Joey Devine

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**Joey Devine**
MLB debut
Atlanta Braves — No. 34
Relief pitcher
Bats: Right	Throws: Right
August 20, 2005 for the Atlanta Braves
Selected MLB statistics (through 2006 season)
Earned run average	11.12
Win-loss	0-1
Strikeouts	13

Joseph ("Joey") Devine (born September 19, 1983 in Junction City, Kansas) is a Major League Baseball sidearm pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.

In an unusual move for the organization under John Schuerholz, the team, which usually drafts high school players in which they hope to develop potential (and has developed many players), and knowing the troubling status of their pitching (there was no true closer in the organization), the team drafted him out of North Carolina State University, where he had set the Wolfpack record for most saves. Devine was drafted in the first round of the 2005 amateur draft, in an effort to fast-track him to the major leagues, which took him two months in advanced-A Myrtle Beach and AA Mississippi.

Although considered a talented prospect and a possible star for years to come, the major league hitters roughed up on Devine early in his young career. The fire-balling righty gave up a grand slam in each of his first two appearances and gave up a walk-off home run in the National League Division Series to Houston Astros rookie Chris Burke that ended the Braves' season in the marathon game. Braves' manager Bobby Cox showed a lot of faith in Devine in the 2005 season, including him on the postseason roster despite playing only five games of the regular season.

In 2006, it was planned to have Devine start the season at Richmond in order to get him some closing experience, but an injuries to Horacio Ramirez and Blaine Boyer forced the Braves to call him up, along with Ken Ray. The call-up backfired though, when Devine pitched a total of one inning in two games against the San Francisco Giants and gave up seven runs on five hits, five walks and two wild pitches. Devine was sent back to Richmond afterwards, the Braves calling up Peter Moylan. Devine was again called up in September 2006 and continued to pitch in Atlanta until the end of the regular season.