The A's were leveled by weak starting pitching, a farm system of modest yield and a lack of financial will and wherewithal. None of those pitfalls awaits the Braves. No, the Braves are the 18-wheeler of baseball, built for the long haul. The nucleus is good. Maddux, Glavine and John Smoltz are in their primes, as are Dave Justice, Fred McGriff, Mark Lemke and Marquis Grissom.
Nothing is guarantees, however.
The Blue Jays present a cautionary tale. After their six-game conquest of the Phillies in the '93 Series, there was reason to think they would continue on top. Like the Braves, they are well-capitalized and strong organizationally. But their dominant closer, Duane Ward, went down with a bad shoulder. Two bright young starters, Pat Hentgen and especially Juan Guzman, fell off.