Glavine Returns Home to Atlanta

November 21, 2007 @ 05:40:03

By Mike Mady
Edited by Ryan Dodson

The Atlanta Braves signed starting pitcher Tom Glavine to a one-year, $8 million deal on Sunday.

Glavine, 41, declined a $13 million option in his contract to stay with the New York Mets to play for the Braves. He was originally drafted by the Braves and was a member of the organization from 1987-2002. His first choice was to return to Atlanta, and even though he could have received more money to play elsewhere, he took less from the Braves. Now he has the opportunity to finish his career where it began. Last season, Glavine pitched 200 1/3 innings, winning 13 games with a 4.45 ERA and 89 strikeouts. It was one of his worst seasons of his 21-year career.

Glavine will join a pitching staff anchored by pitchers John Smoltz and Tim Hudson. He will likely be third in the rotation. Glavine is coming off a somewhat disappointing year for his standards, and wasn't as dominate after leaving the Braves. He will look to regain the Hall of Fame form he had before leaving Atlanta. However, he'll have to do so without former pitching coach Leo Mazzone. 

The left-hander, although he may not be what he once was, proved he could still be effective. He has won at least 13 games and has pitched in at least 198 innings each of the past three seasons. 

Glavine switched his pitching style in the 2006 season and enjoyed a lot of success. Glavine was notorious for pitching hitters away, but he began coming inside and fooling hitters. His 5.96 K/9 ratio was his best since 1998. Hitters made an adjustment last year, and Glavine slumped badly.

Glavine started to turn it around in August with a 3.13 ERA in five starts, but he tailed off in September with a 6.10 ERA. This was highlighted by the dud he threw in the last game of the season. The Mets needed to win the game to get in the playoffs, and Glavine allowed seven runs on five hits and two walks in just one-third of an inning.

From a fantasy perspective Glavine represents a no-risk pick. He's the type of pitcher you can pick up at the end of your draft because public perception of him is that he is washed up. He has been up and down since leaving Atlanta. After a rough first season that saw him go 9-14 with a 4.52 ERA, he posted ERAs of 3.60, 3.54 and 3.82 before last year's 4.45.

Glavine has been a reliable and solid fantasy pitcher throughout his career and just his reputation alone warrants fantasy consideration. However, he will be turning 42 in March so be weary when considering the future Hall of Famer.

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Mike Mady
Mike Mady has been a KFFL contributor since 2005.

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