As part of his new role, Glavine will assist the front office on a number of projects both on the baseball and the business end of the team.  Additionally he will be making some appearances in both the television and radio booths for the club mostly with 680 The Fan (a new partner for the Braves this season) and when games are broadcast on Fox Sports South.

Glavine leaves the game with 305 career wins (244 of which came in a Braves uniform) leaving him as the 4th-ranked left-handed pitcher in baseball history.  Additionally, he won the NL Cy Young with the Braves in 1991 and 1998.  I’m glad to have Tommy back with the Braves in some capacity and hopefully we can leave behind the ill-will caused by the fiasco with Glavine being cut from the squad as he neared his return to baseball last season.

The details of the possible role are far from finalized, but the Braves have presented many options for Tommy.  Some include the opportunity to serve as an announcer or work in the front office in some capacity.  Additionally, there is the opportunity to work with the Braves’ minor league affiliates to assist in player development and coaching.  Though he hasn’t officially announced his retirement from baseball, Glavine realizes it’s not likely he’ll pitch again, and will likely retire once he assumes a new role in the game.

It seems as if the issues revolving around Glavine’s release last season are one big factor standing in the way of his return to the club.  It’s a situation that wasn’t favorable and, in the eyes of many, wasn’t handled as best as it could have been.  In a situation where he will have to work daily with the same man that decided to release him, Glavine wants to make sure he’s not jumping into a decision he will regret.

Make it official, Tommy.  Announce your retirement to cap off a sure-fire Hall of Fame career and take a new role with the Braves.  It’ll be interesting to see what becomes of the situation, but I hope that Glavine and Wren can work out any animosity and make this a done deal.  I, like many, took exception to Glavine’s departure for the Mets, but I grew up watching him pitch in Atlanta and that’s where I want to see him again.

And one side of me says they’ve got a little room to complain. No, Glavine shouldn’t be on the roster. But maybe we could have told him Hanson gave us a better rotation and we’d prefer to give the young buck a chance.  Maybe Wren didn’t have to comment on his “stuff” and how it wasn’t as good as it used to be. Now, the problem with not commenting on his “stuff” is that the move then looks like a money issue. There was no real easy way out of it for the Braves. And it’s really hard to win with PR when you have a griping Hall of Famer who thinks he still has said “stuff” whining on talk radio. It’s really hard to pick a good position here.

Mark Bradley of the AJC has a good point. We paid him $1M to rehab his shoulder when nobody else would go near him. We gave him a serious look. And now he’s whining.

The bottom line is that Wren shouldn’t have given Glavine a contract without seeing him pitch. That’s a lot of risk to put on the shoulder and elbow of Glavine. And it didn’t pay off – not financially, not in the game of baseball, and certainly not as far as public relations goes.

There’s another side of me that says we owe Glavine no loyalty because he ditched us for the effing Mets. It was about money for you then, Glavine, so shut up and stop whining. You’re coming off as a bitter has-been who can’t admit when his best days are behind him.

Last year, when Glavine was healthy and started 13 games before he was injured, he was only a shadow of his former self. He only had 5 quality starts – 38% of his starts were considered Quality Starts (> 6 IP, </= 3 RA). His career average is 64%, including last year. We saw him break 100 pitches thrown once out of those 13 appearances. The Braves scored an average of 4.9 runs per game while he was on the mound, and yet he still ended up with a 2-4 record and a 5.54 ERA. The bottom line is he just isn’t as sharp as he used to be. Sure, he’ll pitch alright for someone, but that’s not us. We’ve got Tommy Hanson coming to start Saturday – and if the hype is right, he’s ridiculously sharp.

Yes, it’s definitely surprising and somewhat sad to see the Braves release someone who has such history with the team and with baseball, but this is a baseball move and frankly I don’t feel much connection to Glavine the way I did to Smoltz. It’s just not there, ever since he decided to play traitor and move to the NY Mets for a while. Sure, he’s a great ballplayer and a nice guy, but he had no loyalty for his team and I don’t feel a need to stand up and be emotional about his release when he wasn’t going to provide a boost to the pitching staff.

The bottom line is that with a good starting four, Tommy Hanson ready to come up, and Tim Hudson coming back from surgery later this year, we just had no room for a mediocre, shell-of-his-former-self Tom Glavine. That’s a little sad, but not that sad. Farewell Tommy – thanks for all the good memories and best of luck looking for another job. I hear the Mets could use an arm or two.

After returning to Atlanta last season, Glavine had shoulder and elbow surgeries and has been attempting to regain the ability to pitch at the major league level.  After throwing eleven scoreless innings in his latest two rehab starts, Glavine indicated that he was ready to head back to Atlanta.

Glavine, 43, has 305-career wins and spent the first sixteen seasons of his major-league career with the Braves.  Since returning to the Braves in 2008, he made only 13 starts before being sidelined by injuries.  His return in the 2009 season was set back in April by some recurring injuries however.  Glavine has stated that he is not ready to retire and was fully looking forward to pitching in Atlanta this season.  It’s not yet clear what options he will pursue.

I wonder what this signifies for the Braves?  Are there bigger plans in the works? Or is it just time for Tommy to hang it up?  More on this as we find out.

]]> http://www.bravesblast.com/2009/06/03/braves-release-tom-glavine/feed/ 8 http://www.bravesblast.com/2009/06/02/braves-pitching-abounds/ http://www.bravesblast.com/2009/06/02/braves-pitching-abounds/#comments Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:01:17 +0000 Colin http://www.bravesblast.com/?p=1217 The Braves starting pitching continues to excel this season – and while Frank Wren searches for some more offense to back up the staff, the Braves are not lacking in starting pitching depth.

Derek Lowe is 6-3 with a 3.49 ERA (8 quality starts), Jair Jurrjens is 5-2 with a beautiful 2.59 ERA (7 quality starts), and Javier Vazquez is doing ok – he has an even 4-4 record with a 3.58 ERA (7 quality starts). Behind that, Kenshin Kawakami appears to be struggling at 3-6 with a 4.73 ERA, but you’d be having trouble too if you only got an average of 1.7 runs scored per game when you were pitching. With such lousy run support, it’s a wonder Kawakami has three wins.

Glavine is ready to come to Atlanta and start. Whether or not he’ll be good, we’ll see. He’s ready though. Kris Medlen had two rough starts but was great in his last start as he struck out nine in six innings of work. He may just have a chance to stick around and prove he has the stuff he needs to excel in the majors. And of course we have Tommy Hanson honing his skills in Gwinnett, waiting to make the 45 minute drive south and show us his stuff. Oh, and Tim Hudson is on track for a return in August or September.

So what happens now? We’ve got Tommy ready to pitch, Medlen to give some playing time to, Hanson to fit in, and 2 pitchers that are doing alright.

I think the odd man out, interestingly enough, is Javier Vazquez. He has a high strikeout rate, but the Braves give him the most run support while he’s on the mound (5.5 runs per game) and yet he’s only 4-4 – and the Braves are only .455 when he gets the ball. To give you an idea of how bad that is, the Braves are .400 with Jo-Jo Reyes starting. Kawakami needs more run support, but with that run support he’ll likely be much better. He could end up being the odd man out too.

Who’s the odd man out? What does our rotation/bullpen look like at the end of the year?

Glavine will likely fill the fifth spot in the rotation that has been a struggling point for the Braves since being filled by the combination of Jo-Jo Reyes and Kris Medlen.  Between the two, they have compilied an 0-4 record across 7 starts with a 7.64 ERA.

Though Glavine is still working a little rust out of his control since returning from elbow and shoulder surgery that ended his 2008 season, he is still likely a better candidate for the spot in the rotation.  Honestly, it can’t get much worse.  I think we’ll be seeing him back in Atlanta by mid-June definitely.  What’re everyone’s thoughts on Glavine?

Glavine’s MRI came back to reveal an inflamed rotator cuff. And yes, it may be about time to stick a fork in him – he may be done. The Braves are reporting that Glavine is frustrated with the rehab process and is considering retirement. Frankly, if we’re paying him this year, I don’t want him to give up and retire in a couple weeks. I want him to fight back as long as he can. I’m torn on this – I really don’t WANT Glavine back in anything but fully effective as a starter (with his historic first inning woes, I don’t want him in a relief role).

I’m not really sure what I want to happen with Glavine – I don’t want him back unhealthy and I don’t want him stuck in rehab forever – I really wish we just hadn’t signed him when we did. Couldn’t we have spent that money towards Smoltzie? I’m just bitter about the whole thing. Why sign Glav when we don’t know he’ll pitch? I’m not just an armchair GM, I’m a bitter armchair GM. What are your thoughts on the situation?

Glavine was supposed to start for Atlanta on Saturday – but he won’t make it now. So, with their veteran pitcher down with an injury, the Braves have called up young pitching phenom… wait – Jo-Jo Reyes? Really? Yeah, Jo-Jo will come make the start on Saturday. The obvious thing here is that Jo-Jo is a left-hander and the Braves need a left-handed pitcher in their starting rotation. That said, there are a lot of people clamoring for the young and ridiculously talented Tommy Hanson, who struck out 10 of 13 in his first start at AAA Gwinnett.

There are arguments against using Hanson this early in the season – they want to keep him on a regular pitching schedule and get him his innings and a nice routine – they don’t want to start his arbitration clock yet – they want a lefty right now and Jo-Jo has more major league experience (is bad experience really better than no experience?)

What are your thoughts? Debate it. Is Jo-Jo Reyes (referred to affectionately as Blow-Blow by at least one of our staff) really the answer at this time? Should Tommy Hanson be brought up? Or is Jo-Jo the right call and Hanson needs a little more time to season before he’s ready to pitch?

Unable to help the Braves much, if at all, in 2007 (because of injury, underperformance, or having not yet arrived in the big leagues), there are several bats and arms in the Braves’ camp that could have a substantial impact on the ‘09 season.

EACH OF THE FOLLOWING PLAYERS COULD PROVE TO BE THE EQUIVALENT OF A SIGNIFICANT FREE AGENT SIGNING:

Rafael Soriano: Having spent the majority of last season on the disabled list with discomfort in his pitching elbow, Soriano now appears healthy and ready to help anchor the back end of the bullpen. Since moving to the ‘pen in his sophomore season with the Mariners, Soriano has a career ERA of about 2.50. When healthy, the hard-throwing righty is one of the top setup men in the game.

Peter Moylan: The submarine-tossing ‘Ausie’ posted the third best ERA (1.80) in baseball in 2007, over 90 innings pitched. After missing most of last season recovering from “Tommy John” surgery, Moylan’s rehabilitation is ahead of schedule, and he is expected to be ready on opening day. The return of Peter Moylan could give the Braves another dominant late-inning reliever to go with Soriano and closer, Mike Gonzalez.

Tom Glavine: The legendary lefty’s rehabilitation from off-season surgery (to repair his pitching arm) is on track, and Glavine is expected to make his first start, on schedule, in late April. In 2007, Glavine was fifth in the NL in quality starts with 23, and not coincidentally, he finished the season with 13 wins. If healthy enough to regain his ‘07 form, baseball’s only active 300-game winner could once again notch double-digit wins for the Braves.

Tommy Hanson: Considered by many to be the top overall pitching prospect in baseball, Hanson this spring has given the Braves all the more reason to believe he’s ready to record outs in the big leagues. With an already fully staffed starting rotation, it appears that an injury to a Braves starter would be the only immediate path to the Atlanta’s 25-man roster. However, while not particularly likely, it is conceivable that the Braves might consider trading one of their starting pitchers at some point during the season, creating a Major League job opening for Hanson in ‘09.

Tim Hudson: The Braves ace is currently ‘rehabbing’ from “Tommy John” surgery, and is believe to be on track for a late August or early September return. While the Braves certainly are not counting on Hudson in any way for the upcoming season, he could give this Braves team one more considerable weapon down the stretch.

Jeff Francoeur: After experiencing a season-long slump in ‘08 that saw him hit just .239 with only 11 homeruns, “Frenchy” is on a mission to (at least) regain his pre-2008 form. So far, so good. As of this writing, he is hitting .350 for the spring. He has just 1 strikeout in 40 at-bats, to go with 6 walks and 9 RBI. He is driving the ball to all fields and has shown nothing of his prior tendency (even in his better seasons) to swing at pitches well out of the strikezone. Replacing the ‘08 model of Jeff Francoeur with the ‘07 version – or better- would be tantamount to having inked a big free agent slugger over the winter.

Matt Diaz: Diaz lost much of his ‘08 season to a knee injury after getting off to a slow start as the Braves everyday left-fielder. But it should not be forgotten that he hit .333 in 655 combined at-bats in ‘06 and ‘07. While the addition of Garrett Anderson undoubtedly represents an upgrade to the Atlanta outfield, the return of a healthy and sharp Matt Diaz may prove every bit as valuable. Diaz is currently batting around .400 with 5 extra-base hits and 11 RBI in just over 40 at-bats this spring.

Jordan Schafer: One of the most heralded prospects in the Braves organization, Schafer appears ready to contribute at the Major League level. Despite frequent strikeouts, Schafer has hit nearly .400 so far this spring, and has demonstrated why he is considered a “5-tool” top-quality prospect. For a variety of reasons (NOT related to his spring performance), he may start the season at AAA, but don’t be surprised if Schafer makes a big league splash in 2009.

If the afore mentioned players are healthy and performing well (and so far this spring, all systems are “go”) the Braves will have essentially added the following for the 2009 season:

4 quality starting pitchers, including a #1 starter… 2 dominant late-inning relievers… 1 big middle-of-the-order bat, and at least 2 other quality hitters.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Braves expect better things from Mike Gonzalez (who is now entirely healthy/rested and back at “100%”), and Blaine Boyer, who won’t be overworked or prematurely thrust into late-inning duties, as he was last year. What’s more, Braves officials feel we haven’t seen the best of Yunnel Escobar, Kelly Johnson, or Casey Kotchman.

When you put it all together, we are looking at a Braves team that could surprise a great many people in 2009.  How do you feel about this team? What do you think about the pieces the Braves have added, both from without and within the organization?

Yesterday we saw Tommy Hanson start and struck out the side in the first against the Panama World Baseball Classic team. He allowed one unearned run and two hits over three innings of ball and I think I read somewhere he hit 95 on the radar (down from a 99mph fastball in his first appearance). Hanson also showed excellent control in his outing. Jason Heyward added a two run home run in the eighth inning as both of the Braves’ top prospects shone in a win over Panama.

Tom Glavine arrived in Lake Buena Vista today – and his shoulder – while healing – isn’t pain free yet. He’s not concerned – Glav has said the pain is bearable and better than previous springs. This is encouraging. Soon we’ll see Glavine back on the mound pitching for the Braves – the uniform he’s looked best wearing.

That’s the Braves update for today, folks. Until next time, take care. Drop us a suggestion via the Mailbag or Suggestions form if you have article ideas.

Derek Lowe: The sinker-ball specialist has averaged 15 wins over his last 7 seasons, and boasts a 3.58 ERA over the past 4 years since moving to the National League. He steps up in big games and has a track record of post-season success. He is also quite durable and can be counted on for 200 innings as the ace of this rotation.

Jair Jurrjens: The rookie right-hander was the lone ray of light in the Braves rotation last year, recording 13 wins and a 3.68 ERA in 188 innings. And it wasn’t fool’s gold. Jurrjens is armed with 4 quality pitches, including a fastball he can run up into the mid-90’s, and an outstanding changeup. Teammates rave about his maturity and “pitch to contact”, ground-ball approach to pitching. Jurrjens also has excellent command. Baseball America named him the best control pitcher in the Detroit Tigers’ organization a couple of years ago. Many in baseball believe that Jurrjens is a young ace in the making, and it appears he may have the tools to prove them right.

Javier Vazquez: In 2007, Vazquez went 15-8 for the White Sox, with a 3.74 ERA and 213 strikeouts over 216 innings. These numbers were reminiscent of the success he enjoyed in Montreal before his move to the AL in 2004. Last year, though he again logged 200 innings and struck out 200 batters, his ERA spiked to 4.68. Vazquez should benefit from escaping the hitter’s paradise of U.S. Cellular Field (and the DH) in favor of a more pitcher-friendly, Turner Field. It has also been suggested that Vazquez may find a greater level of comfort in the NL, under the leadership of Bobby Cox. For these reasons, multiple scouts have stated a belief that Vazquez is poised for a big year in Atlanta.

Kenshin Kawakami: Winner of the Cy Young equivalent, Sawamura Award, Kawakami is a well established star in Japan. He has a career record of 112-72 through 11 seasons, with a 3.32 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and a ratio of 1328 Ks to 351 BBs in 1642.3 IP. His best pitches are a cut fast ball with low 90’s velocity and a knee-buckling slow curve.  The Braves are confident that Kawakami will make a successful transition to Major League Baseball to help anchor the middle of their rotation.

Tom Glavine: Coming off of an injury-riddled season, at age (soon to be) 43, there are more questions surrounding Glavine than any other Braves starter. But if he is in fact healthy, there is plenty of reason to believe that he could still be effective. Before the arm trouble began very early last season, Glavine looked sharp. And despite an unimpressive ERA in 2007, he was actually quite good. Glavine finished the ‘07 season with 23 quality starts, which is territory usually reserved for aces in that category. It was no accident that he won 13 games that year. If his arm is sound, he could provide the Braves with another quality veteran starter. After all, Jamie Moyer (a soft-tossing lefty cut from the same mold as Glavine) is several years older, and still getting outs.

OUTLOOK: Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this Atlanta rotation is its depth. While it features noone of the stature of a Johan Santana or a Jake Peavy, the Braves rotation is 5-deep; loaded with quality arms. This rotation figures to be durable, and should eat a lot of innings, taking a great deal of pressure off of the bullpen. And if by chance a Braves starter should visit the disabled list this season, Tommy Hanson (perhaps the top pitching prospect in all of baseball) is waiting in the wings. The Braves also have other quality alternatives for the rotation, including Jorge Campillo, Charlie Morton and Jo-Jo Reyes.

With plenty of talent and depth, this rotation is a safe bet to be among the league’s best.  What are you expecting out of the staff this season?  Who will surprise and who won’t live up to expectations?

Kawakami is followed, of course, by the Japanese media as he was one of Japan’s star pitchers. It’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to American baseball as other Japenese pitchers have had mixed results switching leagues. Javier Vazquez will also be switching leagues – though only from the AL to the NL.

It’s not yet known if Tom Glavine will be the fifth starter or on the roster at all, but his talks with the Braves recently resulted in an increased amount of deferred money, bringing his offer to $1M this year and $3M in incentives that would be paid over the next few years. I think this is more along the lines of what Glavine was looking for and we’re likely to see him sign soon. Keep in mind that’s my opinion.

Brian McCann is in camp ready to take the first pitch as workouts begin tomorrow. Dave Ross, the Braves’ new backup catcher, and Clint Sammons will battle it out for the backup spot, but Ross will almost certainly land the slot barring something unforseen.

The rest of the squad starts spring training Wednesday, but to me, this is the first day of the baseball season. Go Braves – let’s take no prisoners and grind out a great season!

Tim wrote the BravesBlast mailbag with the following question:

Hi guys…I’ve just about had it with Mark Bowman over at MLB.com. His latest post about his projected rotation has Jo Jo Reyes penciled in as the 5th starter. What I want to know is this: What is he seeing that I’m missing? Reyes was by far our worst option last year. Why wouldn’t you use Campillo or even Morton in the 5 spot? Thanks and great site!

Thanks for the submission, Tim. First of all, I think the majority of the BravesBlast staff would puke if Reyes was flat-out awarded the fifth rotation spot. Sure, he’s got a chance at winning it, but only if all goes wrong. Obviously Lowe/Jurrjens/Vazquez/Kawakami are the first four pitchers in the 5-man rotation. Let’s take a look at the fifth rotation spot options.

Jorge Campillo is the first and best option that’s on the roster right now. Campillo has been likened to Greg Maddux and doesn’t have super impressive speed – but he has control going for him. Last year, he stepped into the rotation and impressed with an 8-7 record with a 3.91 ERA. And that was WITH that horrible luck the Braves had last year. Campillo is my top pick. If he doesn’t make the rotation, our bullpen is THAT much deeper with Campillo as the long reliever.

Tom Glavine isn’t even an option until he’s on the roster. He’s supposedly the guy that would trump the other candidates for the position – and he’s good – but do we really need to pay $3-5M for a fifth starter? We *could* sign Glavine, but I’m not sure we need to.

Charlie Morton may not be ready for the bigs, but he’ll get a chance to try and prove he’s ready. He’s 25 and young – and didn’t have the best luck in the big leagues last year. That said, I like Morton and as he matures I think he’ll be a decent 4th or 5th starter.

Jo-Jo Reyes is not a good option. He’s just not. I’m sorry, but when I mentioned to Jonathan that I was writing this article, he said the following about Jo-Jo. “Give me Campillo, or anyone but Jo-Jo, please.  I can’t spend another part of a season not watching every 5th game just because I know I’ll get angry.” That about sums Jo-Jo up. He also drives a Toyota Previa. Ok probably not, but it’s a long-standing joke amongst the crew here.

James Parr is a longshot. He went 1-0 in 5 starts with a 4.84 ERA last fall. He could make the rotation if everyone else flounders and he shines in spring training. Otherwise he spends at least the beginning of the year in Richmond.

Tommy Hanson is more likely to make the rotation in the middle of the season. I’d prefer him take his time before he gets to Atlanta – I want him to absolutely stun batters once he’s here. I’m looking forward to seeing him but don’t want to rush him. The sneak preview in Spring Training will be nice.

So there you have it – the main contenders for the 5th rotation slot. Discuss.

Bobby Abreu appears to be near a deal with the Angels and the Braves are now rumored to be looking more seriously at either Nick Swisher or Xavier Nady. Yes, we’d need to trade for them, but the Braves need an outfielder, and that may be necessary. Swisher may be the leading candidate due to his longer contract, actually, as well as his ability to play first as well as all outfield positions. His contract is worth somewhere north of $22M over 3 seasons, though. Some players are reported to feel Nady is the better fit, though he’d be a one-year rental. This could go either way.

Jordan Schafer reported to spring training yesterday, according to our very own Rue Grant, who has been keeping in touch with Schafer recently. Jordan is eager to prove he belongs on the big league team and I think we’ll see a good show from Schafer – I wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting some this spring.

Tom Glavine and the Braves meet today and Glav hopes that the Braves increase their offer – said to be $1.5M +some incentives. I don’t think we’ll see that number change much, though it may change a little bit. Rumor has it that Glavine would like to make $5-6M after incentives, and I don’t see that happening, especially when our priority still seems to be a power bat in the outfield.

Tim Hudson is two months into a throwing program and all is going well. He hopes to return to the team in August. He’s cautious about pushing his limits, but he’s also optimistic about returning in August with no problems.

Obviously there’s more info on everything out there except Schafer going to camp, so go read up if you want to find out more. More to come as we hear it – here’s hoping we get a power bat in left field soon!

Glavine has been rumored to desire a one year contract worth between $2M and $3M guaranteed and maybe double that after incentives. If he wants to stay with the Braves, he’s going to need to accept much less than that – the Braves have limited payroll flexibility as they’re still pursuing Will Ohman and are still looking towards the possibility of landing an outfield bat (signing Abreu or trading for Swisher or Nady).  Glavine now has to decide if it’s worth it to him to take less money to pitch in Atlanta – he did it last year but in what may be his last year now, he needs to determine whether he values money more or proximity to family more. I don’t say that as a slam in any way – Glav could probably pull down more money elsewhere.

We’d love to have him back – the Braves need a lefty on the staff, despite being absolutely STACKED with arms this year. One good piece of news: Glavine was asked yesterday to comment on the possibility of pitching for a team other than the Braves and he indicated that “We aren’t down that road yet.”

Do you think Glavine will take the offer or head somewhere else for more money?

Tom Glavine returned from his visit with Dr. Andrews today with a renewed sense of confidence about pitching in the 2009 season.  The question now remains, where will he pitch?  Andrews found no issues with the surgically repaired left elbow and shoulder during the routine checkup and cleared Glavine to increase his pitch counts during his mound sessions.

Dr. Andrews also informed Glavine that he would likely be ready to pitch in spring training.  While he is still not throwing with full intensity, Glavine reported no pain after his 60-pitch session today.  He is slated to throw a 75-pitch session later in the week and then will move on to the next step of his rehab program which will consist of throwing harder, but fewer pitches.

Glavine is expected to meet with Frank Wren later this week to discuss his rehab progress and next steps.  It’s hard to tell if Wren plans to offer Glavine a contract that would be deemed acceptable.  Financially, the Braves are down to about $6 million to spend this offseason and are still on the hunt for an outfielder.  Conversely, some believe that they will make an offer to Glavine to avoid the fallout that was experienced with the departure of John Smoltz.  Only time will tell on that one.

In other news, Don Sutton will once again be heard on Braves radio broadcasts.  The Braves confirmed today that the Nationals and MASN radio network had release Sutton from his contract obligations to allow him to return to Atlanta.  Sutton’s familiar voice, along with newcomer Jim Powell, will fill the void left with the retirement of Pete Van Wieren and the passing of Skip Caray last season.

So what do you think, Braves fans?  What will the outcome of Glav’s meetings with Wren be?  Do we have the financial means to try and bring Glavine on board and still pursue an outfielder?  With the preseason rapidly approaching, there are still questions to be answered.

The biggest thing for Tom in his recovery right now is to not overdo anything.  Pushing too hard to be ready in time for Spring Training if his arm is just not up to it would be the biggest setback for him.  Glavine has repeatedly said that this is the best his arm has felt in years and is making a concious effort to do his recovery properly and not become overly excited with each mound session.  At the rate he is progressing, Glavine is fairly certain that he’ll be ready in time for the regular season however.

While Glavine’s main focus right now is being able to pitch again in the 2009 season, there is still the fact that he remains a free agent for the upcoming season.  He has indicated that he’d love to stay and pitch for the Braves, but realizes that this may not be a possibility.  Glavine has said that he has thought through multiple possibilities and knows that financially, the Braves just may not have the ability to sign him this season.  Right now however, he continues to just go out there and prove that he’ll be ready to go once the season gets under way.

If things with the Braves don’t work out, Glavine has expressed some interest in pitching for the Nationals because of his close relationship with team president, Stan Kasten, who was in the Braves organization together with Glavine from 1987 to 2002.  As of now, the Nationals have not contacted Glavine’s agent, as they are focused on acquiring young players for the long term.  Should they choose to bring him on board, Glavine would likely serve in the mentoring role for the team’s young pitchers.

So the question is, do the Braves bring back Glavine or not?  We have no lefties in the rotation right now (aside from Jo-Jo Reyes potentially grabbing the 5th spot) so is this a role that Glavine gets the nod to fill or is it time for the Braves and Glavine to go their separate ways once again?

Hey guys just wondering what you think about Francoeur’s Statement in the AJC that he is going to be a completely different player, Also Glavine said he had another pain free pitching outing and seems to be leaning toward coming back with the Braves what are your guys thoughts on this. I think you guys need a talk show or something get your voice out on the air.

Thanks for writing, Chad. Francoeur is going to be an interesting guy to watch this year. Last year he bulked up, partially due to getting married and enjoying his wife’s cooking, and partially because he spent a lot of time lifting. This led to Francoeur absolutely smashing balls in batting practice, but messed with his mechanics a little bit (from what I read… I’m not a batting coach).  This year Francoeur has slimmed down.  He took some advice from Mark DeRosa and Mark Teixeira and has changed his stance and swing. He’s been hitting four days a week. He’ll probably be better than he was last year. I’m going to go more in-depth on Francoeur soon in another post, so I’ll save some thoughts on him. I think we’ll see Francoeur as a different player – and I hope he’ll surprise us with how good he is. He’s optimistic about it and so are the other people I’ve seen talk about it.

I addressed Glavine a couple days ago in this article. That said, I’ll add that I wouldn’t mind seeing another arm in the arsenal as long as we don’t pay tons of money for it. The Braves need a lefty, they need a veteran, and though their rotation is more aged than we’re used to, Glavine would add some to it. I just don’t want to see us waste tons of money on him when we wouldn’t sign Smoltzie.

As far as podcasts or talk shows, we’re working on a few options there. While we’re not about to start a podcast ourselves yet (also not saying we won’t do one), we’re partnering with a few people. For one, the good people over at BravesCast have had Rue on twice and Jonathan and I will be making appearances soon. It’s long – an hour – but it’s good.

In short – right now, he doesn’t. At least not in my mind. Glavine just pitched off a mound Friday for the first time since having surgery and feels good. The AJC says he wants to return to the Braves but won’t talk contract until he’s healthy enough to pitch.  But where would the Braves put Glavine?  The rotation is chock full of people who should be pretty healthy inning-eaters.  Campillo may get bumped to the ‘pen, which looks to be decent this year (Gonzo, Acosta, Moylan should return, Soriano will hopefully not suck, and hopefully Will Ohman, to name a few) – and the ‘pen may get less work because of more stable starters.

Where does Glavine fit in? I’m not sure. Unless someone gets injured (let’s hope not), I don’t see Glavine in a role with the Braves this season. He’s a nice enough guy, but I wouldn’t give him a contract out of loyalty like Smoltz… and the Braves have proven already this offseason they don’t award contracts based off of loyalty to the club. Not to mention Glavine left us for the Mets of all people for a few years.

I don’t know if Glavine fits in with the Braves this year. I know he wants to come back, but I don’t see a place for him currently. If we won’t go sign Ben Sheets, why would we sign Glavine?

Do you feel differently?