Per Braves beat writer Mark Bowman:
[...] true to the promise he made at the conclusion of the 2008 season, Wren has gained confidence that Tom Glavine is physically capable to pitch this year, and he responded by providing the 300-game winner a contractual offer.
This offer made by Wren earlier this week is believed to have been a one-year Major League contract worth between $1 million and $2 million. With no incentive clauses included, it currently stands as an offer Glavine is hesitant to accept.
It's another low-ball offer, even lower than that which was offered to John Smoltz. The way I see it our pitching staff is already set with Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Jair Jurrjens, Kenshin Kawakami, and Jorge Campillo. Failing any of those five, Charlie Morton, Jo-Jo Reyes, or Tommy Hanson can step in. All along it has seemed as if Glavine would just be extra icing on the cake, not that we really needed that extra icing.
Kudos to Wren for not giving in to nostalgia like he did last off-season, and saving his money for that extra bat we so desperately need.
0 recs | 40 comments
Again, last season we entered the season with 10 major league ready starting pitchers not even counting Campillo (some even said we had a huge surplus). At the end of the season, 10 wasn’t enough. I have no problem adding as many arms to the staff as we can.
kalesi - February 7, 2009
completely agree. Injuries happen and having enough starting pitching is not a bad thing. Sure “Morton and Reyes” are MLB ready, but that doesn’t mean they’ll produce MLB quality numbers.
jwrocks - February 7, 2009
But....
What makes you believe Glavine can produce quality major league numbers in 2009? I don’t.
Messenger - February 7, 2009
Clarification
Let’s tell the full story. Ten starting pitchers wasn’t enough in 2008 because two of them were over 40 years old, one other had been on the DL for two consecutive years, and most of the rest had little or no prior starting experience in the major leagues. By the time Tim Hudson went down in August, the epitath for the 2008 season was basically already written.
With or without Tom Glavine, 2009 will be a transitional season for this pitching staff. Lowe, Vazquez, Kawakami, and Jurrjens will start for sure. Do you want Glavine in the fifth role, or do you want to move forward by develioping one of the youngsters? In my opinion, Glavine is not a reasonable option there. And suppose someone does get hurt, which will almost surely happen at some point. Do we expect 42 year old Tom Glavine to pitch out of the Braves bullpen while he waits for someone to get injured? No. If an injury happens, that will be an opportunity for Hanson, Reyes, Medlen, Parr, or Campillo, all of whom are more important than Glavine to the team’s future.
Messenger - February 7, 2009
Kudos to Wren....
“Kudos to Wren for not giving in to nostalgia like he did last off-season, and saving his money for that extra bat we so desperately need.”
I think you summed it up nicely with that statement. Glavine hasn’t pitched effectively since the first half of the 2007 season. He will always be remembered fondly for his performance in his prime in Atlanta, but those days are long over now. The Braves just invested in Lowe, Vazquez, and Kawakami. They are developing Jurrjens, Hanson, Morton, and others. Time to move on. Good luck to Tom Glavine in whatever he decides to do.
Messenger - February 7, 2009
Glavine I'm begging you,
Please RETIRE!!!
Falconzfan284 - February 7, 2009
The money seems right, but...
why are we offering him this now? He should be last on our list of offers. If we need this money to sign an outfielder (Dunn or Abreu), it is gone if he accepts this offer. Maybe we won’t be signing these guys. Maybe it is a moot point. But, we need an outfielder much worse than we need Glavine. I would much rather spend an extra million or two to solve that problem first, if necessary.
MurphyHOF - February 7, 2009
hmm...
I trust Bobby’s judgment when he said last week that Hanson looked like he could be ready to join the team out of spring training or somepoint this season, but I just really don’t want to see us rush his development too much. I know he still has some control problems, which he could work out in the pros, but I’d hate to see another one of our young pitchers gets get dominated this year because they’re really not ready to play at this level. What do ya’ll think?
Bravely going forward - February 7, 2009
When is the last time...
we were actually able to let a young SP get some seasoning in AAA, dominate, and actually “force” their way onto the ML roster? I cant remember the last pitcher that was called up or made the team with that description.
BamaVon - February 7, 2009
Millwood, probably.
bigjoe - February 7, 2009
I don’t know, Millwood only pitched 9 games in AAA before he was called up, and it was part of a big bullpen shakeup. Actually, I looked at him and Charlie Morton, who pitched 13 games in AAA last year, and they’re pretty similar. Millwood had 69.2 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 6.8 K/9, and a .89 WHIP. Morton, in 79 IP, had a 3.1 BB/9, 8.2 K/9, and a .99 WHIP. Pretty close.
Either way, it is an issue. I might go with Trey Hodges as the last guy who really put in a great full year and forced his way onto the team the next year.
cbwilk - February 7, 2009
It's sad, but true
I came of age during the run in the 90’s. I remember when I went with my grandfather when I was seven years old in ‘91 to stand in line to see Smoltz and Charlie Leibrant at a signing event in Augusta. It’s something that we find it difficult to accept, but our heroes eventually get old and incapable of being the same player that we remember them. I wish the best for Smoltzie in Boston, but I think Maddux realized something that he and Glavine haven’t. It’s not that the effort or desire has left these guys, it’s that your body starts failing you at some point. I just don’t want to see two of my heroes when growing up end up like Willie Mays or Joe Namath. Clearly past their primes and struggling for one last shot of glory. I wish the best for Glavine and Smoltz, but at some point the Braves have to move on and I think Wren is making the right moves by not throwing the entire kitchen sink at these guys just to keep them in a Braves uniform, no matter what the public outrage is.
AuditDawg - February 7, 2009
Leadership
You guys must have never played any kinda team sport..just see around and talk about people who do…Glavine has something that you cant teach..leadership..something invaluable that this team, and every team needs…so he is worth far more than 2 million…and he will earn it
phil413 - February 7, 2009
I’d think Derek Lowe and Javy Vazquez could cover the veteran leadership for the team pretty well.
cbwilk - February 7, 2009
Sweet, Glavine can be our new cheerleader
mattdiaz4life - February 8, 2009
that's a pretty general comment...
don’t you think?
#1. most of us HAVE played organized, team sports. so your generalization is asinine.
#2. that’s assuming that Glavine provides good leadership. which, actually, i’ve heard he doesn’t. that was what smoltzy was for, HE was the leader. especially after Glavine left for $ in New York.
#3. even IF he provided good leadership, this is Lowe’s pitching staff now, let HIM be the leader. otherwise, you’re going to cause some clubhouse issues.
#4. chipper is our leader.
apoxonbothyourhouses - February 8, 2009
Tim Hudson and Chipper Jones are the leaders of the team now. Glavine’s leadership values, while extremely unique, aren’t a necessity anymore and are less valuable than the roster spot.
bwellnjonesco - February 9, 2009
...And still one heck of a changeup an he is LEFTY
This board always seems to trash Mr Glavine, a definite Hall of Famer. Of the Brave big three in the 90s< Glavine was the only true Brave.This club is stocked with right handded pitching which throws between 86 and 93 MPH. How many nights in a row are you willing to throw that to Utley and Howard? Or Delgado and Beltran?Met fans here in NY hate him, so that should be reason enough to root for this long time, classy pitching great. Glavine is not looking to be a number 5 starter or on a nostalgia trip. He thinks he can still pitch and wants to do it for this organization, this manager and Brave fans.I wont bet against him being a top of the rotation guy this year.
mikie baseball - February 7, 2009
“The only true Brave”
He was the first one to get out of dodge, what the fuck are you talking about?
And do you honestly think you’re gonna get a 16-8 3.70 season out of Glavine this year? He had an even K:BB last year, and he allowed more than a homer and a half per 9. He’s done.
bigjoe - February 7, 2009
Maybe he’s referring to the fact that he’s the only one out of the “big 3” who came from our farm system?
get swoll yunel - February 7, 2009
The Kings may have drafted him first.
bigjoe - February 7, 2009
i dont get it
Smoltz bled navy forever, Glav bolted immediately….
I think Smoltz as a Red Sock is more of a Brave than Tommy would be even if he IS on our roster this year.
traphicg - February 7, 2009
Yeah, but...
The Mets are the Pepsi to our Coke. They complete us. Going there wasn’t pure betrayal. But the Red Sox are the antichrist of the MLB. Smoltz committed an unforgivable sin. Glavine was just getting closer to home.
someguy917 - February 7, 2009
Bad analogy. Pepsi is vastly superior to Coke.
Oh wait…you know what, maybe that analogy wasn’t so far off.
bigjoe - February 7, 2009
uhh..........ATLANTA Braves
pepsi? Pepsi?
Ummm – gondee – i believe a few people need be removed from this blog altogether for the mention of the nemesis soda….
traphicg - February 8, 2009
Coke is disgusting. Why don’t you start putting over NASCAR too while you’re at it?
bigjoe - February 8, 2009
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
mattdiaz4life - February 8, 2009
Wrong, wrong, wrong
Coke is what Jesus would drink if he were here now. Also most urine tastes better than Pepsi.
someguy917 - February 9, 2009
You brought religion into things, and its a shame thats a taboo and I can’t say a word about it.
bigjoe - February 9, 2009
Good point
And in Jesus’ day, they used to stone and crucify people. Do we really want to go back to such a dark time in human history? No, I didn’t think so. We should probably all go buy some Pepsi now.
buzzdeadwax - February 10, 2009
So the Phillies would be Mountain Dew-better than Pepsi and Coke.
10-4 - February 8, 2009
Brominated Vegetable Oil
Mmmmmmmmmmm….
buzzdeadwax - February 9, 2009
I remember when the rumor was yellow 5 causes shrinkage. I decided it was worth the risk.
10-4 - February 9, 2009
When I was a kid, I was friends with a guy who claimed to be allergic to yellow 5…so he’d always give us his yellow Mike & Ikes and such. And if he did eat anything, he’d go crazy. It was awesome.
bigjoe - February 9, 2009
thats hilarious
bwellnjonesco - February 10, 2009
Also, when we were playing football one time, someone tackled him and dragged him down by his shirt collar…he came up screaming and crying about how he couldn’t breathe and how “MY ESOPHAGUS WAS THIS PINCHED SHUT!” Yes, esophagus.
bigjoe - February 11, 2009
Drinking one as I type this…
Smoltz's Beard - February 10, 2009
Priceless. Doesn’t even back up his statement.
Smoltz's Beard - February 10, 2009
Maybe he can catch ’05-6 in a bottle again. You could do a lot worse for the #5 option, and he is little more than that at this stage.
So add Campillo to the army of AAAA pitching we can move for a real LF.
Ovechkin rulz.
TradeAndruw - February 8, 2009
Like Ryan Ludwick?
mattdiaz4life - February 8, 2009
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