Braves have gone from the standard to a sideshow
That's Frank Wren on the left, and the skeleton remains of Tom Glavine and John Smoltz hanging on the right. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com.)
For as much fun as it was to poke fun at the pomposity exuded by John Schuerholz throughout the 1990s — particularly every time he referred to the Braves as a “great, grand organization” — the dapper general manager generally was on point.
The Braves were great. And they were grand. And they were organized.
I’m not sure what’s happened over the last several months. But great and grand have morphed into insignificant and infamous. This is your disorganization now. The Braves aren’t the standard. They’re a sideshow.
They tell Tom Glavine to rehab. But they don’t tell him that they’ve kind of changed their mind about bringing him back.
They tell the public it’s not about the $1 million roster guarantee. But we’ve seen too much evidence to the contrary — declining revenues, declining payroll, the John Smoltz decision — and understand it is about the guaranteed money.
Is it just me, or does Chipper Jones look like he's not buying what John Schuerholz is selling? (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
They claim their reason for Glavine being dropkicked is performance based. But that’s so unbelievably illogical because the man never was given a chance to perform, unless you count his rehab starts in the minors, where, by the way, he had thrown 11 straight shutout innings.
I’m sorry. Was 12 the cutoff?
Braves executive Terry McGuirk, who emerges any time there’s a fire, was asked the obvious question: Why not allow Glavine to pitch even one game and re-evaluate him then? Did the veteran pitcher not deserve that opportunity after months of rehab?
McGuirk’s answer to our David O’Brien: “We’re sort of at the point where every win counts.”
If you looked up disingenuous, you would find Terry McGuirk’s picture.
I’m not disputing that every win counts. But organizations make decisions every day with an eye on tomorrow. Example: The Braves called up Kris Medlen from Gwinnett instead of Tommy Hanson last month because it figured Medlen eventually would be sent back down, and they didn’t want Hanson on a yo-yo. There was never a thought that Medlen was better than Hanson or gave the Braves a better chance to win.
And by the way, how could anybody be certain that Glavine’s arm would fall off in his first start and Hanson will debut with a six-hit shutout . . . and that would be the difference in this year’s pennant race?
I didn’t think anything could top Frank Wren’s mishandling of Smoltz. Then came this latest dumping on a franchise legend.
One reader put it best. “I heard he [Wren] wants to sign Dale Murphy just so he can release him,” wrote Antonio Gramsci.
It has been that kind of year for Wren. This follows a winter of failures, fizzles and soap operas.
Pick your headache. Jake Peavy. A.J. Burnett. Rafael Furcal. Ken Griffey, Jr. A $23 million contract for Kenshin Kawakami (File that one under, “Every game counts.”)
I’ll just say this: Wren had better be right about a lot of things. If the Braves turn back into winners, it justifies a lot (though not everything).
Tom Glavine said he felt blindsided and betrayed. Pretty sure we never heard those words in the 1990s (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com.)
But right now this franchise is in the process of undoing a lot of the goodwill it built up in the 1990s. It has lost cache and class. It makes strange decisions, miscalculates the backlash, and then scrambles to explain itself.
Does this sound like the Braves of 14 straight division titles, five pennants and a World Series?
Schuerholz actually made a public apology Friday about the way Glavine’s release was handled. This came a day after he said: “That was a big organizational moment. It was appropriate and respectful of Tom that we were all there.”
I’m not sure what would be worse: 1) That Schuerholz was just spinning to take some of the heat off Wren; or, 2) That for as long as he, Wren and McGuirk thought about this decision and calculated its delivery, they now admit they just botched it.
Talk about losing a foot off your fastball.
Maybe Tom Glavine pitches again. Maybe not.
Maybe John Smoltz pitches again. Maybe not.
Either way, it doesn’t excuse the way either was handled. It doesn’t excuse a lot of what this organization has become.
It’s hard to say which franchise is now the standard in major league baseball. It’s not hard to determine which isn’t.
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280 comments Add your comment
Mizzou Guru
June 6th, 2009
4:31 pm
I think you make a lot of excellent points in your article. It is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time. I will disagree slightly in regard to Glavine being released. I do agree that it should have been handled better. However, when they signed Glavine it was in the pre-season and he was relatively healthy at that time. One third of the season has passed now, Tommy Hanson is more seasoned, appears ready and I assume has gone passed the Super 2 designation. If Glavine had pitched from the beginning and had performed well, I don’t think the Braves would be in this situation. I think it would be asking too much to allow Glavine to pitch if they believe there are better options given the circumstances that exist now, one third of the way through the season. In regard to the statements made by Wren and JS, the Braves are like any other corporation – they are going to lie to protect the image of the business. If all the the fans or customers understood business, they wouldn’t have to lie. They are never going to say it was about money in regard to Glavine. The reality is that it was about money, but it was also about Tommy Hanson. I think they made a correct business decision. Glavine made a lot of money because baseball is a business. I don’t think he needs to publicly cry because it was a business when they made the decision to release him. He is right in that it could have been handled better.
Shultz sucks
June 6th, 2009
4:31 pm
The name says it all.
Legend of Len Barker
June 6th, 2009
4:32 pm
Sir, these Braves are not a sideshow.
If this was 1978, I’d agree with you. In 1978, the goal was to sell tickets by any means necessary. Baseball second, entertainment first. Or those years that Turner was insistent that the Hawks belonged in Charlotte and made player payroll minuscule.
Sideshow implies that they aren’t trying. It’s not like the Cleveland Indians of old where a sage once commented “if you have any talent, they immediately trade you for three players who don’t.” It’s not Pittsburgh, who just sent us their best player for two middling prospects and someone in Class A.
If Tom Glavine can’t accept that there isn’t anything in the tank, that’s his problem. He was getting paid handsomely to be a big question mark. There are at least six starting arms better than his, including Tim Hudson. Your comment on Medlen is a little awkward. We called Medlen up because we were waiting on Tom Glavine. We potentially held back Hanson because of Glavine.
It sounds like we didn’t have to call up Glavine to reevaluate him. Something troubled scouts in Rome. If it’s obvious the man is missing something in Rome, he’s going to get shellacked up in the big leagues.
Besides, Glavine and Smoltz never showed much team loyalty. Both bolted to so-called greener pastures because of a small amount of money. Smoltz cried about how often he’s given us a team discount. How much money do either of these men need to live? If you have to pay a king’s ransom for loyalty, it isn’t worth it.
The Braves went on an incredible run for 13 years. We’re struggling now. Cyclical thing. The Yankees spend a boatload of money for nary a World Series ring. The Big Red Machine dominated the 1970s and late 1980s. Pittsburgh, you know, used to be good.
Have the Braves made a few bad decisions? Yes. But they haven’t sacrificed their integrity like Los Angeles did when it signed Manny Ramirez. Bobby Cox has lost his grip on managerial decisions (know what a stolen base is, Bobby?) but not on character.
I say the blame for the Braves woes lies on the shoulders of Cox and his current players.
gold and white
June 6th, 2009
4:32 pm
well said jeff
Ward Cleaver
June 6th, 2009
4:32 pm
I always liked it when she said that.
mountain_jim
June 6th, 2009
4:32 pm
Is it football season yet?
braves70
June 6th, 2009
4:33 pm
ThanksJeff. You nailed it. The Braves as an organization flat out stink right now. This is worse than the bad days of the 70s and 80s. The Braves have lost me as a fan after 39 years. I will remain an uninterested observer until Frank Wren’s head is served to us on a platter. I do thank JS for his apology. If he had been in total charge of things, this may not have happened. Happiness will be seeing the headline: “Frank Wren out as Braves GM.”
Retired on the Lake (formerly cityofdecatur)
June 6th, 2009
4:34 pm
Dear member of the tribe, (schul…tzie knows what i mean) WRONG Smoltz bolted cause he got impatient and greedy Wren set a timetable very early on with John (i’m always right and we do it my way) Smoltz but that didn’t meet Smoltz’s wants. Did Tommy (a few more shekels to play in gotham) Glavine ever apologize to the team or fans for bolting to the hated Mets. After taxes he made just enough to fly the family to NYC for games. these two former icons of the Braves are behaving like spoilded brats. Did Glavine’s contract guarentee a roster sp0t where is it written we should pay Smoltz 5 million for not playing Hell we paid him 10 million (or more ) for not playing last year. enough of this dreck. in this economy neither of these millionaires are worth what they thinik the are.
SHOULDA GOT DUNN
June 6th, 2009
4:35 pm
Schultz you suck.. Stop writing. Thank you. Have a nice day!!
Frankie Knuckles
June 6th, 2009
4:35 pm
Schultz – your right. No one is looking forward to watching Hanson debut tomorrow. Glavine was insurance. We didn’t need that insurance. He made a million dollars for a few months of work ( in the second great depression I might add ). I’ve ruined two keyboard because i can’t stop sobbing for the guy. The Braves will be back. Wren is making shrewd moves. Lets start the new era. Go Braves!
O'brien
June 6th, 2009
4:35 pm
Jeff, I think the Braves handled it the wrong way (again).
What I would like to know is how many games are they going to continue to play Frenchy (.248 avg, .271 OBP, 6 walks, 33 SO). I wonder how many men has Francoeur left on base this year. I guess they dont have anybody better right now…
wawel78
June 6th, 2009
4:36 pm
I disagree the fan base is split. Of course, I post mainly on MB blogs but I think it is at least 60-70% of fans agreeing with the decision.
I also think it’s fair to say if you disagree with the decision right or wrong, you don’t put as much emphasis on winning, which, in the end, is what all this is about (unless your name is Bonds).
eric the elder
June 6th, 2009
4:37 pm
The Atlanta Braves are now officially a train wreck. Smoltz and Glavine acting lke cry babies, Schuerholz showing up Wren, Francouer showing up Pendleton . . .
Meanwhile, the team is in a death spiral because no one has figured out what a bat is for.
wawel78
June 6th, 2009
4:37 pm
So o’brien, you’re not ok with them giving Franceour a chance and you’re not ok with them NOT giving Glavine a chance. Which is it?
From the other blog
June 6th, 2009
4:38 pm
Your all loosers. Come back over hear to our regula blog.
Reid Adair
June 6th, 2009
4:39 pm
“Phinfan4ever,” are you serious?
“The Braves are performing at a much higher level than you are and their future looks even brighter.”
You are referring to the Braves’ team that is currently 26-27, right? The same team that managed just TWO hits against the Milwaukee Brewers last night?
BravesDave
June 6th, 2009
4:39 pm
This opinion piece is a joke. I think it was more of a sideshow to pay two 40+ year old pitchers a combined $22M last season and then watch them break down after a few appearances. Maybe Wren should just hand over control of the Braves to Smoltz and Glavine. Seems like that would make everyone, including AJC writers, happy.
The fact is that, say what you like, the public negotiations with Furcal, Griffey, Burnett, and Peavy were not handled all that well, but they were nonetheless attempts to improve the team. Do you rip the White Sox and Cubs because they also had publicly-held negotiations with the Padres over Peavy??
Give it a rest, Schultz. Glavine is not owed anything by this franchise. I am quite sure that if he retired, he would have had a beautiful ceremony later this season where his number was retired. What more is he owed? $1M for a final start in a Braves uniform? Please.
I don’t remember Smotlz or Glavine thanking anyone for their $22M in salaries last season when they contributed NOTHING. Shut up and move on.
Robert(Chipper Is The Best)
June 6th, 2009
4:40 pm
Schultz, you’re right to some degree but wrong in another sense. I think where Wren messed up was that he should’ve never offered Glavine a contract in the first place. That was done out of misguided loyalty instead of common sense. Glavine was barely effective in 2007 and what little he did pitch in 2008 was anything but impressive.
I think the Braves mishandled the situation. They should’ve come at Tommy a different way. But, how do you explain away the fact that every single scout said that Glavine could not get major league hitters out consistently. Only one person in the orginization thought he could pitch and that was Cox. And, quite frankly, I love Bobby and all but lately his talent assessments haven’t exactly been dead on. According to him, Frenchy is still in a rut-one that has lasted two plus years now and Brian Jordan could still be a viable hitter in the majors.
Fact is Wren did what was best for the team now and in the future. Taking shots at him about KK are unfair considering a half season hasn’t even been completed yet and KK hasn’t pitched that bad really. I think he did a great job getting Lowe, Vasquez and Anderson. I also think the McClouth deal will workout great even though I don’t think it is enough. And, if Wren was really as cold hearted as he is potrayed he would’ve long ago sent Francouer’s not hitting butt on his way!
Reid Adair
June 6th, 2009
4:41 pm
“Retired on the Lake,” why does Tom Glavine owe anyone an apology for going to New York? The Braves let negotiations break down between the two parties, and then the Braves weren’t willing to make the commitment in terms of years that Glavine wanted. It was NOT about the money.
aswingruber
June 6th, 2009
4:43 pm
Jeff,
If I’m not mistaken Bobby Cox was present in the meeting when Tommy was let go and very much a part of the decision making process. Why stop with McGuirk, Wren and Schuerholtz as long as we’re throwing management under the bus? Is there a reason you excluded Bobby from your berating?
I disagree with your column. The Braves gave him the benefit of the doubt after elbow and shoulder surgery by entrusting the 5th spot to him to begin the season. He was physically not able to go in April. His purpose was to bridge the gap to Hanson and there was no guarantee that Hanson was going to be ready this early so what’s wrong with taking a long contemplative look at Glavine in his rehab and Hanson in Gwinnett to determine who would fill the role best? Nothing. Bottom line is Tommy H is ready to go and Tommy G is not and we’re trying to win ball games.
tpm
June 6th, 2009
4:46 pm
I just looked on redsox.com and can’t find John Smoltz on their active roster. So – please expain to me why it was a mistake for Frank Wren to let him walk.
Good Grief Braves Nation – Move on !!
Reid Adair
June 6th, 2009
4:46 pm
“The fact is that, say what you like, the public negotiations with Furcal, Griffey, Burnett, and Peavy were not handled all that well, but they were nonetheless attempts to improve the team. Do you rip the White Sox and Cubs because they also had publicly-held negotiations with the Padres over Peavy??”
“BravesDave,” it’s not that the Braves didn’t get those players; it’s how the situations were handled. The negotations that the two Chicago teams had with Peavy were NOTHING like what happened with any of the Braves’ negotiations, especially with Rafael Furcal and Ken Griffey Jr.
It’s also about the lies. Wren lied when he said the Braves’ offer to Smoltz was close to Boston’s; it wasn’t. If he didn’t want Smoltz, just say so. Don’t try and make it look like the offers were similar and Smoltz chose Boston.
And don’t lie now. Wren can say what he wants, but saving the $1 million that they would have owed Glavine for being on the Major League roster helps with McLouth or any other moves they may make. That is far more logical than saying it was based on “performance.” One start with the Braves wasn’t going to ruin the season (the team is currently 26-27).
Langley
June 6th, 2009
4:47 pm
Glavine left the Braves to go to their competitor , the Mets, for more money. That was business. Now the Braves cut an aging player, who played for the competition for 5 years, Jeff says it was not handled well. In my opionion, Glavine lost special treatment when he left the Braves for an extra million or 2- that was his choice- now he whines- let him go back and pitch for the competition again if any wants to take him.
Christy
June 6th, 2009
4:48 pm
I’m so tired of all those fans who hate Glavine because he went to NY. Why is it okay for the Braves to do business but not Glavine? If Maddux had been the Players Rep in 1994 and voted for strike, would all of you have hated on him as much as on Glavine for doing what the players elected him to do? Get over it…
As for this latest fiasco – it’s not that Hanson won’t be the next golden arm, or that it won’t be great to see him pitch – it’s that it is irrelevant. The Braves were the definition of “class”, now they are the definition of “crass”. I ask, what great player would want to devote their prime years to that kind of organization? You say now it doesn’t matter, but when Escobar, or Hanson or McCann are up for renewal in a couple of years, will you care then? Will it matter then? Will it matter if a Free Agent has the ability to choose between the Braves and someone who they know will not drop kick them through the door?
Frank Wren deserves all the backlash and the backfire he gets from this and more.
Brownie
June 6th, 2009
4:49 pm
Incredible journalism Jeff…it’s hard to imagine how much effort it must have taken you to make EVERY comment written completely incorrect!!
You and the talk radio guys need to put away your hankies and stop crying a river for Glavine. The truth here is that the Braves did NOTHING wrong, and Tom G is the one who turned this into a sideshow.
The Braves did not ask or beg Tom to come back, and went about their business in rebuilding the pitching staff not counting on TG at all. Tom was the one who came to the Braves and asked to come back. Then they agreed to pay him $1,000,000 just for his autograph…here’s a million to rehab (pretty good work if you can get it). And they didn’t MAKE him go thru rehab starts – that’s std procedure (Hudson’s about to do it next month).
After the Rome start, the Braves honestly told TG they didn’t think he had enought to succeed at the major league level. So what did TG do? He went to the press for an interview where he said “I feel great…I’m ready…I don’t know what else they want me to do!” He intentionally AND PUBLICLY put the spotlight on the Braves to either activate him or force his release. He’s just like a lot of once-great athletes who can’t bring themselves to admit it’s time to hang it up, e.g. Holyfield, Ali, Willie Mays, Joe Namath, Dominique, and yes even Michael Jordan.
Let’s say Wren HAD activated Glavine ($1,000,000 more spent by a budget-constrained team) and he goes out against the Brewers and essentially throws them batting practice with his 80 MPH fastball and his 75 MPH change-up. He gets shelled, and Bobby Cox, ends up overworking his bullpen. You can plan on that every 5th day, because Glavine hasn’t been effective for 3+ years. You know Cox will support his aging star, and he’ll somehow last 30 days and there goes another $1.25 million.
Glavine goes on the air and calls the Braves liars, and says he NEVER considered the fact that he wouldn’t make the team, and the Braves are just cheap because they “OWE” him his bonus for going throught rehab. What arrogance!!!! He signed the contract didn’t he?? It clearly stated that he only got the next $1 million if he could prove that he was capable of making the team and help them win. AND here’s the newsflash: that decision is not Glavine’s, it’s the Braves. Just because he says he’s ready doesn’t mean they rubberstamp him in.
The same idiots who are now crying over Tommy and blaming Wren will be the same guys who will crucify them at trade-deadline time when they don’t make a move for a big bat because they gave all their available capital to Glavine just for a little PR and nostalgia.
Finally, your canonizing of Schuerholz is laughable. Yes during the 90’s when he had at least the third highest payroll in baseball he was a “genius”. However after the turn of the century he made horrible decisions by gutting the farm system to bring in “rental” players like Drew, Renteria, Sheffield, Mondasi and Texeira, just to name a few. While some of them played well, these weren’t teams built to win a World Series and none of them stayed or were kept more than a year or so.
JS handed over the Braves to Wren in broken condition, and Wren has done a great job of rebuilding quickly, making tough decisions. You should be applauding Wren for his performance.
Sam Everyman, Citizen Journalist
June 6th, 2009
4:50 pm
These AJC blogs always amuse. Glavine has been called a pre-madonna. Could be – he seems like a material guy. I say call him “finished”. Get ready for a union grievance. It’s coming and it fits the profile. I may stick around and help Jeff cover it. Jeff can set the standard and I’ll cover dixie.
Rico Carty
June 6th, 2009
4:50 pm
This column is off base. Glavine has been compensated well by the Braves. I didn’t see Glavine try to give the money back when he wasn’t pitching last year. The Braves management have an obligation to put the best twenty-five players on the team and in their judgement Glavine wasn’t in that group. The Braves owe Glavine nothing. Glavine has already made one million dollars this year pitching a few innings of minor league baseball. Frank Wren did the right thing.
Michael Ruffin
June 6th, 2009
4:54 pm
The moves themselves make sense, at least much more sense than the move of nearly mortgaging the future on rent-a-mecenary Texeira.
This team should have bitten the bullet two or three years ago, dumped every grizzled vet they have, including Smoltz and yes, even Chipper (heresy!) gone to a youth movement, been terrible for two or three years, and then reemerged as a championship quality team built around Andrus, Salty, Hanson, Medlen, and Schaeffer, with Freeman and Heyward coming a year or two later to bolster the situation.
But they didn’t. Now they are doing what has to be done to try to make this team better.
The one problem is the way they handle things. Obviously, Glavine should never have been signed for this year; he deserved better than the treatment he got under these circumstances. Still, given the starters we have, he probably would not be an upgrade at this point.
I just hope this doesn’t make him decide to go into the Hall wearing a Mets cap.
Coach ( Moon Pie, Anyone?)
June 6th, 2009
4:58 pm
Frank Wren is a hatchet man, he’s also an excellent baseball executive. His ego tends to outshine his talent. We saw it years ago with the incident involving Cal Ripken jr. Now with Smoltz and Glavine. By my count, that’s three Hall of Fame baseball players who have been dissed by our GM.
I said all that to say this, Not only does Bobby Cox need to retire, Frank Wren needs to find another calling in life. Winning friends and influencing people is not his strong suit.
Our Manager and GM are both embarrassment’s. One deserves to retire, the other needs the hatchet himself before he does even more damage to this great franchise.
Retired on the Lake (formerly cityofdecatur)
June 6th, 2009
4:58 pm
Reid Adair If you think Glavine did not bolt for more money you are probably looking at part of your large intestine get your head out of your a$$ and wake up. He had more loyalty to the union then to the team or fans. As for the extra year that i believe you think he did for free. GLAVINE and SMOLTZ crybabys each . Glavine said at the end of last year Braves or retire . he was given the option of retiring . guess his word is not worth wooden nickel.
Sam Everyman, Citizen Journalist
June 6th, 2009
4:59 pm
Who cares what cap Glavine wears going into the Hall? If he doesn’t conduct himself like a champion why would anyone care? For my money, he can go in wearing the union label.
Douglas
June 6th, 2009
5:00 pm
While I appreciate what Schuerholz did for the Braves, I also think a lot of the decisions he made in the short-run are now catching up with the Braves — he traded away a lot of our young talent for guys who were mostly washed up. I prefer to build for the long haul from our minor league teams with some veterans mixed in. Until the Braves start doing that, they will continue to be a sideshow. I no longer have any interest in watching them because I don’t think they will be in the World Series for a long time. Thank Goodness UGA and Ga Tech have good baseball teams for the state of Ga.
Retired on the Lake (formerly cityofdecatur)
June 6th, 2009
5:03 pm
Hooray for Frank Wren. keep swinging the hatchet and keep trying to IMPROVE the team we don’t pay to watch has beens at these prices!
DHD
June 6th, 2009
5:03 pm
I hope this story doesn’t linger like Mike Vick. Of course, if this will give them something to write about instead of Vick. That is a good thing….so….never mind.
Retired on the Lake (formerly cityofdecatur)
June 6th, 2009
5:04 pm
Sam Everyman, Citizen Journalist …….right on bro you said it very well
YoungerThanThatNow
June 6th, 2009
5:04 pm
I personally don’t believe that shooting the messenger (in this case, Jeff) is appropriate and let’s just think about this… we all have opinions. Even Jeff is entitled to his, with the only difference being that he gets paid to express his and the rest of us don’t.
I agree with the decision on Tom Glavine and on John Smoltz and in my humble opinion both left because they wanted to… Glavine in 2002 and Smoltz this year. My thinking here is that at this point in their careers and with the $$$ that they’ve made, what would a few million more dollars mean to them. To all of us here, it would mean an awful lot, (winning the lottery?) but to these guys who have already made the money that they’ve made it shouldn’t mean much. If there loyalty was to the Braves as they’ve professed, they would be here today… albeit, a few million dollars less richer maybe, but they would be here.
I do have a problem with the way all of this has gone down and genuinely wish that they would join Maddux, realize that their best days are past, announce their retirement and go into the HOF just as they mowed down the NL, together.
I always thought the great Mike Schmidt hung it up too soon, but in hindsight (I know, it’s 20/20) he hung it up when he realized that he couldn’t perform like he did in his prime and made a tough decision. But he went out with me and most others thinking that they had seen the greatest third baseman of all time, who did it his way… including hanging it up.
cvbraves
June 6th, 2009
5:06 pm
Article/column deserves no comment!
N8
June 6th, 2009
5:10 pm
You want to talk about how things have been “mis-handled”, how about starting to man up and calling attention to the way Bobby has been running this team for the last 3+ years?
Wren’s just trying to clean up the mess that JS left behind while “going for it” with the Tex trade, and wasn’t gonna sit around (and get burned again), by waiting for Smoltz and Glavine to anchor this rotation.
As for AJ Burnett, Furcal and Griffey? Really? That’s Wren’s fault? Here I thought all along that DOB was to blame for Griffey not coming to the Braves? I wish somebody would have told me that.
Didn’t Burnett’s wife decide where he was going to play? Didn’t Peavy veto a trade to the Braves? Or was it that SD’s GM was asking for Hanson in return?
Let me guess. Had Wren traded Hanson for Peavy, you’d be praising him right now? If the answer to that question is NO. Then why bring up the Peavy trade talks as “failure”? Or in a tone that Wren was made to look like the fool there?
The only part I’m disappointed in the Braves for NOT doing with Glavine is offering him a position within the organization. I think had they done that RIGHT NOW (actually at the time of the meeting), my guess is he’s retired and NOT on the radio shows blasting them.
Or perhaps they could have given him the million bucks as a gesture of good faith (or added it to his “salary” for being an instructor or something).
But to call what Wren is doing a “side show”? Nope. A side show would be entertaining and worth paying attention to. The Braves (with Bobby at the helm) are neither.
Win games. It’s that simple. Win games and the division and NOBODY will remember any of this nonsense. How many people were still upset about trading Dale Murphy away in 1995? Not as many as there was in 1990, I’m guessing.
If Tommy Hanson, Medlen, and JJJ lead this team to another string of playoff drives, not too many people gonna actually remember how Glavine and Smoltz were “treated” on their way out. Especially since the two of them combined for 91.1 IP last year, which cost the Braves 22 million dollars. Add in Hudson and Hampton’s salary, and Wren CANNOT be blamed for wanting to spend another penny on either of them.
Smoltz didn’t want an incentive type contract. He left. I’d say “period”. “End of discussion”. But Smoltz won’t shutup about it. So it’s far from over.
Had Wren not have had Smoltz and Glavine on the “books” last year. Perhaps he could have been a “buyer” instead of a seller, and went after CC Sabathia? and or Jason Bay?
You want to blame somebody, blame Liberty Media.
Then again, it sounds like you’d be happy with a “farewell” old-timers tour of losers. Not saying Glavine and Smoltz are losers.
But I bet you’d be the FIRST one on the mountain top claiming Wren “wasted” money, had he given Smoltz and Glavine big guaranteed contracts, and they didn’t help us win.
Get over it, and yourself.
Knockahoma
June 6th, 2009
5:10 pm
Whatever. Glavine deserved what he got.
You shouldn’t have left us for the Mets, Tommy. Bad karma.
Brian22
June 6th, 2009
5:11 pm
Jeff, I rolled my eyes at the title, but then read the article, and sadly, could not agree more with it. Unfortunately, I’d say you’re on point.
EverydayPeople
June 6th, 2009
5:12 pm
Jeff I agree that this matter was not handled correctly, and Glavine deserved much better from this organization. Having said that I have every confidence that Frank Wren is making every effort to improve this Franchise. He is unwilling to mortgage off the future for splash like his predecessor. The decision to bring up young Tommy Hanson at the expense of Glavine is justified, but poorly executed, however I am very happy that JS called and apologised to Glavine. Those fans who continue to hate on Glavine seems to forget his stellar performances in the only World Series we have won and his superb pitching over those several years of good Baseball. His work as a union Rep does not diminish his value to the Braves, neither did his stint in NY with the Mets. I guarantee you that had Ted Turner been still the owner of the Braves Glavine would never had gone to the Mets. It was not all his fault, the stingy ownership deserve some blame.
Johnny Tomatoes
June 6th, 2009
5:12 pm
Matt Diaz or David Ross should be at 1B. Prado is a utility man, plain
and simple. Until Kotchie comes back, that is your best chance for a few extra hits and/or rbi’s. Also, Norton’s days are clearly over. The
Managers’ hands are tied with what he has for bench players.
Ward Cleaver
June 6th, 2009
5:14 pm
Jeff, you are attracting unsavory rif raf from that other blog. Try using more multi-syllable words.
Todd
June 6th, 2009
5:15 pm
Great post Jeff, you’ve summed it up perfectly. The pomposity that led Schuerholz to call the Braves a great, grand franchise is now contributing to making decisions in a bubble, damn the fallout. Yes legends eventually have to let go, but how you treat them on their way out separate ordinary franchises from great ones. Sadly the Braves have become just like everyone else, and that’s really a shame.
Drew Emerson
June 6th, 2009
5:15 pm
Florida-two World Series titles with re-built teams.
Braves-one World Series title with Maddox, Smoltz and Glavine.
They should be glad they didn’t play for Florida. They would have
been traded years ago. Instead, we have them acting like the Pro
Gods we have created.
RB
June 6th, 2009
5:18 pm
Hanson or Glavine, that’s all this was about. Glavine left for NY and got what he had coming to him. I can’t wait for tomorrow.
N8
June 6th, 2009
5:19 pm
What’s the big deal about what he did to Ripken? What? He had the plane take off because he was late? So what. Ripken has money. Find another “ride”.
Where is the line supposed to be drawn at how you treat stars? Wren treated Ripken like any other player should have (would have) been treated. He was late, so they left.
Barry Bonds asked for (and got) a suite on the road. People said he was “coddled” too much? Where’s the line?
I’m sure as soon as the players union agrees to start giving back salary for time “missed” due to injury, owners will start offering to give guys like Glavine a million dollar “bonus” just to find out if he’s able to pitch against major leaguer’s.
You know. I was actually bummed when we didn’t get Glavine a couple of off-season’s ago. He WOULD HAVE helped that year. I was happy when we got him back last year. I was FINE with him and Smoltz getting incentive based deals this past off-season for emergency purposes and out of respect to them wanting to finish up in Atlanta.
But the ultimate irony, is that whether Wren was involved or not back in 02 with the Braves negotiations with Glavine and the fact that Glavine was the players rep for the union, it is TOO FUNNY. Couldn’t have happened to a “better guy”.
Tom’s stance, attitude and public display of both (which btw, I sided with at the time – anybody who’s read old stories of owners weaseling out of incentives and bonuses – which pretty much led to the “Black Sox” scandle, can’t help but side with the players to an extent), came back to bite him.
I’m willing to bet that if it were anybody else, this might have went down differently, but the irony is that of anybody out ther, Glavine SHOULD understand the business side of baseball.
John Michaels
June 6th, 2009
5:21 pm
It’s hard to say which blog is the standard in AJC sport’s blogs.It’s not hard to determine which isn’t.
Jeffrey Weeks
June 6th, 2009
5:23 pm
I’m not sure what “goodwill” the Braves are throwing away– it seems to be the “goodwill” of a very select few. The Braves latest moves have finally paid heed to the obvious wishes of the fans over the media that covers the team and the players, many of whom aren’t even with the team now.
Really, I am as wistful for the old days as anyone who has been a lifetime Braves fan, but the idea of giving Glavine a one-game shot for nostalgia or eating $1 million for “goodwill” is just awful baseball logic. It’s the kind of thinking that has gotten the Braves where they are now.
A few years back Glavine could have stayed with the team for “goodwill” but he took the money and went elsewhere. And he was right to, just like the Braves were right to let a guy go who couldn’t throw an 87 mph fastball.
Perhaps it’s been so long since the Braves were making wise decisions that it looks like a sideshow to the folks closest to it. But anyone who actually reads the comments of the fans day in and day out knows Glavine doesn’t have half the following the recent stories have made him out to have.
Really, the Braves are throwing away our “goodwill” by cutting Glavine? That is the reporters talking, the fans are NOT saying that.
Nostalgia is what the HOF is for. I’d like some wins.
MK
June 6th, 2009
5:23 pm
The Atlanta media is never outraged at Bobby Cox. Glavine left the Braves for New York, where was the outrage directed at Tom? Smoltz should have been a class act and retired instead of trying to take a few million more dollars and see how his arm held up with no guarantees. I do believe he left us?
I just wish that you at the AJC and Atlanta Sports Talk Radio would start asking Frank the tough questions about Bobby Cox. I don’t care what he did in the 90’s. All I know is I have seen many Braves games in both Turner Field as well as Fulton County Stadium and we have only ONE WORLD SEREIS CHAMPIONSHIP!
So get off of Wren when he makes the right move and start asking some of the hard questions to the Manager, like why is Kelly still leading off and what took so long to send Josh to AAA? Notice how Andrew Jones sat in LA? He never sat under Bobby. The players are to comfortable and aren’t made to press. JF is a perfect example. Why is he not in AAA? If we are going to lose then let’s at least try and play different players while we do it…
GO BRAVES, SEE YA TOMMY (Maybe the union is hiring)…