the need to upgrade at short, the Braves acquired Darrel Chaney from the Cincinnati Reds for Mike Lum at the 1975 Winter meetings. Later the same day, Blanks and Ralph Garr were sent to the Chicago White Sox for Ken Henderson, Dick Ruthven and Ozzie Osborn. The Chisox then sent Blanks to the Cleveland Indians for Jack Brohamer.