ATLANTA -- Braves president of baseball operations John Hart stands as one of the few men in this world who can say he has experienced extended success as a professional sports executive in Cleveland.
While leading the Indians to six division crowns and two American League pennants within a seven-season span from 1995-2001, Hart orchestrated a number of valuable trades, including the one that brought Marquis Grissom and David Justice to Cleveland and sent Kenny Lofton and Alan Embree to Atlanta just before the start of the 1997 season.
Half of the eight position players the Indians placed in their starting lineup for Game 7 of the 1997 World Series were acquired via trades Hart orchestrated as the club's general manager.