Bradley’s Buzz: Glavine tells WAGA he won’t pitch in 2009
Tom Glavine informed Buck Lanford of Fox 5 Atlanta on Thursday he won’t pitch in 2009. Via text message, Glavine wrote: “I’m not going to pitch or do anything in baseball until at least next year.” Glavine stopped short, according to Fox 5, of announcing his retirement, saying he plans to be “a full-time dad.”
It was, you’ll recall, only two weeks ago that Glavine ripped the Braves for releasing him and said he believed, contrary to Frank Wren’s bleak evaluation, he could still pitch in the major leagues. But if Glavine has resigned himself to not pitching this year after spending the winter and spring rehabbing from shoulder and elbow surgery, it would seem there were no opportunities. At least none to his liking, anyway.
Glavine will be 44 when the 2010 season begins. It’s hard to imagine he’ll be on a roster then or ever again, and he doesn’t need to be. His legacy is secure. He has won 305 games and is bound for the Hall of Fame, and he’ll be inducted wearing a Braves cap. And that’s how we should all choose to remember him.
And all that unseemly stuff with Wren and the manner of Glavine’s severance? Merely a footnote to a proud and professional career.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
72 comments Add your comment
Thinking out loud 6.19.9 : ctrentrosecrans.com
June 19th, 2009
9:49 am
[...] Tom Glavine won’t pitch in [...]
LSU
June 19th, 2009
10:15 am
I’m starting to change my tune a little bit about what’s going on with the Braves…For starters, we just need to get thru this season and hopefully play some inspired baseball during the 2nd half.
If Bobby Cox & Frank Wren don’t get along, than Frank Wren needs to go…The folks that know tons more about baseball than I do, say that Bobby is the man. So I personally will buy into that, at least for another season.
The Braves need to find a way to make nice to Glavine & Smoltz…No matter what your feelings are about them, they were both awesome pitchers who represented the Braves well for a long time.
Go Tigers!!!
Budd Jinx Applesauce: David Wright's weird season, Mets need Pedro, and whining Philly fans
June 19th, 2009
10:29 am
[...] Tom Glavine will not pitch again this year. [...]
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
June 19th, 2009
10:35 am
LSU, glad to see you’re admitting you’re wrong about Bobby. Now if we could just work on this whole “Geaux Tigers” thing…
LSU
June 19th, 2009
11:15 am
Mrs. Chanandler Bong,
There’s no admission of me being wrong…More like, reserving my opinion until a later date..Reading comprehension is obviously not one of your strong suits…LOL
As for the “Geaux” thing, my girlfriend (who is also my sister) said putting the “eaux” on words just makes us coonasses look even more backwards.
Go Tigers!!!
Brian
June 19th, 2009
11:48 am
“In reference to the Dale Murphy/Tom Glavine game, does anyone remember who the Phillies reliever was that hit Otis Nixon? Funny how things turn out.”
That would be Roger McDowell.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2009
11:50 am
Thanks, O Thomason.
And to Mrs. C. Bong: Great trivia question. You stumped me, and I’m not completely clueless on such matters. (On many matters, I am. But not necessarily trivia.)
Kudos to Brian for knowing the answer.
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
June 19th, 2009
12:51 pm
Thanks for the shout out, Mark!
Phil McCrotch
June 19th, 2009
1:20 pm
I can tell you why Glavine isn’t pitching this year. Nobody wants him. Plain and simple. He found out just how (un)popular he is. Looks like the scouts were right after all there Tommy boy. Glavine and class do not go together.
Mark, Tom Glavine answered a question as to why he went to the Mets in an interview on 680 or 790 or whatever it is. He said he/his agent gave the Braves a number and they didn’t like it, however the Mets did and that’s why he left. People speak of loyalty and I say baloney. Loyalty went away once free agency hit the game. There is NO such thing as loyalty in baseball or any professional sport anymore.
Ken
June 19th, 2009
1:46 pm
I watched Tom Glavine pitch that last game at Gwinnett on May 28th, and it was on the spur of the moment—I could have easily missed it. I noticed that morning while reading the news that Tommy was pitching that day, so I snatched up some tix behind home plate and took my ten year old son to go see the game. Little did I know it would be one of his last appearances in a Braves uniform.
He looked great to us, and started the game strong, striking out Andrew McCutcheon, only the top prospect in the Pirates org (and called up shortly after). Although his pitches may not have had the velocity of years past, he could still fool hitters, and he looked ready to take another stab at the bigs. I’m shocked the Braves didn’t at least give him a shot for one last hurrah. He had to be better than the Japonese guy at least.
At least I saw Glavine pitch one more time, and in a more intimate environment as well. And it was nice to see him go out with a couple good performances, knowing that he did all he could to get back, rather than pitch junk and embarrass himself in the process.
Thanks for the memories, Tom.
Hillbilly Deluxe
June 19th, 2009
2:05 pm
There comes a time when age catches up with us and we have to step aside. Unfortunately for most athletes, the decision gets made for them. To Glavine’s credit at least he’s handling things better than Brett Favre.
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
June 19th, 2009
2:19 pm
All this bashing on KK is starting to nag on me a little bit. In fact, I’ve noticed some misplaced anger with several players. Kotchman, KK, etc. I think the front office was well aware that KK coming here would need time to adjust to American ball. They anticipated that. And in his defense, he’s had the least run support out of any Braves pitcher, and I’m pretty sure he was like 2nd in the NL for lowest run support. Give the guy a break. We saw the other night what good pitching can (not) do if the run support isn’t there.
Retired by the Lake (formerly CityofDecatur)
June 19th, 2009
3:11 pm
Shoeless Joe you’re the one misrepresenting. In Glavine’s own words he regretted and thought about not taking the Mets offer after agreeing to it. get your facts straight he left for more (a little) money and to give others in the union more leverage. the Braves and the fans owe this spoiled brat nothing. Thanks for the memories and don’t let the door hit you on the ass when you go. Bye Tommy.
Nova Scotia Steve
June 19th, 2009
4:29 pm
We’ll always remember Tommy Glavine as one of the all time great Atlanta Braves…not a New York Met…not the guy who got cut when he was nearing return to the Braves and not the guy who was planning to file a grievence with the club…He’s given us a lot and helped carry us to our first and only World Series title and for that I say thank you.
Now…Let beat the Red Sox tonight!!!
DMac
June 19th, 2009
4:50 pm
I’m glad Tommy G. finally got some sense. I wish he had bowed out gracefully last year.
Mark Bradley
June 19th, 2009
5:26 pm
Me, too, DMac. But I know he didn’t want to leave on an injury if he could help it. He’s a stubborn little fellow, as we know.
Scorby Jones
June 19th, 2009
5:59 pm
If I was Frank Wren, I would be on the phone today with Tom to offer a coaching/leadership position in the Braves next year before someone else takes him. It’s easy to see how smart Tom is – he never did have the great stuff that Smoltz had – he pitched with his brain.
Tom Glavine
June 19th, 2009
10:41 pm
Wow, looks like the Bravos got DEEP in the BoSox’s butts tonight!
Suckers.
Peter Gammons
June 20th, 2009
8:07 am
PETER GAMMONS of ESPN writes,
“It just seems strange that Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux left the Braves with hard feelings. The Braves want to retire Maddux’s number, but he has never forgotten that after the 2003 season he was left a phone message that the club would not be re-signing him.” – End quote.
Surely such “consistency” points to a problem with the Braves management approach!
Tom should have been given the opportunity to pitch.
SilverSlipper
June 20th, 2009
1:18 pm
Like I said on a previous blog, there are surefire ways to deal with the Braves nasty treatment of their three hall of fame pitchers. Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux were LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO HUGE BRAVES ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE YEARS. 1) winning 14 straight divisional titles and 2) winning a world series in 1995. All three pitchers were members of the Braves when they won their lone world series championship. The Braves should be grateful to them but instead feel nothing for them because they “used” them for their own financial gain and for the club to get rich. I believe what Maddox, Glavine and Smoltz SHOULD do to get even with Braves is to have their jersies and their careers retired by clubs other than the Braves. For example, Maddox should have his number retired by either the Cubs or the San Diego Padres. Smoltz should have his number retired by the Red Sox and Glavine should have his number retired by the Mets. This way those three icons will “cleanse” themselves from the Braves and prevent themselves from being “soiled” by the Braves retired numbers hanging from the rafters at Turner Field. In addition, I would decline having any statute build in honor of either of them and have their faces removed from programs or tv commercials for good. I was watching a Braves promo the other day and I saw Glavine in uniform for that commercial. If I were Glavine I would contact the Braves and have himself removed from any commercial that the Braves would put on the media. This way these gentlemen will DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM THE BRAVES for being the ungrateful slime that they are.
BartStarr
June 20th, 2009
1:42 pm
Sure Tom Glavine is handling his retirement better than Brett Farve. Brett Farve is an old fart who just wont disappear. Brett Farve is STARVED FOR ATTENTION so much that he just wants to see his name in the headlines, but he should realize that his time has passed. Take last season for instance, Brett throws 22 touchdowns but also has 22 picks as well. In my mind, that is a mediocre season. Brett Farve is only a shell of the player he once was and he is misguided in thinking he is still as good as he used to be. Sure Farve still has flashes of greatness from time to time, but Farve is too old to play on the level of a Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or even a Carson Palmer. Farve cannot compete with the best talent the way he used to. In addition, Farve is a complete sociopath and a pathological liar. When Farve was asked recently if he is still retired, his response was that he has no plans to play this season. The very next day Farve mailed his x-rays to the Minnesota Vikings in order to get prepared for the upcoming football season. Roger Goddell should jump in and suspend Brett Farve indefinitely; maybe give Farve a lifetime ban if that is necessary just to make the guy go away and disappear. In addition, Goddell should stipulate to Farve that should Farve attempt future comebacks, Farve will forfeit any chance of getting into the Hall of Fame. In other words, Farve needs to be put in his place so that he realizes that he is not bigger than the game itself.
Jim
June 21st, 2009
9:19 pm
Yea Braves fan can’t wait until bRaves day in Cooperstown. All 100 Braves fans are welcome. LOL. Braves fans are the WORST in sports, Winning 13 straight division titles can’t sell out games. LOL WORST FANS EVER.