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Home > Jeff Schultz > Archives > 2008 > May > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGlavine still has Mets’ number
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In hopes of shifting the balance of power in the National League, the New York Mets signed Tom Glavine in 2003, paid him $50 million over the next five seasons and somehow hoped that Flushing would morph into the Caribbean.
Never quite happened. Glavine went from mediocre to pretty good to Wile E. Coyote at the bottom of the canyon. The Mets won one division and little else, starring in one of the greatest collapses in baseball history.
Should we be surprised at what happened Tuesday?
Glavine looked like a premier starting pitcher again.
Of course.
He was pitching against the Mets.
He allowed only a run and three hits over six innings. He retired the last 17 batters he faced. Bobby Cox took him out after the seventh inning, I’m guessing because he doesn’t have the SEC-stomp-on-them-until-they-ooze-death gene.
The Braves won the first game of a doubleheader 6-1. More important, Glavine proved again he’s got a little something left, off-season obituaries notwithstanding.
“There’s always a drive to prove people wrong,” he said later. “There were a lot of naysayers about me coming back and pitching again after the way the year ended. But I felt like I could still pitch. I feel good.”
Welcome to the Mets’ perfect little nightmare.
The Braves gave Glavine $8 million for one season, ostensibly because they believed he could still chew up innings as a third or fourth starter. He has done just that — he’s third on the staff in innings — and with the exception of a couple of bumps, he’s also been pretty effective. This makes two straight wins after a string of no decisions and one loss. His ERA: a hardly horrific 3.98, most of the damage coming in single innings of two starts against Cincinnati and Philadelphia.
The Mets touched him for a run in the first inning but left the bases loaded. Then it was all over.
“He’s not overpowering,” said David Wright, who struck out looking in the sixth. “But it’s frustrating facing him when he’s like that — hitting his spots, black to black, up and down. He knows what he’s doing.”
Glavine is now 17-7 with a 2.82 ERA against the Mets.
He was 4-11 with a 5.15 ERA against the Braves.
Excuse New Yorkers if this take this a little personally.
“Well, it’s only one [this year],” Glavine said after his first start against the Mets since his return. “I pitched well against the Mets for some reason before I left here. I didn’t pitch well against the Braves when I was there. I don’t know why. There’s a different feeling pitching against a team you were with for 16 years vs. one you were with for five.”
Last season, he saw the best and worst of being a New York athlete. The city embraced him when he won his 300th career game and he started the year 13-6. Then somebody pulled the plug and everybody circled the drain. The Mets held a seven-game lead on Sept. 12 but lost 12 of their last 17. Glavine led the collapse. He went 0-2 with a no-decision in three dreadful starts (composite ERA: 14.82).
In the final game of the regular season against Florida, Glavine was drilled for seven runs in one-third of an inning. The Mets lost 8-1. Philadelphia won the East by a game. Glavine boarded a plane and never came back — if for no other reason than his own safety.
If Tuesday somehow qualified as payback, it probably wasn’t what Mets fans had envisioned.
“It gives me bragging rights for one game,” Glavine said.
He struggled early. His right knee had been bothering him since he woke up Tuesday and the soreness lingered during warm-ups. He said he “felt out of sorts,” and admitted: “Probably some of it was the adrenaline of facing these guys.”
But he survived the first inning. The rest seemed easy. We shouldn’t be surprised.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Braves/MLB
Comments
By Ted Striker
May 20, 2008 7:33 PM | Link to this
Sometimes a player just has another team’s number…it’s good for the Bravos this one works in their favor
By Gene
May 20, 2008 8:11 PM | Link to this
I think that Glavin is a professional, and he would try his best for whatever team he played for. I am glad that he is back with Atlanta, and I hope that he has a successful year.
By Leah
May 20, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this
I was at the game and was both surprised and thrilled to see Glavine back where he belongs! He didn’t WANT to be traded back in 2003, but he went with the flow and did what he had to do- I thought it was a bad decision then, and am so glad to see it rectified. I wish we could get Maddox back too, but for now I’m enjoying having Smoltz and Glavine back in the same Bullpin. Glavine did a great job, to the dismay of the Mets fans at the game (and to the JOY of all us loyal Bravos!) Yay!!!
By Notre Don't
May 20, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this
If Tex can get going and the Braves can find someone else to chew up some innings … they’re in it for sure.
PS: Notre Dame stinks!
By R1U
May 21, 2008 7:51 AM | Link to this
Nice job Glav!!!
Let’s see how can we blame BC for something - Go Braves!!!
By Drixie
May 21, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this
Good to see Glavine back on his game. With all the injuries to key players we are in the thick of things. Looks like the Mets have more than there share of issues - I’m crying for them! GO BRAVES!!!!!
By 82DAWG
May 21, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this
I don’t believe Glavine was traded, as I recall the Mutts signed him with a huge free agent contract the Braves could not match. he bolted for the money. I like Glavine, too, but his stint with the New York was his decision (and his agent’s) not the Braves giving up on him.
By ET
May 21, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
Glavine signed with NY because they offered him a longer term contract. If I remember correctly the Mets were offering him slightly more per year, but it wasn’t a major differenced.
Glavine changed his mind about leaving the day before he was to sign the NY contract. He told the Braves he was staying, but did an about face the next day when the union boss told him he had to take the better contract because he was the Atlanta players union rep. It would send the wrong message to the rank and file to take an inferior contract. Thats why he ended up in New York.
He was too tied up in the friggin union to stay in Atlanta unless they matched the Mets offer of $ and years.
By Bo
May 22, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
I didn’t think I’d ever say this but “Welcome Back Glavine.”