DOB: Braves offseason about to get a lot busier. - Gamel released.

[Knucksie]

Kent Mercker may have had the high billing coming up through the ranks but he ended up just being an average major league pitcher, same for Tommy Greene.

Sometimes, it works out that way. Don't remember and don't feel like researching to know if there were injury issues. Mercker was an underachiever.

For all the grousing about this or that trade, at this forum or at Scout, Bobby Cox made an enormous blunder on the Dale Murphy trade. Tommy Greene was included in the deal, and that would come back to bite them in a very big way in 1993. Same thing, it was over 20 years ago, so it's hard to remember what shortened his career. When he was effective, he was a stopper. Zane Smith had a longer career, but nobody would claim that he had a better makeup than either of these other 2.

FWIW, I saw both Mercker & Greene pitch for Richmond. Both had very good stuff, coming up. It sounds crazy to discuss it this way now, but instincts might've put these two at the "higher ceiling" than the other pitching prospects of the time, which includes one new HOF inductee and one soon-to-be.

[Dalyn]

Mercker was pretty awesome for us. Always one of my favorites.

[Julio3000]

Seconded. I saw Mercker in the minors, and he had great stuff. There's a big luck component to any no-hitter, but he didn't luck his way into missing bats.

[Dalyn]

Seconded. I saw Mercker in the minors, and he had great stuff. There's a big luck component to any no-hitter, but he didn't luck his way into missing bats.

One thing I loved about him is that he seemed willing to do whatever the team needed, regardless of how it might hurt him.

[PawPawMaxwell]

Wonder how the great run thru the 90's would have turned out with Avery and Greene being healthy. IMO no team would have touched those 2 along with the 3 HOFers on board.

[AUTiger7222]

Sometimes, it works out that way. Don't remember and don't feel like researching to know if there were injury issues. Mercker was an underachiever.

For all the grousing about this or that trade, at this forum or at Scout, Bobby Cox made an enormous blunder on the Dale Murphy trade. Tommy Greene was included in the deal, and that would come back to bite them in a very big way in 1993. Same thing, it was over 20 years ago, so it's hard to remember what shortened his career. When he was effective, he was a stopper. Zane Smith had a longer career, but nobody would claim that he had a better makeup than either of these other 2.

FWIW, I saw both Mercker & Greene pitch for Richmond. Both had very good stuff, coming up. It sounds crazy to discuss it this way now, but instincts might've put these two at the "higher ceiling" than the other pitching prospects of the time, which includes one new HOF inductee and one soon-to-be.

Yeah, Tommy Greene played a major role in the Phillies beating the Braves in the NLCS in 93. It is crazy how some highly touted guys don't pan out the way you expect and other, lesser thought of guys end up having great (and HOF in this case) careers. Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz to a lesser degree weren't thought of all that highly coming up through the ranks. Not has high as Mercker and Greene were, who were both considered future Ace's and Cy Young winners. Another guy that was highly thought of coming up was Pete Smith. Whatever happened to him and Greene? I don't remember.

[AUTiger7222]

Seconded. I saw Mercker in the minors, and he had great stuff. There's a big luck component to any no-hitter, but he didn't luck his way into missing bats.

No. Mercker had great stuff when he was on, but just pointing out that you can have 1 day where everything goes right and you throw a no-hitter. In the grand scheme of things it's no reflection of how good or bad you are as a pitcher. Really the only thing Homer Bailey has accomplished in his big league career is those two no-hitters. Other than that he's been an average or maybe slightly above-average pitcher. I don't know how long he's been in the majors now but I feel like I've been hearing the name Homer Bailey for at least 10 years now. He has a super hyped kid since the day he was drafted.

[AUTiger7222]

One thing I loved about him is that he seemed willing to do whatever the team needed, regardless of how it might hurt him.

Definitely he deserves his kudos for being a team player. He pitched when and where the Braves needed him too and it more than likely probably hurt his career long-term not having a set role with the Braves. That reputation followed him around his entire big-league career as he bounced around from team-to-team. Although it was pretty cool when JS brought him back to the Braves midseason in 2003. Although we gave up a guy, Matt Belisle, that has gone on to have a pretty good career as a middle reliever.

[AUTiger7222]

Wonder how the great run thru the 90's would have turned out with Avery and Greene being healthy. IMO no team would have touched those 2 along with the 3 HOFers on board.

Well Greene was never a part of the run because he was traded with Murphy to the Phillies in 1990 to make room for David Justice. But Steve Avery was my favorite Braves pitcher during the 90s and it was a shame he started having arm problems that killed his career.

[Dalyn]

Mercker performed exceptionally well in his return, too.

[AUTiger7222]

Mercker performed exceptionally well in his return, too.

Yes he did and the Braves needed it too. They lost Chris Hammond and Mike Remlinger after the 2002 season and didn't really replace either of them. Ray King was ok but he was no Hammond or Remlinger.

[Knucksie]

Yeah, Tommy Greene played a major role in the Phillies beating the Braves in the NLCS in 93. It is crazy how some highly touted guys don't pan out the way you expect and other, lesser thought of guys end up having great (and HOF in this case) careers. Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz to a lesser degree weren't thought of all that highly coming up through the ranks. Not has high as Mercker and Greene were, who were both considered future Ace's and Cy Young winners. Another guy that was highly thought of coming up was Pete Smith. Whatever happened to him and Greene? I don't remember.

Pete Smith was actually a throw-in with Ozzie Virgil. So, he actually first came up through through the Phillies org. Whether or not the Braves org had that high of expectations for him is hard to say. At that time, warm bodies in the rotation would've sufficed. It's so far back, and hard to remember, but something sticks in my mind that he resisted attempts by Bob Gibson (who was pitching coach for a while) to pitch inside. Another one of the older guys can correct me if that's not quite right.

[AUTiger7222]

Pete Smith was actually a throw-in with Ozzie Virgil. So, he actually first came up through through the Phillies org. Whether or not the Braves org had that high of expectations for him is hard to say. At that time, warm bodies in the rotation would've sufficed. It's so far back, and hard to remember, but something sticks in my mind that he resisted attempts by Bob Gibson (who was pitching coach for a while) to pitch inside. Another one of the older guys can correct me if that's not quite right.

Ok. I didn't know he came up with the Phillies. I thought he was drafted by the Braves. So thanks for the correction there.

[sentenza]

We release Mat Gamel today.
He injured his knee last week.
Bad luck for him and us. I was interested to see him swing.

[JohnAdcox]

We release Mat Gamel today.
He injured his knee last week.
Bad luck for him and us. I was interested to see him swing.

Man, poor guy. You have to feel for him. And time to change the title of the thread?

[MadduxFanII]

I had pretty high hopes for Gamel. If healthy, he would have been the kind of over-qualified bench bat championship-caliber teams have. He's probably just too far gone at this point to salvage as a big league player.

[stpeteirish]

Boy, that was quick. Knee must be pretty bad. "Matt, go home. Don't come back." Of something to that effect.

[Enscheff]

What kind of crazy ass workouts was he doing to blow out his ACL again? Carrying a fridge through a mud pit? With millions of dollars at stake, my knees would be in braces 100% of the time and no lateral movements allowed to happen...period.

[Julio3000]

Ugh, tough luck for him. He'd have been my choice for a surprise contributor this year, kinda like Pena in 2013.

[Nerfherders]

Who gets that roster spot now? Mejia? We have all spring to figure that out I suppose.