While Tom Glavine will need to undergo surgery to repair his elbow tendon, he will not have to undergo Tommy John surgery:
Tom Glavine got the news he was looking for Wednesday from Dr. James Andrews. He needs surgery to repair the partially torn flexor tendon in his elbow, but he does not need ligament transplant surgery.
That means with a four-to-five month rehabilitation, Glavine will have a chance to return next season, if he decides he wants to and if the Braves are open to the idea.
So the talk around the clubhouse is apparently centered around the desire to have Glavine back in a Braves uniform and in the starting rotation next year. This is what Cox said about a possible return in 2009:
"We'll see what happens afterward," manager Bobby Cox said Wednesday. "I hope so. Before he got hurt he was pitching lights out."
Slow down there Coxer... "lights out?" I'm not usually one to disagree with Bobby Cox, but there's no way Glavine was pitching lights out. Heck, I don't even think he was pitching that "good." In 12 starts before he went on the disabled list Glavine had only 5 quality starts. Combine that with some of the best run support on the team, at 5.25 runs per game and a 4.84 ERA before his injury and that absolutely does not equal lights out, or even good, or even league average (4.27 ERA), that's pretty bad. Add to that the fact that he doesn't go deep into games and Tom Glavine likely had a negative impact on the team this year, and there's nothing to suggest that he'll be any more effective next year.
I enjoyed the Glavine/Braves reunion tour, but it's time to let go of last year's model.
0 recs | 17 comments
Idea
Glavine and Hampton share starts, each of them pitch half the game.
TradeAndruw - August 21, 2008
Well...
…according to BP Glavine surprisingly had a 0.6 WARP. Not good by any means, but not a negative force to the team. With that being said, he needs to hang up his spikes. Smoltz should probably do the same…
Smoltz's Beard - August 21, 2008
Unless he's signing for real cheap
I think it’s time for Tommy to retire
VictorW - August 21, 2008
this is a ROUT. tommy needs to go away.
bigjoe - August 21, 2008
No, with a caveat...
If we’re not able to land a good FA pitcher, who’s going to start for us? I would be loathe to have another year of a combination of scrubs/wet-behind-the-ears pitchers filling up our 4th and 5th spots. The list goes on: Carlyle, Reyes, Morton, James, Redman. Sure, one of them is fine for the 5th spot, but once you start having 2 of them it goes south really quickly.
So I would rather sign him to another year (provided that he’s been PROVEN healthy) at a cheapish contract ($3-4 mil?) than have the same situation as this and last year.
soup du jour - August 21, 2008
It’s tough to determine how much of it is due to nagging injuries, but it’s not like Glavine is going to be that much better than guys you listed. And he’s going to be more expensive. In 63.1 IP he’s averaging over a hit per inning (67), and that doesn’t even include his 37 walks. He’s also given up HRs at a faster rates than Jo-Jo…but not Chuck. I can’t imagine anybody being as bad as Chuck…
Smoltz's Beard - August 21, 2008
I would bring Tommy back
But only on a non-guaranteed contract. This allows he or the Braves to walk away with no strings attached. This team has a chance to be competitive next year, but they aren’t going to be WS contenders. If Glavine wants to pitch, and will do so for a price that does not expose the Braves to any financial risk, then what’s the worst that can happen?
buzzdeadwax - August 21, 2008
Once Ohman is gone next year, we will need another lefty reliever. Could a Smoltz/ Glavine bullpen be in order for 09 or is that a totally unrealistic pipe dream of mine?
Bmacbandwagon - August 21, 2008
No
He was a great pitcher and a lock Hall of Famer. But he is not the answer for the rotation in the future.
This team is probably not going to be competitive next year, barring some Tampa style outburst of young guys putting it together quickly. We have guys who have proven themselves in AAA and deserve a real shot at pitching in the big leagues (Reyes, Morton, et al.) They deserve better than bouncing back and forth between AAA and Atlanta just because Cox has a hard-on for 1995.
Time for Tommy to ride off into the sunset.
mburris1 - August 21, 2008
Reyes..
…is out of shots. He’s had plenty of opportunities to prove himself at the ML Level and has failed to do so. So either he needs to stay in AAA or become part of the bullpen.
RainDelay - August 21, 2008
I wouldn't go that far...
After all, Reyes will be 24 to start next year. Isn’t the age 24 year about the time someone really breaks out? Morton is 25 this year, and yet you have more patience with him (maybe you don’t, but you singled out Reyes, so I’m going to assume)? Reyes has made 28 appearances in his career (26 starts), and I think we can all agree that he’s looked a lot better this year than last year. Just because he’s not Jurrjens, doesn’t mean he won’t be able to put it all together with some more experience. Am I the only one who remembers the five starts in a row where he averaged over 7 innings and allowed only 11 runs? He’s got the ability, he just needs to be put in the rotation and left alone.
buzzdeadwax - August 21, 2008
Glavine in '09
I believe tommy should come back in the bullpen.
brvs1fn - August 21, 2008
No....
…Tommy was a great pitcher, but its time for him to ride off into the sunset. At least Smoltz was still effective this year even with his bum shoulder. Smoltz to the pen, sign Sheets, and give the rest of the rotation to the young uns.
bravesfan91 - August 22, 2008
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THEbobhamelin - August 22, 2008
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royhobbs - August 22, 2008
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mburris1 - August 22, 2008
what's the harm...
In offering Glavine a 1 or 2 million dollar contract while still going out and landing a couple free agents to head the rotation? Tommy has pretty much said it’s Atlanta or no one next season and what do the Braves have to lose with him 4th in the rotation? If Glavine is unable to pitch consistently, then see if Reyes or Morton can do any better. I think they should do something similar with Hampton as well.
beeswax - August 23, 2008
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