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Braves announce plans to leave Turner Field, move into new stadium in 2017

Only three years of the Ted remain, and then a new house of horrors will open.

Kevin C. Cox

It seems like just yesterday that the Braves left Fulton County Stadium for their new home that was originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Renamed Turner Field after Atlanta's beloved owner, the new park became a source of many fond memories for Mets fans.

Not really, though. The Mets have a 50-94 all-time record at Turner Field since it opened for baseball purposes in 1997. Worse than that, though, is New York's 0-3 mark at the ballpark in the playoffs. In 1999, the Mets dropped the first two games of the NLCS before returning there for Game 6 trailing three games to two. It was probably Kenny Rogers's walk-off walk in that game that cemented the Ted as a hated venue for Mets fans.

The new park in Atlanta is scheduled to open in 2017 at the northwest intersection of I-75 and I-285. I'm not sure where that is, but maybe just maybe if Matt Harvey is healthy by then, the Mets can have a little more success than at the old place.

If you're wondering why the Braves are getting a new ballpark just 20 years after their old joint opened, it's probably because the old lease expired.

Braves executives John Schuerholz, Mike Plant and Derek Schiller said Monday the team decided not to seek another 20-year lease at Turner Field and began talks with the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority in July.

There's no word yet on what will become of Turner Field after the Braves move out.

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