The Atlanta Braves are World Series champions after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the Fall Classic on Tuesday night to secure their first title since 1995. When people reflect on Atlanta's title 10 to 15 years down the road, they'll think about Freddie Freeman, Charlie Morton, and heck, probably Eddie Rosario and Tyler Matzek, among others.
The known contributors aren't the only ones who receive rings. Rather, there are any number of individuals who will have a Braves championship ring on display without their time with the team being memorialized, if even remembered at all.
With that in mind, let's highlight eight such players. (Note that the players are presented in descending order of their amount of plate appearances/batters faced.)
1. Pablo Sandoval, PH
Sandoval appeared in 69 games with the Braves this season, but he started just six times before he was shipped to Cleveland for the aforementioned Rosario. He hit .178/.302/.342 (69 OPS+) in 86 trips to the plate with the Braves. Sandoval never took a swing for Cleveland, as he was released shortly after the trade was finalized.
2. Jesse Biddle, LHP
A former first-round pick and well-regarded prospect with the Phillies, Biddle faced 54 batters as part of his second tour of duty with the Braves. (He'd previously pitched with Atlanta during the 2018-19 seasons.) Biddle made eight appearances across April and May, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits in 10 innings. The Braves were 1-7 in those games, and the average margin of score when he entered those games was five runs.
3. & 4. Jonathan Lucroy, Jeff Mathis, C
We're pairing Lucroy and Mathis together. Both were veteran backstops who took nine plate appearances with the Braves before being shunned. Lucroy notched a hit during his run in the Georgia sun; Mathis did not. The Braves will also be sending rings to a few other catchers with forgettable stints, including Kevan Smith and Stephen Vogt.
5. Jay Flaa, RHP
Flaa is the only member of the 2021 Orioles who will get a ring. He made two appearances in The Show all year: one for the O's, then the other for the Braves. He faced eight batters with Atlanta, giving up four runs on three hits, including a pair of home runs. Flaa did make 31 appearances for the Braves' Triple-A affiliate, Gwinnett, with whom he compiled a 5.82 ERA and walked 30 batters in 34 innings.
6. Ty Tice, RHP
Tice spent less than two months with the Braves organization. His contract was purchased from the Blue Jays on June 4; he made his only appearance in the majors with Atlanta on June 21; and then he was claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks on July 21. In that one outing, he faced five batters and allowed a hit and a walk.
7. Carl Edwards Jr.. RHP
Edwards used to be a high-quality reliever. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to find his old magic with the Braves. He faced five batters for the Braves in early May, retiring just one and allowing three runs to score on three hits and a walk. Edwards can at least take solace in knowing that he struck out that one batter he got out: Alec Bohm. That, or, you know, that he now has a pair of championship rings to admire on his mantel. (He was a member of the curse-breaking 2016 Cubs bullpen.)
8. Sean Kazmar Jr., INF
Not to be confused with Scott Kazmir, the veteran left-handed pitcher, Kazmar made history in April by making his first MLB appearance in more than 12 years. Kazmar waited nearly 4,600 days for another call. He subbed into three games, recorded two plate appearances, and didn't get a hit or play the field. He will, nevertheless, forever have a piece of Braves and big-league history. That is, in our view, a worthy trade.
Atlanta Braves World Series championship gear released
The Braves have won their first World Series since 1995. You can now buy Atlanta Braves World Series shirts, hats, jerseys, hoodies, and more to celebrate the historic win. Get gear here now.
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