GLENDALE, Ariz. —
The death last week of 29-year-old former Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson was a reminder of how fleeting life can be. But for a group of Braves minor leaguers, something occurred last summer that already made them appreciate that axiom.
A bus carrying the Braves’ advanced Single-A Carolina Mudcats team ran off a road into a ditch and flipped on its side during the early morning hours May 12 in Columbus County, N.C. The harrowing accident sent seven players and an athletic trainer to the hospital and eventually landed six players on the disabled list, including top pitching prospect Lucas Sims and third base/outfield prospect Dustin Peterson.