Tommy Hanson, pronounced dead Monday of catastrophic organ failure, had 10 wins and a 2.44 ERA through 17 starts in the 2011 season, his third with the Braves. If you had asked me then where Hanson would be today I would’ve probably guessed New York or Los Angeles or some other big-market team that could afford his special talent. Certainly not Atlanta.
But a bum shoulder derailed those expectations. Hanson was traded to Anaheim, where he struggled mightily in 2013. That year was made tougher by the sudden death of his stepbrother. Hanson pitched in the White Sox and Giants organizations the last two years but was unable to make it back to the majors.