Tom Glavine feels cheated by the Braves

[Adam G]

As a life long Braves fan, I was glad to see Wren and company have the cajones to start pulling the trigger on issues like this, as well as the McLouth deal and bringing up Hanson and Medlen. It was nice to have Glavine back last year with Smoltz and give it a final go for glory, but everyone knew that if it didn't happen last year, the team was either going to slowly head into a downward spiral, or it was time to break it all down and start all over again. Scheurholz was ready to step down, so he went for it all and lost, leaving Wren to pick up the pieces.

I think Glavine either was completely ignorant about the situation (which seems unlikely for a guy who asked Atlanta fans to understand that his deal with the Mets was all business), or he has turned into a spoiled veteran who thinks the Braves owe him something. Truthfully, maybe there was a better way for the Braves to handle the situation, but either way cutting Glavine was the smart thing to do even if it did make him go cry to the media. I don't think Braves fans dislike Glavine in any way, but they certainly won't feel sorry for him.

For a while, I wasn't sure Wren had what it took to work through a rebuild, especially after the off season saw several big deals fall through the cracks, but recent events suggest that the Braves might be headed in the right direction. If we unload Francoeur in the next few weeks and get some solid pitching or hitting in return, it will be a very monumental moment in Frank Wren's career (cut ties with the golden home town hero and make the team his own).

However, I am still mystified by the deal with Chipper Jones. The Braves committed way too much money ($42 million over 3 years) for a guy that will average 100-120 games a year if he's lucky and provide essentially a declining return on every dollar spent (according to fangraphs.com, Chipper's value this year ranks somewhere between Brad Hawpe and Pedro Feliz, and one can only assume that it will only be worse next year). I don't understand why the Braves couldn't save the cash and put it towards some better alternatives in the free agent market this winter.

 

[bballcardkid]

Doesn't surprise me that Glavine has reacted this way...to me he was about Glavine first, Braves second, and this just confirms that.

That's completely unfair to Tom Glavine. I knew that if he came out and said what he did, the public perception would be that Glavine was self centered. That's not a fair assessment at all.

 

[Wes]

Lets see here,,,,,,

My company (Braves ) pays me $1 million just to bring me in to see if I can pitch when no one else would hand me a nickel,,,,, so as their employee I should be expected to perform the job they want to pay me for so I can earn all these nice bonuses they offered ( after all its great incentive to get better right when I get all this nice stuff if I can perform well ),,,,,,

My company handles my medical stuff and rehab expenses,,,,,, so I work out and do what I can,,,,,,

I go out and perform, my company decides my performance is not up to standards of a professional they intend to gift with another million dollar bonus,,,,,, said performance a byproduct of my age & injury,,,,,, so they decide to sever ties with me,,,,, something I should have known they MIGHT do since they offered my all those bonuses probably for a good reason,,,,

So I sit here,,,, with $1 million pocketed,,,,, and then cry bitter, sour grapes over how I was treated,,,, look for people to back me up,,,,,, and also EXPECT another team to offer me a job now ( which if they are anyone but the Yankees would be a foolish business decision),,,,,,,

TOM--c'mere a minute buddy,,,,,

I saw Canseco act like this in Boston,,,,,,,,,

Tom,,,, great career buddy,,, PLEASE show a modicum of self respect for yourself and back away quietly from the game instead of going out like this,,,,, let people know the feelings were raw and that you wanted to THANK your former employer for the possible chance to come back home and help out and that you appreciated the $1 million they gave you to make the attempt,,,,,

I mean what FAN of the game would tolerate an overpaid professional athlete throwing a hissy while collecting ONE MILLION DOLLARS for next to no work at all???? Good god ,,,,,, did he just come from a visit with John Rocker before he did that press conference ::facepalm::

Me

I don't disagree with most of what you said except the part where you said he did next to no work at all.

 

[cgilmo]

Adamg

There is a point where loyalty comes into play. If anyone has earned that it is chipper jones. The contract he got was fair considering what he has done over the years in allowing them payroll flexability.

 

[chuckbartowski]

Doesn't surprise me that Glavine has reacted this way...to me he was about Glavine first, Braves second, and this just confirms that.

That's completely unfair to Tom Glavine. I knew that if he came out and said what he did, the public perception would be that Glavine was self centered. That's not a fair assessment at all.

It may not be fair, but Glavine handled this whole thing completely wrong...instead of whining like a little girl to the media, he should have taken his release like a professional caught on with another team and showed the Braves he could still pitch on the field

 

[sportscardtheory]

If the Braves went about this the right way, Glavine would have nothing to say about it other than, "Thanks for the memories." The fact that he is so upset about the way it went down is proof enough to me that the Braves messed up big time. This guy is a pro and a veteran and one of the best players to EVER wear a Braves uniform. It was a classless move by a once-classy organization. Tom Glavine>Atlanta Braves

 

[Adam G]

Adamg

There is a point where loyalty comes into play. If anyone has earned that it is chipper jones. The contract he got was fair considering what he has done over the years in allowing them payroll flexability.

It's absolutely true that Chipper has done some things to allow the Braves more options in the past, but $42 million for 3 years for a guy in his late 30's that could be replaced by a basic $2-4 million player? That goes beyond loyalty and only sets up the Braves, Frank Wren, and Chipper Jones for failure in my mind. It's easy to imagine a scenario in the next 12 months where the Braves and Wren can't go out and pick up a quality free agent due to financial restricions while Chipper sits on the DL with a bum toe or two for 2 or 3 months out of the year. What might the Braves be able to do with an extra $1.16 million per month laying around?

 

[Hallsgator]

If the Braves went about this the right way, Glavine would have nothing to say about it other than, "Thanks for the memories." The fact that he is so upset about the way it went down is proof enough to me that the Braves messed up big time. This guy is a pro and a veteran and one of the best players to EVER wear a Braves uniform. It was a classless move by a once-classy organization. Tom Glavine>Atlanta Braves

No player is bigger then a team, especially not Tom Glavine.

 

[Penno]

After all this, I'm glad they didn't trade Tim Hudson to free up money for Glavine before the 2007 season, as rumored. Quite honestly, Frank Wren is showing he has no loyalty to anyone, remember the Ripken incident. I don't know if this situation will cause a long term effect in regards to signing free agents in the future, but he's at least putting the best 25 men on the roster.

 

[sportscardtheory]

If the Braves went about this the right way, Glavine would have nothing to say about it other than, "Thanks for the memories." The fact that he is so upset about the way it went down is proof enough to me that the Braves messed up big time. This guy is a pro and a veteran and one of the best players to EVER wear a Braves uniform. It was a classless move by a once-classy organization. Tom Glavine>Atlanta Braves

No player is bigger then a team, especially not Tom Glavine.

And there are classy ways to handle those players and classless ways to handle players.

 

[tramers]

well whenever he is ready he can catch a flight ot LA and we will fit him for a nice Dodgers Uni

when can we expect Neo to play?

 

[seanho2309]

I was a tad bit surprised by the move, but if he can still pitch he will catch on with someone else. As an earlier poster stated...he pitched some shutout innings against minor leagues, he wasn't exactly facing the cream of the crop guys...I couldn't agree more. A little harsh to Glavine's ego....maybe.

 

[championMan]

It's absolutely true that Chipper has done some things to allow the Braves more options in the past, but $42 million for 3 years for a guy in his late 30's that could be replaced by a basic $2-4 million player? What might the Braves be able to do with an extra $1.16 million per month laying around?

Yep the extra money could have been use as a gift to Glavine to at least make a farewell start to thank the fans in Atlanta.

 

[BluesBroSJ]

Was this handled wrong? In a way, yes. But take into consideration the following:
The Braves basically just paid for Glavine to rehab
Didn't Tommy leave the braves for a division rival just a few years ago? The braves didn't come out any whine about feeling "cheated"
I'm as big a braves fan here as anyone and will always fondly remember game 6. However, Tom, thanks for the memories and lets see what this Tommy kid can do

 

[championMan]

I hope Glavine never throws another pitch...I also hope he goes into the Hall as a Met...he doesn't deserve to go in as a Brave...he's showing how selfish he really is.

Glavine was the reason the braves started their winning way. Who can forget his 1-0 win gave the braves only world championship in the 90's. He need to be honor as a Braves not as a Mets in my opinion. The braves should set a Tom Glavine day so they can retire him gracefully.