Switch-hitting 2B Mark Lemke wasn’t much of a player during the regular season. His forte was defense during the regular season but in the playoffs he picked up the pace with the bat, often getting key hits. Lemke played 10 years for the Braves in which he played in 1,038 games during the regular season and he was 778 for 3,139 (.248 avg, .646 OPS) with 339 runs scored, 32 homers, 263 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Those numbers aren’t very impressive. But, in the post-season, Lemke played in 62 games for the Braves in which he was 63 for 232 (.272 avg, .688 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 1 homer and 25 RBIs. Lemke will be remembered as a good fielder who was clutch in the playoffs with the bat for the Braves.

Righty reliever Gene Garber couldn’t dent a couch with his fastball but he got a lot of batters out when he pitched with the Braves. Garber’s best season with the Braves came in 1982 when he finished 7th in the voting for the Cy Young Award. Garber pitched in 69 games (0 starts) for the Braves inn 1982 and he was 8-10 with 30 saves, a 2.34 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP. He only gave up 100 hits in 119 1/3 innings in 1982. Garber pitched 10 seasons with the Braves in which he appeared in 557 games (0 starts) and he was 53-73 with 141 saves, a 3.34 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Garber is #2 in Braves’ history in saves (141) and he’s also tied for 4th with Hall of Famer Kid Nichols with 557 games pitched. Garber might not have been pretty but he got the job done most of the time.

Lefty starting pitcher Warren Spahn played with the Braves when they were still in Boston & Milwaukee. His best year with the Braves came back in 1957 (with Milwaukee) when he pitched in 39 games (35 starts) and he was 21-11 with 3 saves, a 2.69 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP which earned him his only Cy Young Award of his Hall of Fame career. Spahn pitched with the Braves from 1942-1964 (20 years). You say that those numbers don’t add up? That’s because he left the Braves to serve in World War II from 1943-45. Spahn pitched in 714 games (635 starts) in his career with the Braves and he was 356-229, with 29 saves, a 3.05 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Spahn is the Braves’ all-time leader in games started (635), wins (356), innings pitched (5,046) and shutouts (63). He is also #2 in games pitched (714), #3 in strikeouts (2,493) and he’s #2 in complete games (374) in Braves’ history. Spahn won 20 or more games in 13 of his 20 seasons with the Braves! Spahn is currently #6 in Major League history in wins with 363 and he was elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1973.

Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux got all of the headlines of the great pitching staffs of the 1990’s for the Braves and deservedly so. But for a short time (from 1991-93), Avery was also one of the best pitchers on the Braves as he was a combined 47-25 those years. But, injuries got to Avery and his performance faded as the years went on. Avery pitched in 203 games (201 starts) in his seven years with the Braves and he was 72-62 with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. It’s too bad that Avery couldn’t stay healthy as he was pretty darn good when he came up for the Braves.

70-year old Joe Torre had a pretty good career for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. He played in 1,037 games in his 9 years with them as a player (1960-68) and he was 1,087 of 3,700 (.294 avg, .818 OPS) with 470 runs scored, 142 homers, 552 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. Torre made 5 All-Star teams with the Braves and he also won 1 Gold Glove. Torre was one of the best hitting catchers of his time. Torre also managed the Braves for three years and they were 257-229 (52.9%) under his watch during the regular season but they were 0-3 in the playoffs. When Torre gets into Baseball’s Hall of Fame, he will be likely wearing a Yankees’ Cap, but he got his start as a player with the Braves.