When dealing with legends, there’s rarely an exit strategy
“It’s not how you go about it,” John Smoltz told reporters this week, but how do you go about it? If you’re suggesting, as Smoltz and others have, the Braves mishandled the release of Tom Glavine … well, how do you handle it? How does a team say goodbye to someone who isn’t ready to leave?
Joe DiMaggio retired at age 37, saying he could no longer “be Joe DiMaggio every day.” Today’s athletes are different. Smoltz got mad and left for Boston because the Braves had the gall to offer too little money to a 41-year-old pitcher — he has since turned 42 — coming off shoulder surgery. And now they’ve angered Glavine, who’s 43 and coming off shoulder and elbow surgery.
Two days after he was lopped, Glavine launched a counteroffensive. He accused the Braves of lying to him and being cheap. He said he merited special treatment for his years of meritorious service. Brett Favre felt the same. Brett Favre went from being the Green Bay Packers to despising the Green Bay Backers because they didn’t show due deference.
But should due deference to a legend trump the greater goal of all professional teams, which is the winning of games? The hardest thing for any ballplayer is to know when to stop playing ball, and the great ones find it hardest of all. They always think there’s another big game or another touchdown pass in that famous arm.
Joe Namath went out as a Ram, Michael Jordan as a Wizard. Roger Clemens “retired” so many times we needed an abacus to keep track. Randy Johnson won his 300th game at age 45, working for his sixth different franchise. And this was the career path of Greg Maddux after he left the Braves in 2003: Cubs to Dodgers to Padres back to Dodgers.
Loading ...Yes, there’s money still to be had, lots of money. But these guys have made more for one year’s work than the average Joe or Jane earns in a lifetime. How much is enough? How long is too long? What happened to the concept of a graceful exit at the top of one’s game? Did it walk away in 1966 with the princely Sandy Koufax?
John Schuerholz felt moved to apologize Friday for the way things ended with Glavine — “The environment and the tone and the manner … didn’t feel comfortable to me,” Schuerholz told reporters — but what could the Braves have done? Cut him in spring training? (Wouldn’t Glavine have then said, “You didn’t even give me a chance”?)
Brought him up for one start and paid him his million-dollar bonus while strongly suspecting he’d get tattooed? (And what if, come October, the Braves found themselves one game out of the playoffs? Would Glavine have apologized to them?) Should they have offered him a job as a coach? Shoved aside Joe Simpson in the TV booth? Made Glavine general manager and booted Frank Wren to the curb?
In the clear light of hindsight, the Braves might have rushed things. They could have tried to arrange a formal news conference, as opposed to the hasty gathering behind the press box a half-hour before Wednesday’s game, but Glavine had made it clear he wasn’t retiring. And he said Friday he wants little to do with the Braves now. So there.
Every legend wants to depart “on his own terms,” but seldom do those terms account for anyone else’s. This isn’t Tee Ball. Not every player gets to play in every big-league game. And it’s the guys who were once the best players who can’t seem to grasp they’re just not as good anymore.
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194 comments Add your comment
Mark Bradley
June 5th, 2009
11:37 pm
Thanks, Piedmont. Thanks, Billy.
Lefty
June 5th, 2009
11:50 pm
Sandy Kofax, Joe Dimaggio, Barry Sanders, Jim Brown, Roger Staubach, Robert Smith, John Elway, Bjorn Borg, Annika Sorenstam…all retired BEFORE they were out of shape and ineffective. Oh, and none of them made anywhere near the money that Tommy has made (well, maybe Annika did). I think the question that needs to be asked is, Why did Glavine put the Braves in such an awkward position? Does he really think he can still get big league hitters out? The difference between denial and delusional is very narrow, indeed.
Glavine got the Class A hitters out in Rome because none of them know where the strike zone is, or they’re too impatient to wait for pitches in it. The Brewers would have had batting practice on Sunday if Glavine would have pitched – and he wanted a million dollars to throw it to them. It’s pathetic when you can’t face reality.
bigjohnchopfan
June 5th, 2009
11:51 pm
“Well, our scouts all agreed that [Brooking] couldn’t tackle anybody anymore.”
I think the entire City of Atlanta (and the State of Arizona) would agree. Glad he’s gone!!
GO BIRDS GO!!!
Billy
June 5th, 2009
11:52 pm
Completely off subject, I just saw your former colleague, Mr. Moore, on NFL Network described as “AOL Fanhouse Columnist.” No matter how many times I disagreed with the guy (> 95%), it’s hard to see a guy that you grew up reading in a physical newspaper having to write for a website. No matter what most of these losers say, I’m glad that you’re still here. I left Atlanta 6 years ago. Reading you, Schultz, and Mr. Bisher makes me feel at home.
Homer the Brave
June 5th, 2009
11:54 pm
**Mark Bradley**, thanks for giving me more than my fair share of sports articles to read. It really helps the scotch go down while I mourn the loss of Glavine (and the eventual “release” of Chipper Jones). I love ya, man!! *hiccup!*
Matt Winkeljohn
June 5th, 2009
11:58 pm
Well put.
Matt
June 6th, 2009
12:03 am
Money says he ends up with Stan Kasten in DC and ends up with the most wins in their rotation with 8.
Just one man’s guess!
raconteur
June 6th, 2009
12:11 am
ESPN predicts that, this season, Adam Dunn will have more homeruns than the Washington Nationals have wins…
TAKING ALL BETS!!!
Titus Andronicus
June 6th, 2009
12:11 am
“Man, if I made one million dollars I would come in at six in the morning, sweep the stands, wash the uniforms, clean out the office, manage the team and play the games.”
- Duke Snider
And to think Richie Hebner used to spend his offseason as a gravedigger.
Tom, I understand you’re hurt. But please look at this from more perspectives than your own.
Let us start with the team perspective.
- Dumping your salary (in your opinion) got us someone who we think can hit and field. Apparently, you haven’t been watching our offense or Jordan Schafer this year, sir. Offense is our issue. The Braves want to win games. The fans want to win games.
- The Braves have several arms younger than yours. Medlen, Jurrjens, and Hanson are the young ones. Vazquez isn’t bad and some of us still hold out hope of Kawikami. Hudson may be coming back this summer. Sir, do you think that you deserved a slot over all these gentlemen? Could you contribute more than them?
Personal/fan perspective
- Did you watch the end of the careers of Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Phil Niekro, and the ongoing saga that is Brett Favre? You should at least be familiar with Favre. Big gala, lots of tears shed, and it hasn’t registered with him that he isn’t nearly as good as he used to be. I won’t deny that either of you love your chosen sport, but sometimes you have to let it go.
- If you skip the retiring of Greg Maddux’s number, you’re not sticking it to the Braves. You know who you’re sticking it to? Maddux. The fans. Yourself. Maddux isn’t the reason you’re currently unemployed. I’m not the reason you’re currently unemployed.
- Please remember, Mr. Glavine that the vast majority of us make far less money than you did for playing a kid’s game. You haven’t lashed out at us, but most of us still remember that you jilted us for New York for more money that most of us will make in 20 years.
Alan
June 6th, 2009
12:24 am
“Our Braves are in disarray fromt he top down. Shurholtz admits he didn’t step up in the meeting with Glavine. Wren is making trades and pulling strings in a daze.”
Sheesh, that’s a bit harsh, I would think.
I am real sure that the front office had hoped they would not have to have that mtg with Glavine. Truth is, their hand was forced by the performance of both Medlen and Hanson. Either one is (or very shortly will be) better than TG…. heck, better than Kawakami, too. So what do we do? Continue to string him along or put the cards on the table. I hope that Schuerholz slapped Wren about the office for certain bad statements (the public apology essentially admits that he and/or they screwed that up), but the end remains the same. But I hardly would characterize the front office in such terms in general. Why?
1. The trade w/the Pirates. That gets a ‘Wow’ — Charlie Morton was never going to see Atlanta again, being at least 4th behind Medlen, Hanson, Reyes, and maybe even Jeff Bennett. Good pickup for Pitt, good move for him, good deal for Atlanta. Hernandez: well, with McClouth and Shaefer, when would he ever get called up? As for Lock, there’s a draft this weekend in which Atl will get his replacement. McClouth should hit better in a lineup in which he isn’t “the guy” that other teams MUST get out… like he was in Pittsburgh.
2. Now What? The new rumor about Brad Penny is interesting, but odd unless someone like Vazquez is being shopped. You don’t need 7 starters. Oh, and how’s Hudson coming along?
3. If Francouer is on the block, that kinda would negate the trade you just did for McClouth, unless there’s even *more* going on.
4. Back in the winter, I would have begged for a Kotchman & Reyes for Adrian Gonzalez trade… I’m pretty sure the Pads won’t do that one today.
The one thing I ask is this: Bobby, I know you’ve always liked Jermaine Dye — please resist.
I just gotta think that an early June trade means (a) the Braves are serious about getting better quicker than not, and (b) they’re getting started way before anyone else so they can get the best deals and have the greatest impact for a longer period of time.
MikeyMouse
June 6th, 2009
12:31 am
quick question? Is this the same jackass that said screw to atlanta and bolted for the cash in flushing, NY. Thought so…….Dont let the door hit ya, where the good Lord split ya. good riddance….buh bye.
Boo Boo
June 6th, 2009
1:29 am
Chipper Jones will never be released. He will simply go on the IR forever, from chronic oblique and toe injuries. He can still suit up and sit on the bench that way. Much better way to fade away than Bob Horner’s and Nick Esasky’s Braves IR retirements.
Well, it was good to see Schuerholz trying to make nice with Tom. Now plans can get underway for the Smoltz-Glavine monument outside the Ted. I think the sculptor has them both in a golf cart, where their golf bags are actually functional garbage cans for the fans to toss hot dog wrappers in. A “go green” theme. One that matches the “give the green, I stay. Hold the green, I leave. Either way we’re headed to the green.” attitude they had in Atlanta.
scottbravesfan
June 6th, 2009
1:30 am
Hey Tom Glavine I felt betrayed when you signed with the freaking New York Mets in 2002!!!!! So get over it and go enjoy life in the rich atlanta suburbs and spend the rest of your days counting your money in your mansion.
TheAntiMe
June 6th, 2009
1:54 am
Homer The Brave, you are the best darn mascot in baseball! Both Mr. Red and especially Mr. Met suck softballs compared to you.
Bill
June 6th, 2009
2:10 am
Bradley isn’t a legend and his exit strategy isn’t impressive.
Poopy Pants
June 6th, 2009
2:22 am
I can’t believe my poop in my pants that I’m saying this but I agree with Mark Bradley on this one. I saw Glavine pitch last week on May 28 in AAA Gwinnett before he made his last start in A Rome, and let’s just say those 78-80 mph pitches were not going to cut it in the big leagues. He might not have given up any runs, but he gave up a ton of hits and got out of a lot of innings on lucky double play balls. If he ever made it to the majors, the big leaguers would have knocked those underhand pitches out of the park all night.
Signing Glavine over Spring Training was obviously a ploy by management to get the fans from totally revolting on the team after they got cheap with Smoltz and he walked. They signed the wrong guy and the Braves know it.
And it’s stupid to think the Braves didn’t want to promote him because they’d have to pay him a million dollars. $1 mil is nothing to an MLB club that ranks towards the top in payroll.
Ken Stallings
June 6th, 2009
5:26 am
Mark, you and Furman are the yin and the yang of this one. But, I think you got it right.
john d
June 6th, 2009
5:45 am
Would someone please put a muzzle on Smoltz! He”s an ungratefull self serving baby! Take your golf game to Boston and keep your nose out of the Braves business!
Roswell Ed
June 6th, 2009
6:20 am
I remember when he was the union rep during the strike in the early 90s.
I remember when he left for the Mets for minimally more money.
Pay me millions of dollars and cut me any way you want.
Check me out at libertarianhumor.com
Ted Striker
June 6th, 2009
6:35 am
Mark — Smoltz and Glavine are standing before microphones, wearing nothing but their naked misconceptions of entitlement. It’s like watching the Emperor Who Had No Clothes.
Also, sounds like you were pretty good motivation for Smoltz since ‘97. He should toss you a few million, though it may need to be lobbed underhanded at this stage of his career.
p.s. If he suggests the Sea Bass to you, you’d better order the chicken.
Jenifer
June 6th, 2009
7:24 am
The Braves should have never hired Glavine back. He and Smoltzy should take their rocks and scram. Go find another sandbox to play in. They are past their prime and have had their day in the spotlight.
tr
June 6th, 2009
7:35 am
There is never a good way to handle such a situation. The Braves followed the best available path – cut ties with a legendary, but past his prime, player, and then apologize after the fact as to how it was handled.
I mean, really. Once Glavine was resigned, other than Tommy being reborn as a #1, 2, or 3, was there ever a good way for this to end? You don’t become a 300+ game winner without developing an ego. And what strong ego goes quietly into the night, thinking that it’s time to just go home.
Tom Glavine wouldn’t be the legend he is if he didn’t think he was still capable of getting major league hitters to make outs. Who knows? Maybe he was/is right. But the worst possible scenario would have been sending him to the Turner Field mound and having him proven wrong.
We’d probably never hear about it, but I hope that one day, Tommy will both apologize to FW, JS, and BC and thank them for saving him from the possibility of embarrassing himself in front of his loyal fans.
jamesr1991
June 6th, 2009
8:13 am
Hey Bradley don’t you think Schurholtz damaged Wren by coming out with an apology? I almost swallowed a fly when I heard Holtz apologizy. I’m still waiting for the apology for Justice, Gant, Jordan, Nixon, Harris, Lofton, etc.
After that act by Schurholtz if I was Wren I’d give him the keys. This organization is heading in the wrong direction and has been for a number of years.
Keep up the good work Mark enjoying the tweets as well.
scott
June 6th, 2009
8:16 am
Let’s not forget one big thing here: Several years ago the Braves offered Glavine a rather large contract to stay here. They also offered him a lifetime job with the organization. Tom Glavine decided to take the Mets’ offer because it gave him an extra contract year. If you recall, the Braves were also at the beginning of their downswing. I believe that Glavine felt he could reach 300 wins faster with the Mets than with the Braves. The Braves tried to keep him all those years ago and Glavine said “no.” It was a business decision. The decision the Braves made to release him was a business decision. All you have to do is take a look at the stock market to see that every business, and believe me baseball teams are all about business, needs to save every penny it can and reinvest it in assets that will actually produce. How would those of you who are complaining about the Braves’ decision feel if your boss brought in to your place of business an older employee, let him do busy work for one day, then gave him a huge bonus that could possibly affect your year-end bonus? Think people, if you want to get into the playoffs you need to win as many games as possible. Letting Glavine get shelled for a game so he can get his bonus, and allowing the possibility of missing the playoffs by one game just doesn’t make sense. The Red Sox are going to face the same decision with Smoltz. He’ll come back, he’ll win some games, the Red Sox will get into the playoffs, then they’ll have to decide if they want a 42 year old with a history of elbow and shoulder problems on their playoff roster. What would you do?
Carl
June 6th, 2009
8:20 am
Mr. Bradley, I applaud your columns on this issue. Glavine was given another run with the Braves when they took him back after bolting for the Mets for a better deal (guess it was ok for him to make a business decision but not the Braves). Nine million bucks later, they got 5 wins out of him and a washed up arm. That’s just the reality of it. I heard Glavine on the radio all this past winter telling everyone he was “ready to pitch”. Well – he wasn’t. Now instead of taking the retirement with dignity route or tipping his cap and hawking his wares elsewhere, he runs around whining publicly and tearing down the organization who has paid him so well and gave him his start. I enjoyed the 90’s Braves immensely but that era is over. We need the excitement and hope of seeing new young arms develop and become aces. We don’t need nostlagia tours, that’s what DVDs and VCRs and youtube is for.
Braves Native
June 6th, 2009
8:23 am
Smoltz and Glavine continue to show why we loved them. Their competitiveness is exactly why we as fans loved them as Braves.
But there comes a time when they as older baseball players must say “it is time”.
Both can still save their true loyalty as a Brave and go down in history as two of the greatest Brave and Major league pitchers ever.
Now, will they just retire and save their ” Legends” labels as true Atlanta Braves pitchers?
The Braves need “Legends” (like the Yankees) in order to build a fan base and history.
Now please retire as Braves you guys!
Endymion
June 6th, 2009
8:26 am
I really don’t remember any great loyalty from Glavine. I saw more from Smoltz and Chipper so am more sympathic to their complaints (if any). But Glavine was adversarial with the Braves when he pitched for us. He pitched well. We paid him well. Then he left for more money. He came back a washed up and hurt pitcher. So what is it exactly that ole Tom thinks we owe him?
And Smoltz is just bitter. Maybe justly so.
Retired on the lake (formerly cityofdecatur)
June 6th, 2009
8:35 am
No good deed goes unpunished. Braves gave Tommy (center of the universe) Glavine a chance NOT A GUARENTEE. there would be no GOOD ways to cut ties with over paid me first spoiled brats like this. See John (my way or the highway) Smoltz. It’s a business. J Shuerholz no apology needed remember JS did little Tommy give you an apology when he went off to Gotham! Left the wife and kids to make a few more bucks (relatively speaking, any of you going to NYC for a 10% raise didn’t think so) Bye Tom Bye John
Dave
June 6th, 2009
8:42 am
Ok you don’t like how they did it how would you have done it different. Would you have not resigned him at the beginning when you had nobody signed yet? I don’t think you would. Pretty much signing him was out of necessity then he became an insurance policy as pitchers get injured all the time. Finally I guess I ask those fans who wanted to keep Glavine for nostalgia why? Are the Braves really competing for something this year probably not. We all know Braves attendance is bad. Here you have our biggest attraction Hanson is drawing as many people to the Gwinnett team to see him as are seeing the Braves now. The Reason why Hanson over Glavine is to try to get the excitement back to the Braves to build attendance. Glavine was a rerun of an old movie during a rain out rather than seeing a summer premier of the latest blockbuster we have been waiting to see. Some of you don’t know when to say when on Glavine or Smoltz you care more about the final hurrah than the Braves looking to our future rather than our past. I bet if they had Glavine pitch his final game for the Braves few would go because they would expect another lose. The real reason for all this is attendance it is Glavine vs Hanson. Mark Bradley has it right. Maybe reality is he cares more about the Braves than you nostalgia freeks. Ok here is you test for you Glavine loyalists CSS will rerun Glavines last game he pitched at Gwinnett at 1:00 today Saturday I bet those who wanted to see Glavine one last time can’t even be bothered to watch even this chance to see him and missed it before.
Duane
June 6th, 2009
8:47 am
If the Braves find themselves one win away from making the playoffs in October, they can blame Wren and Schuerholz for not playing Hanson from the beginning of the season. That strategy of trying to keep him arbitration to save a few bucks was cheap and disrespectful to the fans who want the Braves to win.
journalist jimmy smith
June 6th, 2009
8:55 am
mark, a “best of cox award” is in the bradley future. would have gone to chop chick this year but only one post. chop chick has now been eliminated (may have been eliminated during the cuts, not sure) for consideration. yes, a best of cox. not many journalists left at cox but always nice to be the best. keep up the good blogging. and please, no pet names for the players. must keep dignity intact. respectfully, journalist jimmy smith
and one more thing . . . this is a different organization now. new owners. same name. the only basis for loyalty is that shown to them and by them since acquiring the team. looks like the team offered a chance when the mets were no longer interested in an aging junkballer. injuries occur. this team was bitten by hampton – no need to be bitten again (while fully recognizing tom glavine is missing tom glavine’s front teeth – only being colloquial – realize fully tom glavine will be doing no biting with no front teeth). watching the holes in the lineup (still there) it may not matter who is pitching for the braves.
brewdawg
June 6th, 2009
9:04 am
Mark,
Mark,
Just read your columns on Smoltz and Glavine. I will say that while I still disagree with you on Smoltz, it puts your apathy towards him into a whole new light. (Rare moment: I don’t remember the column you are referring to). On Glavine, I’ll bet he comes to honor Maddux. If he doesn’t, that’s a poor move on his part.
brewdawg
June 6th, 2009
9:04 am
Oops, a double “Mark” and now I’m not sure if apathy was the correct word to use!
tip
June 6th, 2009
9:11 am
I’m glad someone brought up the Jusitce trade. In my opinion that was the one that was handled poorly. The Justice and ironically enough the Murphy trades were the worst handled affairs this franchise has seen. Smoltz and Glavine don’t understand the business side of this from the teams standpoint. But oh how they get the business stanpoint from the individual athlete side of things.
kj
June 6th, 2009
9:12 am
The Braves made a bad decision. The organization is lost. The Braves will not make the playoffs for several years.
Mike
June 6th, 2009
9:13 am
I think that eventually all this will blow over and both Glavine and Smoltz will be part of the Braves “family” again. Look at Brian Jordan and Ron Gant. Both left with bitter feelings and bad mouthed the Braves. Both now are right back in Atlanta and are involved in Braves baseball. Granted, neither is an employee of the team, (and Jordan criticized the handling of Glavine) but both openly pull for the team.
It wouldn’t surprise me to see Smoltz in a similar role as Gant/Jordan in a few years. He’s certainly comfortable in front of a mike. Both he and Glavine will be inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame and both will go into Cooperstown with an Atlanta hat on their plaque (the Hall of Fame makes this decision, not the player).
As for the handling of Smoltz and Glavine, well yeah it could have been done in a cleaner way, but neither of these guys was going to go quietly into the night no matter what the Braves did. I would have more respect for Smoltz if he had just admitted that he wanted to pitch in the postseason one more time and he thought the Red Sox had a much better chance of being there than the Braves. As for Glavine, I watched his last start in Gwinett and he was getting by on guile against a weak hitting AAA team. Put him on a heavy hitting team like Texas or Philly and assuming his arm holds up, I could see him making 20 starts with 120 IP and a 8-4 record with an ERA over 5.00. Put him on the Braves and I see the same numbers except the won-lost would be 4-8 as he wouldn’t have enough run support.
tip
June 6th, 2009
9:14 am
I think Dave and MB are correct. No matter how and when the team cut Glavine (and they would of had to at some point-no way was he retiring) it would of come off badly. The team did what it had to do in order to put the best athletes on the field to win games. you can’t sacrifice a single game if you are trying to compete. Just ask the Mets the past two years.
Joe Plumber
June 6th, 2009
9:25 am
Mark,
This doesn’t happen often, but I agree with you on this one! Baseball is an entertain business people but a business none the less~ The Braves made a business decision (like Glavine made when he went to the Mets) and so be it. I never saw a team win a division on ‘class points’. Get real!
Tim
June 6th, 2009
9:33 am
I was sitting in section 336, row 9, seat 13 on October 28, 1995 when Tom threw 8 innings of 1 hit ball against a very strong Cleveland Indians line-up. That was the game of his life. It is that memory that I wish all Braves fans will remember, not of him leaving for the hated Mets, or some of his comments these last couple days. I hated when he left, and I hated it even more when he got his 300th victory in a Mets uniform. The Braves Nation has taken some pretty bad body shots recently (Smoltz leaving, Skip passing, Pete retiring), and now this. Now we are left with Bobby Cox and Chipper as the last remaining pieces of the ‘Braves Dynasty’. Remember the days when winning the division was a given?
While I have never been in Tom Glavine’s position, I understand his disappointment and anger in the organization, but I also can see it from the Brave’s point of view. How do you tell a Hall of Famer that he no longer has the skill to get major league batters out? I hope that time will heal the wounds, and that Tom will remain in the organization.
I hope to see the number ‘47′ in left field one day, and I can tell my grandchildren that I was at old Fulton County stadium watching him pitch the game of his life, and possibly the greatest game ever in Atlanta Braves history. Good luck Tommy, you will be missed.
Toby Cash
June 6th, 2009
9:35 am
I really do not feel sorry for either Glavine or Smoltz. The Braves have spent countless million of dollars on both, both chose to go to other teams probably for more millions of dollars. Greed, the big head, whatever the reason, both have it. Very happy both are gone.
Braves Fan
June 6th, 2009
9:40 am
What’s wrong with firing Frank Wren & giving Glavine his job? It is just a matter of time for Wren anyway.
DirtyDawg
June 6th, 2009
9:41 am
If I understand this correctly, Mr. Glavine thinks that it was a financial decision and that a million dollars ain’t that much considering ‘all he’s meant to the organization’. Seems that he’s completely forgotten the reason, and the amount of money, he left us for back in ‘02, or whenever it was, and went back again a few years later. Now it’s the Braves that are ungrateful. And the same goes for Mr. Smoltz. In fact, why don’t they both sell their houses and move to somewhere where they’re both appreciated….say Boston…not much golf in the winter but they can always buy a winter home in Winter Park. Just leave us be. And by the way, when the time comes to enter the HOF be sure to put duct-tape over the A on that hat. We don’t care anymore.
TommyP
June 6th, 2009
9:50 am
I usually agree with the majority of your columns/blogs but I really feel you’re off on this one, Mark. The Braves/Wren blew it with this one. Big time. And, unlike you, Glavine is not an all-time favorite Brave of mine. (I’d go with many before him…Andruw, Otis Nixon, Smoltz, Maddux to name a few)
Wren deserves a lot of grief here. You’d like to give him a fresh slate but it’s hard to forget that he started his GM career in Baltimore and that hardly went well.
The Glavine signing was a PR move from the start. He completely blew it with the Smoltz negotiations and after the public outcry he decided that signing Glavine would be damage control. But why? We KNEW Hanson would be pitching this year. With Kawakami, we already had 4 other slots penciled in. The 5th spot could be occupied by any number of guys. Just a horrible signing from the start.
Then he exasperates the situation by telling Glavine the path to Atlanta and what they want him to do. Glavine does that. He even throws 11 shutout innings his last 2 rehab starts to prove he’s ready. (yeah, one start was vs. A-ball but the other was AAA…I’ve seen guys get lit up for 7 runs in a final rehab start and be in the rotation their next turn)
After reports that Glavine was throwing in the low 80s and even hit 86 (I think that was the reading reported), the Braves say that was inaccurate. Oh really? Please.
Again, Wren mutilated this situation. And this comes from a guy not exactly enamored with Tom Glavine over the years but one that respects what he’s done for the organization.
Will we ever see 3 pitchers like Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux do what they did for one team over that long a period of time? Probably not.
So treat them differently no matter how difficult it becomes.
I’m just tired of the way Wren does things.
The Lowe signing? The idiot had him fall into his lap. He didn’t want him and proved it by the way he pursued other pitchers instead. Lowe was the last “ace” left so he felt he HAD to sign him when he was the smart choice all along.
Glavine signing? PR move and this past week proves it. And he butchered it at both ends.
I could go on and on but I’ve gone too long already.
turkey
June 6th, 2009
9:52 am
I watched Glavine pitch against the Toledo Mudhens to see if he had anything left. He got shelled and was taken out in either the 2nd or 3rd inning imagine if this had been against the Phillies. Time is up, Braves made the right choice.
Nativebird
June 6th, 2009
10:00 am
Mark, right on again. KEEP up your great insight into the vanity of these (all time great) Prima Donnas. It is especially refreshing to hear someone speak with a voice from the common fan, and bring some common sense, balance and a little reality to the conversation regarding these narcissistic great ball players. It’s obvious they cannot bear to even look at their own “re-introduction” back into real life as just “regular people”, not “special people”. Yet though as HOF’ers, they’ll never be regular (some relief to them I’m sure). This happens SO much in pro-sports it has become a time-honored tradition, and quite literally, an annual “clock-watch” on Who-this-Year-is-Going-to-Turn-on-Their-Franchise-at-Retirement routine. And yes get Ready, for as much as I admire Chipper (my 2nd all-time favorite Brave), mark it down now, book it, set it in stone….he WILL trash Atlanta and the Braves organization on the way out, it’s already pre-ordained. Simply because they’re the organization that’s paid him all his millions.
TPM
June 6th, 2009
10:05 am
John Smoltz needs to get over his bitterness with Frank Wren. John would sound a lot more credible if he himself had pitched this year in the big leagues.
Cut like Glavines are made all the time in the nfl
dcbrave
June 6th, 2009
10:20 am
The Braves made the right decision in letting Glavine go. Six shutout innings at Rome is better than a punch in the face, but it doesnt translate to much in Atlanta. Tommy Hanson is a better pitcher in 2009 than Tommy Glavine. As Mark noted, a handful of five inning, six run starts from Glavine could be the difference between Braves baseball in October or not.
Glavine is right to be upset about being let go. Hes a competitor and a guy who has succeeded in large part because of his intensity and grit and his absolute refusal to give in to anyone on the mound. Do you think he would just step aside or admit that after 6 shutout innings he was past it?
The Braves handled this situation horribly. Glavine did deserve better. Much better. And Im glad Mr. Schuerholz stepped up and did the right thing. In this case, better late than never.
Unfortunately, this situation has once again revealed that Frank Wren is a deeply flawed general manager. He may know baseball–and I think he has done an admirable enough job of upgrading the Braves this year from last–but there are some very distressing trends that he doesnt know how to be a General Manager.
Even discounting Smoltz’s and Glavine’s ego and their innate competitiveness, Wren and the Braves handled these situations poorly. At least when Bobby Cox traded Dale Murphy in 1990 it was handled in a way that acknowledged who Murphy was and what he had contributed to Atlanta (as an aside one of my most vivid memories from 1991 was the Braves-Phillies fight on Dale Murphy day and Tommy Glavine having to “brush back” Murphy when he led off the Phillies half of an inning after the Phillies pitcher had gone head hunting in the Braves’ half. He lobbed four soft-toss pitches vaguely near Murphy. It was one of the classiest moves I have seen on a baseball field. Good on you, Tommy).
When you combine the mishandling of Smoltz and Glavine’s departure with the Furcal and Griffey mess, the Tex trade and the fact that Wren somehow managed to alienate Cal Ripken–Cal Ripken!–when he was GM of Baltimore and you have a picture of a guy who is simply not be cut out to be the face of the Braves or any other organization; of a man who has no problem making tough decisions, but who has a shcoking lack of ability to make those decisions palatable to the people he relies on for his livelihood, namely players–who are not flocking to Atlanta these days–and fans–who have a right to be upset about the debasing of a once proud franchise.
Glavine did deserve better than what Wren provided. So does Atlanta. So do Braves fans.
Bookie
June 6th, 2009
10:34 am
Great column, Bradley. The super-spoiled prima donnas (the players) will probably retaliate against you for telling the truth on this one. Glavine was washed up 5 years ago and has been running on fumes since. I would like for someone to ask him in a news conference how else the Braves could have made the decision, which was based on the fact that he can no longer pitch at the major league level. Also, ask Smoltz for all his bitching, why he left in a snit for a couple of million bucks after picking up $155 million from the Braves over the years.
I love baseball and the Braves but some of the players turn my stomach. You want to see a young player on his way to being a complete ass, watch Yunel closely. His act after an inside pich hit his bat was worthy of an Oscar. The admiring umpire did grant him first base in admiration.
chas
June 6th, 2009
10:36 am
Let’s not forget that Smoltz and Glavine chose to be on the Braves and presumably signed on a dotted line. Smoltz acted as if he had sacrificed some productive years to be loyal to the Braves and that we owed him. But, come on…everyone wants to play for Cox and most of these guys like the warm weather and golf courses around the city. If the Braves had played like the Pirates (from 1993 until present) and Smoltz and Glavine had stayed with us throughout that time span (at a competitive or lower salary) then I’d say they took one for the team. But, they got to win a World Series and made the playoffs a record number of times. Imagine if we were still waiting on Smoltz to return to our rotation and hadn’t gotten Lowe? We’d be toast right now.
AJC
June 6th, 2009
10:36 am
VERY IMPORTANT BRAVES NEWS!!!
No, I’m not talking about all the goings on this week of our 2 former greats Glavine & Smoltz not liking the Braves anymore. I’m talking about the anemic offense, who hasn’t won a game since Tuesday, and the only reason we won Tuesday was because the baseball mistakenly hit Francoeur’s bat as he was attempting to strikeout in a game where the Braves offense flirted with a no hitter.
In the 2 games/losses that the Braves offense aka: “Not the Big Red Machine” have played since Tuesday, they’ve managed to average 1 run per game…Tell me again exactly why Glavine & Smoltz both yearned to pitch for this team?
I lied, I don’t really have any big Braves news…..You know, it doesn’t take a great manager to lose baseball games, and to also have a team that’s totally boring & unexciting. Maybe Bobby Cox should look in a mirror to try and find the answers to our woeful offense…..Hopefully, Nate can help inject some enthusiasm into this group of underachieving players, being that Nate comes from the mighty Pirates organization and all.