Editing Bruce Sutter (section)

===Atlanta Braves (1985–1988)===
Sutter joined the [[Atlanta Braves]] in December 1984 as a [[free agent]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Sutter's six-year contract paid him $4.8 million and placed another $4.8 million into a deferred payment account at 13 percent interest. The newspaper estimated that the account would pay Sutter $1.3 million per year for 30 years after the initial six seasons of the contract. Sutter said that he was attracted to the Braves because of [[Atlanta]]'s scenery and his respect for [[Ted Turner]] and [[Dale Murphy]].<ref name=NYBrave>{{cite news|title=Sutter becomes a Brave|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/08/sports/sutter-becomes-a-brave-atlanta-dec-7-ap-bruce-sutter-a-free-agent-relief-pitcher.html|access-date=July 4, 2014|agency=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 8, 1984}}</ref>

Before the start of the 1985 season, Cardinals manager [[Whitey Herzog]] commented on facing the season without Sutter. "To me, Bruce is the best there ever was," Herzog said. "Losing him is like Kansas City losing Dan Quisenberry...I told Bruce, 'Look, you've taken care of your children and your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren. Now, if I get fired in July, will you take care of me and Mary Lou?'"<ref name=Durso>{{cite news|last1=Durso|first1=Joseph|title=Sutter-less Cards optimistic|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/04/sports/sutter-less-cards-optimistic.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 4, 1985}}</ref>

When Sutter arrived in Atlanta, only two Braves pitchers had ever earned 25 or more saves in a season; the Braves in 1984 had recorded 49 saves as a team, just four more than Sutter's own total.<ref name=Marriage>{{cite news|last1=Martinez|first1=Michael|title=Sutter and Braves: A happy marriage|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/31/sports/sutter-and-braves-a-happy-marriage.html|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 31, 1985}}</ref> In 1985, Sutter's ERA rose to 4.48 and his saves total decreased to 23.<ref name=BR/> By the end of the season, he was bothered by nerve impingement in the right shoulder.<ref name=Tribune87>{{cite news|title=Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Bruce Sutter plans to...|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-01-23/sports/8701060551_1_contract-al-pitcher-outfielder-max-venable|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714201814/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-01-23/sports/8701060551_1_contract-al-pitcher-outfielder-max-venable|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 14, 2014|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 23, 1987}}</ref> He underwent surgery on the shoulder after the season, and recovered in time to appear in [[spring training]] in mid-March 1986.<ref name=Robb>{{cite news|last1=Robb|first1=Sharon|title=Atlanta's fireman off to a hot start: Braves relieved after Sutter's first outing|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-03-12/sports/8601150396_1_first-pitch-braves-bruce-sutter|access-date=July 5, 2014|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|date=March 12, 1986|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224603/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-03-12/sports/8601150396_1_first-pitch-braves-bruce-sutter|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Near the end of March 1986, Sutter commented on his recovery, saying, "I'm throwing the ball as hard as I ever have, but it's just not getting there as fast. I don't know what's going to happen. I just have to keep throwing and see. So far, there have been no setbacks. Today I felt great, no problems."<ref name=Slow>{{cite news|last1=Verrell|first1=Gordon|title=Sutter's comeback goes slow: Braves relief ace's velocity in question|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/03/30/sutters-comeback-goes-slow-braves-relief-aces-velocity-in-question/|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=March 30, 1986}}</ref> Sutter started the season with a 2–0 record and a 4.34 ERA in 16 games.<ref name=BR/> He was placed on the [[disabled list]] in May due to arm problems. On July 31, manager [[Chuck Tanner]] announced that Sutter would probably not return to pitching in that season.<ref name=Notebook>{{cite news|title=Wednesday's Notebook|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/07/31/wednesdays-notebook-60/|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=July 31, 1986}}</ref>

Sutter underwent shoulder surgery in February 1987, the third procedure performed on his arm, in an attempt to remove scar tissue and to promote nerve healing. To recover from the surgery, he was required to miss the entire 1987 season.<ref name=Rome>{{cite news|title=Bruce Sutter recovering from surgery|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19870212&id=siBNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3097,2121973|access-date=April 7, 2014|newspaper=[[Rome News-Tribune]]|date=February 12, 1987}}</ref> He returned to limited action with the Braves in 1988.<ref name=PSU>{{cite web|last=Groff|first=Tyler|title=Bruce Sutter|url=http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Sutter__Bruce.html|publisher=Pennsylvania Center for the Book|access-date=November 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515225200/http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Sutter__Bruce.html|archive-date=May 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> In late May, Sutter earned saves on consecutive nights and sportswriter [[Jerome Holtzman]] characterized his pitching as "vintage Sutter".<ref name=Touch>{{cite news|last1=Holtzman|first1=Jerome|title=Sutter finds touch again after not losing heart|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/05/26/sutter-finds-touch-again-after-not-losing-heart/|access-date=July 19, 2014|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=May 26, 1988}}</ref> He finished the year with a 1–4 record, a 4.76 ERA and 14 saves in 38 games pitched.<ref name=BR/> In late September, he had [[arthroscopic surgery]] on his right knee.<ref name=Knee>{{cite news|title=Sutter has surgery|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1988-09-27/sports/8802250647_1_padres-name-president-padres-game-dick-freeman|access-date=July 19, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|date=September 27, 1988|archive-date=July 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729195433/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1988-09-27/sports/8802250647_1_padres-name-president-padres-game-dick-freeman|url-status=dead}}</ref>