It hurts to say it, but it was time for Tom Glavine to go
When Tom Glavine was allowed to leave for the Mets in December 2002, I was outraged. (At the Braves, not at him.) The same Braves released the same Glavine on Wednesday, and here’s what I say now:
Good move.
Tom Glavine is my favorite Brave ever, but it was time — past time — for him to go. I didn’t cheer when they brought him back two winters ago, and I was against giving him another chance in 2009. A 43-year-old coming off shoulder and elbow surgery? With Tommy Hanson waiting in the minors? Was this a big-league baseball season or a sentimental journey?
“This was not a business decision,” Frank Wren told the media Wednesday. “This was a performance decision.” And there should be no arguing with that.
Tom Glavine gave the Braves a lot. He gave them the greatest night of professional sports this city has known. (Game 6, 1995 World Series, eight innings, one hit.) But he has, sad to say, nothing left to give. Wren again: “Our evaluation [of Glavine's rehab starts in the minors] was that he would not be successful at the major-league level.”
It was a grim and defensive Wren who faced the press, and sure enough the question arose: Given that John Smoltz was allowed to sign elsewhere and that Glavine has been cut, was he worried about appearances? “Obviously you’re concerned about everything,” Wren said, “but at the end of the day fans want to win, to be in the playoff hunt … If we have to deal with the consequences of a public-relations backlash, that’s part of doing business.”
Loading ...Then this: “My duty is to give the 25 players in that clubhouse the best chance to win and the best chance to be playing in October.”
And he has. Hanson is en route to the bigs, where he surely belongs. (He’ll start here Saturday night against Milwaukee.) At this point in their careers, is there any doubt a heat-bringing 22-year-old stands to help more than a 43-year-old soft-tosser? Shouldn’t that consideration trump all else?
The belief here is that there will be no massive outcry. (Glavine, as we know, was pilloried locally — and wrongly — for his role as a players’ representative during the 1994 strike.) The belief here is that the Braves will sell more tickets for Hanson’s first big-league start than they would have for Glavine’s 683rd. The belief here is that Wren deserves no grief for this move, none whatsoever.
The Braves hoped Glavine would be ready by April 17, the first time they’d need a No. 5 starter to bring the gap until Hanson was primed. Glavine couldn’t go in April (or May), and now no such gap exists with Hanson. And just because Glavine threw six shutout innings in a Rome rehab start Tuesday cut no ice. Said Wren: “Our view over the course of the last month was that he has not improved.
This wasn’t a hairline call, not for a team that has designs on winning the NL East. Toward that end, Wren traded three big-time prospects to Pittsburgh for center fielder Nate McLouth an hour after announcing Glavine’s release. This general manager is being as aggressive as is financially possible, and we should applaud him for that. Even if Wednesday didn’t seem a time for applause.
Said Wren: “It’s not a pleasant day,” and it wasn’t. Bobby Cox, a man’s man, spoke after the game with reddened eyes. And Chipper Jones, as he invariably does, sounded the exact proper note: “Sentimentally, [the day] stunk. But if you look at it in terms of this organization going forward, you have to hope it’s a step in the right direction.”
Tom Glavine is among the most distinguished Braves ever to wear the uniform. But time waits for no man, and it was time for the team he ennobled to move on.
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518 comments Add your comment
Reid Adair
June 3rd, 2009
8:51 pm
“Braves Fan,” Frank Wren likes to throw that “goal” out there all the time. Unfortunately, his own efforts don’t seem to come close to achieving that goal. Just look at the debacle that was the Braves’ off-season free-agency negotiations.
ChrisfromSacramento, CA
June 3rd, 2009
8:51 pm
I think last night may have been the start of something to look forward to the rest of the season. I hope things keep going in the right direction. But we still need a right handed bad. Oh ya Chip healthy.
ChrisfromSacramento, CA
June 3rd, 2009
8:53 pm
Oh ya Glavine was toast last year. And ask the Mutts about his last start 2 years ago. 7 runs in the first inning on the last day of the season for a chance for the playoffs. Glavine was done.
edward
June 3rd, 2009
8:53 pm
Paul, aren’t we paying alot more money on a washed up player named Frenchy? How about Vazquez? He isn’t exactly lighting fires. Carlyle? Lowe is good, but we overpaid for him too.
How was Glavine an insurance policy? He was on the DL. If I remember my rules, he couldn’t play till he got off the DL. Hanson is the insurance policy. Randy Johnson is still playing and so is Moyer. Moyer throws even softer than Glavine does. It isn’t about how fast you can throw but how well you can PITCH. Johnson didn’t become a good pitcher till he learned how to pitch, not just thro it hard. Hanson will have to learn that too. The hitters in the majors do hit 95-100mph fastballs.
I don’t think you can call it being sappy. I think it’s more about respect and integrity. Neither of which you seem to make a case for having
Reid Adair
June 3rd, 2009
8:53 pm
“ChrisfromSacramento,CA,” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard fans say that already this season. It is moving closer and closer to the Cubs’ fans and their proverbial, “Wait ’til next year.”
Paul Lentz
June 3rd, 2009
8:53 pm
Edward…………Hampton is basically a 5 inning guy. This year, he has 10 starts, 55 innings pitch, 5.07 ERA, 3-4 record. How is that “pitching good”? Unreal.
Hampton, Smoltz, and Glavine….last year’s stats combined……$15mil, $14mil, and $8mil adds up to $37mil….and what did the Braves get for all that money? combined 31 starts…..169 innings pitch….8-10 record…..5.00 ERA.
Frank Wren did the no brainer thing and decided to go in a different direction.
Meanwhile Franceour’s 3rd at-bat….bases loaded, 2 outs….STRIKEOUT. On a bad, bad pitch. Typical Franceour, not delivering in the clutch.
Vickie Carter
June 3rd, 2009
8:54 pm
There is no reason degrade anyone. You can state your opinion of the sport, or a person, or a situation with a little class.
Wes
June 3rd, 2009
8:54 pm
did he just swing at a pitch BEHIND him
Unknown
June 3rd, 2009
8:55 pm
WTF was he swinging at?? He is the “Rally Killer”.
Gravy Train
June 3rd, 2009
8:55 pm
Way to be on the ball as usual Mark.
I grew up watching Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux and Avery. I thought then, that those guys would retire as Braves, but who knew Ted would sell out and let corporations ruin…err, I mean run the club. Glavine is obviously a face of this franchise and he will be missed.
That being said, I’m excited about McClouth and Hanson coming in. Nate has speed and is a solid hitter. Much better than what we had. I predicted a small ball move earlier today on the previous post about Jordan. Shoulda bought a lottery ticket today…
weston
June 3rd, 2009
8:56 pm
it was a good move. Glavine is a has-been. I too was a big Glavine fan during his younger years. But his worn out arm just finally caught up with him. He’s old and it’s time to sit down and let the young guys play.
Pretend Hero
June 3rd, 2009
8:56 pm
Some of the people posting here are just nuts. A year ago Charlie Morton was one of the best young prospects in the who Braves farm system, and Gorkys Hernandez is near the top of the system as well. If you think these guys are going to be nothing more than a Utility Outfielder and a 4th or 5th starter, that means the farm system is EMPTY.
I have nothing against McLouth, but if you look up OVERPAID in the dictionary, this trade is spelled out in detail. OUCH. WTF are they doing. Morton is a mid to top of rotation starter playing lights out ball in Triple A and Gorkys is hitting .300+ tearing up double AA.
As for Glavine, this was handled worse than the Packers handled Brett Favre. If you dont have room for the guy, tell him so, BEFORE he puts in all the rehab, blood, sweat, and tears. It sure seems like Wren or someone wanted to show Glavine up. Pathetic really. I have zero issue with releasing the guy, but treat him like a 300+ game winner, not some chump who could not make the roster.
Pathetic moves by the Braves. Season tickets will not be renewed.
ChrisfromSacramento, CA
June 3rd, 2009
8:56 pm
Well Ried i hope you are wrong. I am trying to stay up beat. But watching Jeff strike out while not even swinging at a strike does make me wonder what the deal is. God he is horrible.
AJC
June 3rd, 2009
8:58 pm
Franceour is soooooo Andruw Jones-esque…Another good starting piching job again by the Braves. Hope it doesn’t go to waste.
NORRIS
June 3rd, 2009
8:59 pm
Glavine had a chance to retire as a brave today and chose to test the market. The funny thing is that he cant cut it and he will find out soon enough. We have scouts for a reason to test whether someone can do it. Glavine just thinks he can still do it. It is hard for an athlete to admit it sometimes that its over.
Wrenn made the best moves he has ever made today!@!!!
ChrisfromSacramento, CA
June 3rd, 2009
8:59 pm
Chip and joe need to shut up about the flame thing. And not say Lowe is going to strike someone out. Next pitch double. Idiots
MikeY
June 3rd, 2009
9:00 pm
All brilliant moves today, my enthusiasm for this season is much higher. Next step: make Soriano the closer, let Gonzalez be the lefty setup man. Gonzo makes me nervous every time he takes the mound. Soriano has looked better all year.
jch
June 3rd, 2009
9:00 pm
I was behind the Braves and FW with the Smoltz ordeal. The Braves offered Smoltz a fair contract with incentives and he chose to leave for more money. End of story and good ridance John. BUT, the way the Braves handled Glavine is a different story entirely. They should have let him come back and try his stuff in Atlanta. Letting this future hall of famer end his Brave’s career in Rome was an example of the TOTAL lack of class Wren has. I don’t feel too sorry for Glavine. He’s a big boy who’s made a lot of money and will, as I said, be in the Hall of Fame one day. It’s the way the Braves handled this that will be remembered. Wren is a big loser for this.
YoungerThanThatNow
June 3rd, 2009
9:01 pm
WRITE THIS DOWN… Tom Glavine will pitch somewhere else in the Major Leagues this year and he will get bombed and it will be embarassing for him. A lot of people saw this coming for Glavine and the Braves gave him the opportunity to exit gracefully and he chose to be released so he could go somewhere else.
I agree that he and Smoltz deserves to retire at their own discretion and the competitor in them tells them that this is the way to go. Only time will tell but odds are that neither of them will ever pitch effectively again for an extended period of time.
I hope that I’m wrong and that the heart of both men shows that which can’t be measured is greater than the physical things that common people believe in.
Regardless of what anyone says, both men left Atlanta because they wanted to leave and even though they would make a few million more dollars, what could a few million more dollars mean to someone that has already made more than them and their children and their grandchildren could ever spend.
If their loyalty had been to the Braves like they say it was, then a few million more dollars shouldn’t have made a hill of beans to them, at least at this point in their careers. Bottom line is they wanted to leave (Glavine when he left for the Mets and Smoltz when he left for Boston) or they would have been in Atlanta to retire as Braves.
It would have been great to see Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz retire at the same time and to then be enshrined in the Hall of Fame at the same time and they should all be in the Hall of Fame. But Glavine and Smoltz decided to try to give it one more shot and make a few more million dollars.
I’ll get attacked for this, but the truth is the truth.
JTibb
June 3rd, 2009
9:01 pm
Now that we’ve beat the Glavine issue into a dead horse, guess the real topic now is the future outfield. McLouth in center, Diaz in left and Schaefer in right?
Reid Adair
June 3rd, 2009
9:02 pm
“ChrisfromSacramento,CA,” you hope I’m “wrong” about what? I’ve heard people say that after a win here or there. I’ve probably heard it 10 times this season. Each time, the anticipated “turnaround” hasn’t occurred. They haven’t “gotten on track.”
As much as I hate to say it, I’m not sure that all of the pieces are in place to get things headed in the right direction – and that starts all the way up at the general manager’s spot.
J. Ken Jones
June 3rd, 2009
9:02 pm
Oh, for Petes sake people, just let it go. Tom Glavine is 43 years old and washed up. It is time for him to retire and let the youngsters come in who have strong arms, and can pitch innings without possibility of messing up arms. I have been pulling for the Braves since they moved to Atlanta from Milwaukeeand will still pull for them through thick and thin. So get over it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No More Bobby
June 3rd, 2009
9:02 pm
Now that he Braves are making moves, can we get rid of TP?
NORRIS
June 3rd, 2009
9:03 pm
pretend hero…Glavine was given every opportunity to show he could do it and it just wasnt there.
As far as Morton. He stunk it up every time we gave him the chance.
so, what do you do? keep these guys that cant cut it and sign glavine who would get blowed out or move them and try to win.
I love the braves and some of those guys but im tired of losing.
MT Braves Fan
June 3rd, 2009
9:04 pm
That’s a rough way to treat Tommy Glavine. He did everything that was asked of him this year, to get back and pitch, and he gets axed just as he’s finally able to do so. Everyone’s vilifying Wren for this, and rightly so, but he’s being vilified for the wrong reason. None of this Glavine drama would have been necessary if Wren hadn’t felt the need to spend $7 million/year for 3 YEARS OF KENSHIN KAWAKAMI!!! That move is now forcing his hand. Wren chose Kawakami over Tom Glavine AND John Smoltz. This man may be unstable. As for Mr. Glavine, all I can say is thanks for all the wonderful memories, ‘95 especially.
LivininAL
June 3rd, 2009
9:05 pm
I dislike the timing of the release of Glavin, but was not looking forward to him being the 5th starter. I applaud the trade, the Braves desperately need some offense from CF. I think Hanson and McClouth give the Braves a shot at post season play.
old fart
June 3rd, 2009
9:06 pm
Tom was terrific. He’s on his way to the HOF. Hopefully he’ll take his release like the professional he was and is. Best of luck to you, Tom. Thanks for everything.
Cox ought to tell the Frenchman that the next time he swings at a first pitch (another pop up), he can keep on walking … out of the dugout, through the locker room, and out to the parking lot. Get in his car and drive north on I-85 to AAA ball. Man … he is stubborn. He just doesn’t get it! The G-Braves should be pretty good with Shafer in Center and Frenchie in Right.
Bring on Hanson. Can’t wait to see him pitch.
Rod
June 3rd, 2009
9:06 pm
I thought Tommy was still with the Mets.
NORRIS
June 3rd, 2009
9:07 pm
smoltz was offered a contract with just as much incentive pay as boston offered. we just didnt offer the guarantee. Anybody should understand with the circumstances we had to make it incentive and not guarantee because of the injury.
so smoltz left because he wanted to.
edward
June 3rd, 2009
9:07 pm
Paul, he is doing good compared to the team he is on. and aren’t you forgetting one other pitcher who cost us money last year? Tim Hudson. Injuries are accidents. If they weren’t hurt and were pitching that bad, then yes, i would be ok with this. But they were injured. So everytime someone gets hurt you would cut them just to save the money? I don’t know where you work, but every player has insurance on them. The salaries were paid mostly through that. So how much of the $37mil was paid out by insurance? I figure maybe about 20mil for the three. then add in Hudson.
Frenchy gets 3.25mil for popping out every 2nd at-bat. Thats more of a waste of money than anything. They should have sent him packing too and left us Gorkys.
Actually that would have been a hell of a deal…Frenchy and those other two for McClouth. McClouth in center or right and Gorkys next to him. Talk about wasting a perfect trade and keeping a top prospect!!
Doesn’t that sound better??
ChrisfromSacramento, CA
June 3rd, 2009
9:08 pm
Chipper is the man period!!
Unknown
June 3rd, 2009
9:10 pm
Why swing at that?
Reid Adair
June 3rd, 2009
9:11 pm
“jch,” Frank Wren is definitely the loser in this, and I believe he has earned it. You may think that Wren offered John Smoltz a fair deal, but Wren lied publicly by saying it was close to Boston’s offer. It wasn’t.
I don’t see this or Glavine’s situation being that different. The primary similarity is that Wren handled both of them horribly.
edward
June 3rd, 2009
9:11 pm
If we had made that trade, we wouldn’t still be needing a right-fielder. The sad fact is is that now we can’t move Frenchy without also losing another top prospect or a good pitcher. Here we go again, sending out our future for what is going to be a loaner when we do move Frenchy.
Scott
June 3rd, 2009
9:12 pm
I don’t know why the Braves paid him the first $Million$ Dollars. What did they get for that? The opportunity to pay his medical and rehab bills. I would take a million to do that. What did they get last year, 2 wins for $8Million$? Good by Greedy Glavin!!
Paul Lentz
June 3rd, 2009
9:12 pm
Edward…..I have been persistent in preaching that the Braves should get rid of Franceour. I disagree with Braves management not benching him. However his contract isnt bursting the payroll ($3.75 mil). I highly suspect that if the Braves cant trade him, then they will no-tender him instead of offering arbitration.
Also, Jamie Moyer is the “exception” not the “rule” when it comes to being old and winning games while throwing soft stuff. There are not alot of Jamie Moyer’s out there.
Again, I did not approve of the move of signing Glavine this spring. However, they only paid him $1 mil to do his rehab thing. It took him 2 months to get in pitching shape. If one of our starters had gotten hurt…or…if Medlen and Hanson werent ready to pitch at the Major League level…then Glavine would have been the “insurance policy” that the Braves could have cashed in (meaning putting him in the 5th spot of the rotation). However, the Braves do not need to pay him $3.5 mil (assuming he were to stick out the whole year) when they can pay either Hanson or Medlen a prorated salary of 400K.
I dont know how you cant say that Javier Vazquez isnt pitching good. He has consistenly pitched in the 7th inning, kept the Braves in games. His 3.58 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 70 innings while only allowing 65 hits is more indicative of how effective he has been, than his 4-4 record. 11 starts, 70 innings equals almost 7 innings a start. Now how is any of that considered “pitching bad”?
Buddy Caryle is a mop-up bullpen kind of pitcher who is only making 425K. I doubt that he has much of a future left for the Braves.
As far as overpaying for Derek Lowe, I would rather overpay for a starter who goes 7 innings pretty much every start, never gets hurt, and pitches like a number 1 starter….than give good money to an injured bum. Many players did not want to sign with the Braves last off season because the Braves had not played well the past 3 years. However, I anticipate the Braves not having quite that problem this off season. Derek Lowe has simply produced and helped stabilize the starting rotation.
As far as respect and class……I respect winning. PEROID!
THE OBGYN
June 3rd, 2009
9:13 pm
Edward. You obviously don’t know baseball if you think glavine was anything other than an insurance policy. Think for a second.
Glavine was pitching in spring training. DL stints do not go from Sept of one year to April of the next.
They signed Glavine thinking and hoping he would be the glavine of 2006/7 of the mets and not the first time DL 08 glavine we recieved. Signing him made some sense because we got him on the cheap for a veteran with big game experience. No one knew his shoulder was going to go to crap. It wasn’t even the problem last year his elbow was. The shoulder was suppose to just be a clean up type situation.
He pitched decently well against A ball. Many of those guys will never see the light of day at double A much less the majors.
Again, Glavine was a security blanket incase Hanson, Melden, or Morton were not ready or were doing horrible at triple A. None of which occured. Add in the fact that Glavine wasn’t there when they needed him in April and you get todays release.
Baseball is a business as much as anything else. If this were Chipper I’d be as upset as the next guy. Glavine while a great brave was treated with respect and given the option of retiring as a brave or getting his release.
Larry
June 3rd, 2009
9:15 pm
This CLASSLESS move ranks up there with the way Jimmy Johnson dumped Tom Landry. It almost seems like the organization was hoping to sell tickets to people with the hopes of seeing Glavine in a Braves uniform one more time. It makes one think that this organization doesn’t remember how to win, they are complacent and even seem happy with 2nd or 3rd place every year. Maybe we’ll get back to the late 70’s when it was easy to get a ticket down low.
Dave In Tampa
June 3rd, 2009
9:16 pm
Absolute CLASSLESS move by this organization. Maybe it was time, but not the way the Braves did it. Gave him hope that he will be up with the big club then cut him 2 days before. You don’t do this to a guy that has meant so much to the great run of the 90’s.
Totally Classless!
WestPalmDawg
June 3rd, 2009
9:17 pm
True or False: after today’s developments, Tom Glavine wears a Braves hat into the Hall?
Wes
June 3rd, 2009
9:17 pm
Reid, Wren is a loser because he wouldn’t dish out big money to two has-been’s who have combined for how many innings pitched this year? OH that’s right. ZERO.
As big as the market is for lefty’s who can’t break 81mph and haven’t pitched in a year…….Glavine is done. Smoltz- he might make a start or two before he is “banged up” and calls it a careet. Man, I sure wish you ran the Braves.
Pretend Hero
June 3rd, 2009
9:17 pm
Norris, thats the whole thing. Glavine was given every opportunity, and he went out and did everything they asked, finishing with 6 shutout innings in his last rehab start. If you dont want the guy, dont put him through the rehab.
As for Morton, he did not set the world on fire last year when he was with the big club, but he is young. He went back to triple A and has been every bit as good as Hanson. You dont give up top of the rotation pitchers and top prospect centerfielders for a guy who is only a slight upgrade from what the Braves already had. This is a guy who is 27, you know what you are getting. He is a career .260 hitter with some speed and power. In three years he will be a .260 hitter who has lost his speed, cant steal bases, and hits 20 home runs a year. What will Gorkys be in three years? This is like trading for Michael Cuddyer. WTF.
TPM
June 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
I have only lived in Atlanta for 11 years and do not pretend to know how some of the life-long Braves fans feel. But the truth of the matter is Smoltz and Glavine stole about 20 million dollars from the Braves last year and have not made a start in nearly a year. Gregg Clifton can spin it anyway he wants, but let’s be honest, the phone did not ring last year from other teams for Hometown Discount Glavine.
Glavine did not average the 15 outs a start to qualify for a win and had an ERA approaching 6 runs. Let’s see what he does if and when he lands a job before we crucify Frank Wren
hop
June 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
another classless move by the braves and frank wren needs to be the one to go.
this team allowed glavine to pitch in 5-6 minor games and he performed well in the last games.
why allow him to go through this process if you were so concerned about saving the money.
i am totally through with the lack of class by the braves and i hope the decline in attendance will continue and the club loses a ton of money.
it is fitting to how they have handled the pitcher who won the only world series championship game during the braves tenure in atlanta.
WestPalmDawg
June 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
BY the way, class does not put people into seats. Atlantans want to see Tommy Hanson’s 87 mph slider, not Tommy Glavine’s 81 mph fastball.
Larry Orange
June 3rd, 2009
9:18 pm
This is to all of you who defending this so-called GM, Baltimore hasn’t come close to the playoffs since 1997. And his moves were part of the problem. And to me, 3 and 6 does not sound like he kept the Braves in very many ballgames to me. And ERA above 4 and half? Please. Ever hear of Jamie Moyer, Mr. Lentz ?
Wes
June 3rd, 2009
9:19 pm
To you “classless” people. Time to step into reality. If you truly believe the Braves just dumped him without giving him the choice of bowing out with some respect, then YOU really are idiots who need to have some filler pumped into your head.
They asked him to retire. He said no. They cut him. He will never sign with anyone ever again.
B-Tank
June 3rd, 2009
9:20 pm
I think one of two things has happened: 1)Wren is BSing everybody about performance, and Glavine will pitch well with another team this year that needs pitching (Phillies, perhaps?). Then, the complainers right now have a legitimate gripe. 2)Glavine knows he’s not quite good enough to compete in the majors now, and he’ll hang it up. In which case, good move, Frank.
Wes
June 3rd, 2009
9:20 pm
PRETEND- hahahaha, he threw 6 scoreless against a bunch of 17 year old Cuban immigrants. Good for him. There wasn’t a radar gun there for a reason. The move saved us at least $3.5 mill and let us finally get an outfielder. Which, by my last count, brings the “actual outfielder” total on the atlanta roster to —- ONE
Unknown
June 3rd, 2009
9:22 pm
Why are all of you bummed about Glavine? He had no problem going to the Mets for more money and he was paid 8 million last season for 2 wins.