(News is always bound to happen when I'm drinking at the pub.) The Braves released the unpopular reliever Jeff Bennett on Thursday. The AJC has the details:

The Braves didn’t announce it at the time, but they suspended his pay beginning June 25. He filed a grievance with the players association and continued his rehab, including two recent minor-league appearances.

When the grievance was heard, the Braves were directed to either "cure the default" by giving him his back pay for the period he was suspended, or allow him to become a free agent. Braves media-relations director Brad Hainje said Bennett requested the team release him from his contract, which they did.

Bennett had a good-looking line on the surface, okay, a good-looking 3.18 ERA, but as we all know ERA can be deceiving. He had a 1.85 WHIP, which is sub-pedestrian. He also had an .836 OPS-against, which is fawful. Jeff Bennett's 3.18 ERA is probably the most hollow 3-something ERA in the history of the game.

With some terrible losses, he was much maligned by Braves fans, including the game which led to his wall-punching incident that landed him on the DL. I like the hard line that the Braves took by essentially not paying him for being an idiot -- well done front office.

No big loss for Atlanta. Addition by subtraction, and we open up a 40-man roster spot for Jason Hey...... did I say that? If you're a corner outfielder for Atlanta you better not get injured in the next few months.