Steven Thomas Avery

[The Chosen One]

Excellent article on sometimes the forgotten Steve Avery.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/marty-noble-honors-aside-avery-perhaps-best-of-fab-four?ymd=20140524&content_id=76691720&vkey=news_ml b

The foursome is the two 2014 HOF inductees and John Smoltz, who, chances are, will join Glav and Mad Dog in the Hall in 2015. And the "fourth" is Steve Avery, who was the best of them on the mound before his shoulder betrayed him.
....
"I'm very proud of what I did in the postseason," Smoltz said by phone Saturday. "But Steve was better than all of us when he came up. He pitched two of the greatest games in one [postseason] series I've ever seen. He won two 1-0 games against a team that could hit."
Smoltz was referring to Avery's starts against the Pirates in the 1991 National League Championship Series. He pitched 8 1/3 innings and eight innings against a batting order that included Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla and Andy Van Slyke.

[VirginiaBrave]

Yep, the original third member of "the big three", he earned that nickname of the baby faced assassin. Ice water in his veins.

[FreemanFan]

Steve Avery seemed destined for greatness until he got hurt. I wish surgery could have fixed his shoulder. Until his injury, he was one of the best I've ever seen.

[rico43]

Steve Avery seemed destined for greatness until he got hurt. I wish surgery could have fixed his shoulder. Until his injury, he was one of the best I've ever seen.

Avery, Mercker, Pete Smith. What might have been ...

[Julio3000]

I mentioned in an offseason thread, but Avery and Mercker had the best stuff of anyone I saw coming through Greenville when I was a kid and going to dozens of games a year. Avery's breaking ball made AA guys look foolish. He was just a kid—pitching in AA at 19.

[jcc03004]

If I recall correctly the injury that started Avery's struggles was a labrum issue in 1994 or 1995 I believe. Avery was usually just as good as smoltz was in post season play it was Avery who pretty much matched schilling in games 1 and 5 of the 93 nlcs. Plus let's not forget his 95 nlcs and 95 w.s. Start. It just sucks the last memory of Avery in a braves uni was walking in the winning run of game 4 of the w.s.

[Knucksie]

Avery, Mercker, Pete Smith. What might have been ...

They had lots better than Pete Smith. Hank Aaron even surmised that Tommy Green was "the best of them." Of course, they didn't have room for a 3rd LH starter. Or did they? Charlie Liebrandt was the veteran presence. Lasting memory of him is being used a reliever in '91. Ridiculous. Maybe Glavine and Avery learned a few things from him. Then, they drafted Lilliquist, rather high up, and Mercker was part of the mix, as you mentioned.

[Julio3000]

Lilliquist was good, too. Big arm. He got hurt, too, didn't he?

[Tapate50]

Best hair of the bunch and it wasn't even close.

Business in the front, party in the back man.

[Julio3000]

Best hair of the bunch and it wasn't even close.

Business in the front, party in the back man.

I had forgotten that. Hockey hair, baby.

[The Chosen One]

Best hair of the bunch and it wasn't even close.

Business in the front, party in the back man.

I think Glavine had a little mullet action going on as well...

I've been debating on going back to an Argentine mullet. Or maybe the Euro style Fauxhawk with the Argentine Mullet in the back.