Topic: Joey Devine

Joseph Neal "Joey" Devine (born September 19, 1983, in Junction City, Kansas) is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.

Devine was the Braves' first selection (27th overall) in the first round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft out of North Carolina State University, where he had set the Wolfpack record for saves with 24. After being drafted, Devine spent only two months in the minor leagues, pitching with the Single-A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Double-A Mississippi Braves, before being called up to the major leagues on August 20.

Devine encountered early struggles once being called up to the major leagues, becoming the first pitcher in major league history to allow a grand slam in each of his first two games. Braves manager Bobby Cox showed faith in Devine, however, by including him on the postseason roster despite his pitching only five innings with the big-league club during the regular season. In the 18th inning of Game 4 of the 2005 National League Division Series, Devine gave up a walk-off home run to Houston Astros rookie Chris Burke to end the Braves' season.