Best #60 in Braves Franchise History

(Series Note: Baseball-Reference was used for a collection of players so this series is as complete as their database is. No coaches/managers were included and a number had to have at least four options to be considered with two exceptions. I started from the highest available number because as I approach #1, I'll have much tougher decisions. For the complete series, click here.)

Best #60 in Franchise History

I began this series months ago and am now trying to get back to it.

I'm also remembering why finding the best #60 stymied me in the first place. Six players have worn the number before and all came in a ten-year period between 2007-16. Half of the club wore different numbered jerseys in their times with the Braves with two, including Ian Thomas, donning three different jersey numbers.

Joel De La Cruz could, theoretically, become the first Brave to wear #60 in more than one season. After all, he's the only guy still in the system. But he, like the aforementioned Thomas, fell short of being the top #60. As did Manny Banuelos and Ryan Buchter, who wore the number during their short careers in Atlanta. Jose Ascanio appeared in just 13 games with the Braves back in 2007 and wore two different jersey numbers, but he won't be our top guy, either.

My choice for the Top #60 is...Gregor Blanco

To be fair, #60 was one of two different numbers Blanco wore in 2008. I don't know when he changed over to #18 (or changed to #60, which would be odd). Either way, Blanco was a bit of a cult hero back in '08. That probably tells you how badly the Braves performed that season.

He was never much of a prospect. Though fast, he was not a skilled base stealer. Though a strong defender, his arm wasn't considered much more than average. But he did one thing that Billy Beane would love - he got on base. A lot. Frankly, it's a pretty big surprise that there wasn't a chapter in Moneyball related to Beane trying to get Blanco. In 2006, he on-based .403 between Mississippi and Richmond. After another year, in which he carried a .369 OBP for Richmond, Blanco broke camp with the big-league club in 2008.

To put it mildly, the outfield was a bit of a mess for the '08 Braves. Jeff Francoeur was the unquestioned starter in right field, but the Braves were relying heavily on Mark Kotsay in center field to replace Andruw Jones (that sentence seems a bit ridiculous). Out in left field, the Braves had let Willie Harris go and unless you count acquiring Josh Anderson, had not replaced Harris. In retrospect, you'd probably want the team to let Harris go and go out and find an improvement. Instead, Atlanta prepared to give Matt Diaz a shot to be an everyday guy.

Part of their refusal to go heavy after a replacement for either Jones or Harris was that their top prospects, Jordan Schafer and Jason Heyward, were outfielders and the Braves weren't anxious to block them with long-term outfield commitments. But, to be fair, Diaz kind of deserved at least a shot. Since coming to Atlanta in 2006, Diaz slashed .333/.366/.487. And...to also be fair...he had done a good deal of that against right-handed pitching (.336/.374/.439). Of course, it took a .401 BABIP to do that...

So, Diaz started the first 15 games before Blanco finally got a shot in the lineup. Diaz would continue to be the regular guy until ineffective play and injuries limited him to just 43 games. When Diaz finally went down in late May, as did Kotsay. That left Blanco in an everyday role as Anderson, Greg Norton, Brandon Jones, and Omar Infante tried to fill in.

Blanco would do what Blanco does. Show solid range, get on base, and never steal enough bases to truly maximize the value of his walks. He hit just .251, but on-based .366. His ISO was a miserable .058 in 519 PA. On a Braves team that would finish with 90 losses, Blanco was sixth in plate appearances and fourth in games played. Atlanta had seen enough of Blanco in the everyday role, though he did a bang up job keeping the seat warm considering his limitations.

The Venezuelan outfielder would never wear #60 again. He'd switch to #1 and play 60 more games with the Braves over the next year-and-a-half before being shipped with Jesse Chavez and Tim Collins to the Royals in the Rick Ankiel/Kyle Farnsworth deal. And in the end, it was that deal that made this decision so easy. If only for the magical homerun Ankiel would hit in the 2010 NLDS, that makes Blanco the Top #60 in Braves history.

Blanco would re-establish himself in the majors with the Giants as a regular contribitor for five years and won two rings with San Francisco.

Best #61 in Braves Franchise History

(Series Note: Baseball-Reference was used for a collection of players so this series is as complete as their database is. No coaches/managers were included and a number had to have at least four options to be considered with two exceptions. I started from the highest available number because as I approach #1, I'll have much tougher decisions. For the complete series, click here.)

Best #61 in Franchise History

I began this series with the best intentions.

And then #61 came up and I struggled to find anyone to attach the label of "best" to. Throughout the history of the franchise, nine players have worn the old sixty-one and none did so for more than one year. Finding a true "choice" from this group proved quite difficult. Dave Schuler, who broke ground in 1985 by wearing the number the first time, nearly took this decision by default as I struggled to arrive at a better option. At least he was first, right? Sure, nearly half of the 50 batters he faced over nine games in '85 reached base, but he had the guts to wear what seems like a cursed number first.

Damian Moss was mini-Glavine in 2002, but he wore #61 in 2001. Phil Stockman and James Parr shared the number in 2008, but no one was searching the Chop Shop trying to find an authentic Stockman or Parr jersey. The number has been used by a player in each of the last five years - most recently by Tyrell Jenkins. Before him, it was Williams Perez and before that, Chasen Shreve. Back when Braves fans had hope for him, Christian Bethancourt arrived in the majors in 2013 and wore the number. None of these players excelled while wearing #61.

I searched and I searched and then I remembered - this is my list. I don't have to let results decide things for me. Who was the most memorable player to wear #61? Well, to me, that would be the one player I left out.

Getty Images

My choice for the Top #61 is...Livan Hernandez

Unlike pretty much every choice on this list, Hernandez adored the #61. He never played a game in the majors under a different number and that's despite playing for nine different franchises. The Braves were #8 on that list during his 17-year career.

Of course, for Braves fans, Hernandez would be known more for his rookie season in 1997 than his work in 2012 despite the latter being the time he actually spent with the Braves. One of the first Cuban defectors to set the baseball world on fire, Hernandez arrived in the majors to stay in mid-June of '97. He would face the Braves once during his 17-start rookie run in which he was the victor in his first nine decisions. But it was Game 5 of the NLCS that Livan Hernandez truly became a part of Braves' history.

Hernandez pitched in relief in Game 2 of the NLDS during Florida's 7-6 win over the Giants. He also pitched on October 10 during Game 3 of the NLCS and got the victory as the Marlins moved past the Braves 5-2. Hernandez entered in relief and surrendered a sacrifice fly to Javy Lopez that tied the game. A pair of run-scoring doubles by Darren Daulton and Charles Johnson off John Smoltz in the bottom of the sixth put the Marlins ahead and they would sail to the victory.

Hernandez tossed 22 pitches during Game 3. That's why it was a bit shocking that two days later, he got the start in Game 5. The Atlanta Braves offense in 1997 was elite. They finished the season third in the NL in runs scored, fourth in OBP, and second in home runs and slugging. That date, Atlanta had Greg Maddux on the mound facing some 22-year-old kid. In a series that was tied 2-2, this was about as good as the Braves could hope for if they wanted to take the series lead before heading back to Turner Field - then in its first year. The scene was set, but the Braves had not prepared for one final thing - the man behind the catcher. Umpire Eric Gregg.

In the first inning, Kenny Lofton led off things with a triple. The next batter walked, but Chipper Jones and Fred McGriff struck out swinging. With the count 2-2, Ryan Klesko joined the previous duo, except he struck out looking. As did Lofton opening the third. Another player who was just browsing was Michael Tucker in the fourth and seventh innings. Jeff Blauser led off the 8th by staring at strike three. Along the way, the Marlins had scored twice off Maddux, who had struck out nine over 7 innings, including a pair of guys looking in Moises Alou and Gary Sheffield. The Braves had plated just one run off Hernandez - a solo shot by Tucker in the second. That was one of just three hits. They also added two walks. Entering the ninth, down 2-1, Hernandez had 13 strikeouts. Number #14 was Keith Lockhart to open the frame as he went down swinging. After Chipper lined out, it was all up for McGriff. He worked the count full. Hernandez threw a breaking ball that sailed a foot outside. McGriff, who later said the strikezone that day was "a little big," naturally thought he had extended the game and given the Braves a chance to tie things up. Gregg rang him up.

It was the 15th strikeout of the game for Hernandez. During his long career, Hernandez struck out at least ten batters four times. This game was the gold standard for Hernandez followed by an 11-strikeout game and two 10-K games. Of the 143 pitches Hernandez threw that day, 88 were strikes. 37 of those strikes were called - a difference of 13% over the regular season for the number of called strikes to total strikes. Maddux did not benefit from an unusually high number of called strikes - just Hernandez. A deeper look, one that was done by Fangraphs' Jeff Sullivan in 2013, shows that the difference may have been in the left-handed strikezone. The Braves that day had six left-handed hitters (including the switch-hitting Chipper Jones) in their lineup. Of the Braves who took a called strike three, only Blauser wasn't a left-handed hitter.

Much like the Bill Buckner game in 1986, despite the Eric Gregg game being our lasting impression of the series, the Braves still had a chance to win the series. Two days later, Kevin Brown outpitched Glavine and the Marlins won 7-4.

Hernandez pitched the game of his life that day - with some help from Gregg. Two years later, he would be traded to the Giants and his nomadic journey would begin. After the Giants were the Expos and he lasted through the move to Washington. Next was Arizona, then the Twins, then the Rockies, and a 23-game stop in Flushing for the Mets in '09. He finished that season back with the Natspos and would play the next two years with Washington. From 1997 to 2011, he pitched in 474 games - all starts minus two relief appearances in the playoffs. But at 37, the jig was up. It was time to extend his career as a reliever and the Braves came calling.

The 2012 Braves had one starter above the age of 25 in Tim Hudson. They were relying heavily on the arms of Mike Minor, Tommy Hanson, Randall Delgado, and Jair Jurrjens. Brandon Beachy and Kris Medlen would later fill in, but adding Hernandez was a natural move for depth purposes. The signing would also allow the Braves to use Cristhian Martinez in a higher-leverage role. However, Fredi Gonzalez was never known for using his bullpen properly. The Braves manager began the season by using Hernandez in mop-up situations - the exact reason he was brought aboard. By May, however, Hernandez began to get higher-leverage calls. In a 2-0 game against the Phils with the Braves trailing, Hernandez was brought in to keep it a two-run ballgame. Instead, he gave up two runs. In Colorado two days later, he actually secured his first save after coming in during the eighth of a 12-9 game. After the Braves added a run in the ninth, Hernandez stayed in to get the save.

Rather than be utilized as a long reliever, Atlanta was using him in middle relief and he never looked all that comfortable in the role. Things came to a head against Hernandez's old mates, the Nationals. With the game tied 2-2 in the sixth, Hernandez came in after Beachy hit the first batter of the inning. By the time the sixth was over, it was 6-2 Nats. Bryce Harper would add a solo bomb off Hernandez in the 8th as Hernandez took the one for the team. Hernandez would be buried for two weeks until he got the call in the fifth inning against the Blue Jays with Atlanta clinging to a 4-1 lead and the bases loaded. Three singles and a double later and it was 6-4. Hernandez would give up two homers the next inning to put the Braves down 9-4. He would be cut soon after.

Hernandez finished the season with the Brewers and gave up a combined eleven runs in his final two outings of his career. It would be an unimpressive end to a career that seemed headed to gigantic things during the 1997 NLDS. But, I guess, Eric Gregg couldn't be his umpire every game.

Best #62 in Braves Franchise History

(Series Note: Baseball-Reference was used for a collection of players so this series is as complete as their database is. No coaches/managers were included and a number had to have at least four options to be considered with two exceptions. I started from the highest available number because as I approach #1, I'll have much tougher decisions. For the complete series, click here.)

Best #62 in Franchise History

The thing about uniform numbers after 60 is that pitchers rarely use the number after one season. In today's version of The Top Player by Uniform Number (working title), I have just four choices to work with for #62 and three played under a different number while with the Braves. A fourth might occur when the most recent player suits up for next season.

Manny Acosta was the first recorded #62 in Braves' history when he donned the number in 2007. That was back when he looked like a decent relief prospect. When he switched to #46 over the next two seasons, it became clear that Acosta had mid-90's velocity, but no movement. Jairo Asencio played under two different numbers in 2009 during a three-game cameo - #50 and #62. When he returned to the majors in 2011, he was assigned #56. Three different numbers, nine total games with the team. And then, there is David Hale, who was assigned #62 when he arrived in the majors for two starts during the 2013 season. The next year, he switched to #57.

My choice for the Top #62 is...Mauricio Cabrera.

On excitement alone, Cabrera is an easy pick. The slim pickings certainly aided my decision and like others who wore the #62, Cabrera could be in a different jersey number by spring. For the moment, though, he's a runaway choice for the Best #62.

He may also be the most surprising choice simply because it looked like he might never get to the majors. Sure, he had a talented arm. We knew that when he had a 2.97 ERA with Danville as an 18 year-old in 2012. But could he find the strikezone enough to even utilize his amazing velocity?

After one more try to keep as a starter failed in 2013, the Braves shifted him to the bullpen the next year. Most of the time, a move to the bullpen can be associated with better control as the pitcher scales down his offerings for his best two or three pitches. For Cabrera, the move to the bullpen led him to worse command of the strikezone as he walked 21 in 33 innings during 2014. In 2015, it was even worse (35 in 48.1 innings) and while he was beginning to post some big K numbers, the question remained. Would he ever throw enough strikes?

It didn't seem to happen with Mississippi over 25 games to open 2016. While the strikeouts were a'plenty (only three times did he fail to record a K in a game), he was still walking nearly six-per-nine innings. Still, the Braves decided in late June that Cabrera could play a role for the major league bullpen and skipped him past Triple-A.

Cabrera hadn't walked less than five-per-nine innings since 2013. In 41 games in the majors, he walked just 4.5 per nine. While he wasn't posting absurd K numbers, he wasn't getting killed with walks and Braves manager Brian Snitker grew more convinced that Cabrera could be a high leverage pitcher for him. Over his final 29 games, he went 4-for-5 in save opportunities and picked up eight holds.

Again, Cabrera may never wear #62 again. For that matter, the control issues that plagued him in the minors could again become a problem. Regardless, for the time being, there is no pitcher better deserving of being the Top #62 in franchise history than Mauricio Cabrera.

Best #63 in Braves Franchise History

(Series Note: Baseball-Reference was used for a collection of players so this series is as complete as their database is. No coaches/managers were included and a number had to have at least four options to be considered with two exceptions. I started from the highest available number because as I approach #1, I'll have much tougher decisions.)

Best #63 in Franchise History

Boy, this series gets an amazing start to it. Five options to choose from - each have wore the number since 2007. Three of the five also wore a different number while playing for the Braves. In addition, though not the same exact group as the last sentence, three players were later used in trades.

That last detail is how I arrived at this decision. What trade could ultimately pay the biggest dividends. Well, we do know that Charlie Morton (2008) was traded in the Nate McLouth and that trade has already been graded (Spoiler Alert: Bust). Robert Whalen (2016) was recently dealt to the Mariners in the Alex Jackson deal so we will know more about how that ends up later.

Before I pick, the other two options are Corky Miller (2007) and Jake Brigham (2015). Just didn't want to forget to provide that level of analysis.

By EricEnfermero (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0],
via Wikimedia Commons

My choice for the Top #63 will be...Lucas Harrell. He wore the number in 2016 before Whalen later was assigned the number after arriving in the majors.

Oh, sure, Harrell only played five games with the Braves and yeah, those five games are easy to forget about. They included quality starts against the Marlins, a game in Wrigley, and his final start as a Brave - six scoreless innings in Minnesota where he stymied a bad Twins club. The other two starts weren't much to write home about as the Rockies bashed him around in Turner Field while the Reds got to him pretty good at home.

But Harrell is my choice for the Top #63 because of what was completed on July 27, 2016. It was on that day the Atlanta Braves announced that they had dealt Harrell, along with Dario Alvarez, to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Travis Demeritte.

What happens next is largely up to Demeritte. The Rangers selected Demeritte with the 30th overall pick of the 2013 draft and one pick ahead of the Braves, who selected right-hander Jason Hursh. He had a big showing in 2013 in the Arizona Summer League by hitting four homers and OPSing .856, but subsequent efforts were less exciting.

In 2016, however, Demeritte showed that he may be realizing his potential. Now, to be fair, he was playing in a league and park that inflates offensive numbers. With that said, Demeritte was hitting .272/.352/.583 at the time of this deal with 25 HR. That comes out to a nice and round .400 wOBA. He struck out a ton (33%) but also showed enough discipline to walk in nearly 11% of his PA.

After the trade, Demeritte's numbers fell some, but in 35 games with Carolina, the 21 year-old still carried an adjusted wOBA of .389. That represented a drop of just eleven points despite playing in a league that averaged a run fewer per game than the California League. After the season, he was a star in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .261/.333/.522 over 105 PA with 4 HR. He struck out significantly less than he did in the regular season (a difference of about 9%). By the end of the season, in a pretty awesome farm system, Demeritte is a solid Top 10 prospect.

Again, pickings are slim this high in the available numbers. Lucas Harrell was barely a Brave, but his trade could pay off in a big way if Demeritte continues to excel.