The "what if" trade no Atlanta Braves fan can seem to forget is far more than some guy with a large contract or a prospect that didn't pan out. It's worse than that; it's a homegrown kid, drafted and developed, who ultimately went on to become a legend somewhere else.
Each time the Braves consider dealing a young, talented arm, there will be some reference to the "Adam Wainwright Trade." That's because Wainwright represents a cautionary tale; an example of what happens when you develop talent in-house, only to ship it out-of-town at the worst possible moment. What hurts so much is that the Braves lost not just their future ace, but also the opportunity to have a Georgia kid grow up to be a legendary pitcher for the Braves, rather than in somebody else's colors.