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Tom Glavine

Braves Notes: Hampton, Lowry, Andruw

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Mike Hampton makes $15MM next year, and the Braves aren’t getting any relief from the Rockies or Marlins.  However, it turns out the Braves actually spread around those payments so that they’d pay out about $8MM to Hampton in each year of the deal.

This is confirmed by Bill Shanks of Scout.com, for starters.  Shanks notes that the Braves owe $8.25MM to Hampton next year because of amortization.  I’ve heard that David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said something similar in the comments of one of his blog posts, but it’s been buried somewhere.  Bottom line, the Braves have $7MM more than we thought they did.  A $95MM payroll would give Atlanta some wiggle room to add a starter.

It’s not a stretch to add Tom Glavine, with this new information.  However, O’Brien thinks the Braves need more.  While Dan Haren or Joe Blanton may be out of reach, Noah Lowry seems a more realistic target.  The point is to find a decent young controllable arm.

O’Brien’s also got some early interested parties in Andruw Jones: the Dodgers, Rangers, Giants, White Sox, Nationals, Phillies, and Mets.  Seems like the idea of moving Beltran to right field has been discussed within the Mets organization.  The Dodgers, I imagine, would shift Juan Pierre to left field. 

Glavine Would Take Less Money For Braves

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The AJC’s David O’Brien has a source close to Tom Glavine saying the free agent lefty would take less money to pitch for the Braves.  Glavine made $10.5MM this year and already has the Mets’ $3MM buyout for ’08 in his pocket (figuratively).

O’Brien says the Braves are likely to bump up their $84MM payroll, but they’d have to go past $100MM to fit in a discounted Glavine.  Or, they can clear payroll by trading Edgar Renteria for someone cheaper.

As for the talk of the Braves chasing a young Joe Blanton type, sure, I can see it.  It’s just that the cupboard is a little bare.   

Glavine Declines $13MM Option

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As had been talked about, 41 year-old lefty Tom Glavine declined his $13MM player option for 2008.  He snags a $3MM buyout in the process.  This decision doesn’t seem to be about money; he just wants more time to decide between the Mets, Braves, and retirement.  Actually, we might be able to count the previous Nationals speculation as a little more than that – Glavine’s agent revealed today that they won’t be ruled out.

MLB.com’s Marty Noble suggests that the Mets would be pleased to have Glavine return, but will move on and acquire another starter if he doesn’t.  I’ve said this before but I wonder if the Mets will eventually be connected to Curt Schilling.

More On Tom Glavine

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Let’s catch up on what’s been going on with Tom Glavine.

  • SI.com’s Jack Wilkinson quotes Glavine as saying he’ll "most likely" decline his $9MM player option for 2008.  This is confusing, because as far as I can tell Glavine’s player option reached $13MM when he hit 200 innings.  While I can see Glavine passing on $9MM, $13MM would be hard to top on the open market.
  • Also, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick suggests (Insider required) that Glavine’s close relationship with Nationals president Stan Kasten could compel Washington to sign him to a one-year deal to anchor the young staff.  This seems like informed speculation to me, if that makes sense.
  • My own thought: it would be nice to see Glavine take around $5MM to pitch for the Braves one last time.  Seems that discounts these days ain’t what they used to be.  Besides Tim Wakefield, I can’t think of a guy who basically flipped off the Player’s Union to stay where he wanted to.

The Tom Glavine Situation

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No less than four articles surfaced today about Tom Glavine.  There was Bob Klapisch on the harsh end, and George Vecsey on the calm side.  A guy who’s been living on the edges for years, outpitching his peripherals, had a lousy final month to his season.  And of course his final thrashing at the hands of the Marlins could not have come at a worse time.

But does this really change anything?  Glavine still has to decide between retirement and playing.  Then he might have to decide between the Mets and Braves.  Omar Minaya is still waiting on Glavine’s decision and will leave the door open to him for $10-12MM.  The Braves have the need but still probably don’t have the money.  Chris Solberg weighs in on the Atlanta idea over at The Baseball Opinion.  Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog thinks Glavine’s time in New York is up.

Perhaps these older hurlers will start to gravitate towards the Roger Clemens abbreviated season plan.  Guys like Glavine and Curt Schilling could start their seasons a month or two late and experience a frenzy for their services.

Glavine In ’08 – Undecided

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I just read seven articles about Tom Glavine, all brought about by yesterday’s New York Post exclusive from Kevin Kernan.  As Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog notes, it doesn’t seem necessary to worry about Glavine’s future until after the playoffs.  Nonetheless, here’s where we stand this morning.

  • Mark Hale of the New York Post says the Mets are again interested in signing Glavine if he decides to pitch.  Unlike Kernan’s story yesterday, Hale does not say that Glavine would decline his likely $13MM player option to sign for $12MM.  If he pitches – if – it will again come down to the Mets or Braves.  The Mets are the favorite.  Omar Minaya will wait for Glavine to come to him.
  • Joel Sherman, also for the New York Post, writes that Glavine was exactly what the Braves needed this year.  He thinks the Braves would’ve been in first right now if they’d signed Glavine for the discounted $10MM or whatever.  I agree – Glavine is in general worth about six wins over replacement in a single season, and the Braves have had plenty of replacement level-pitching this year.
  • Roger Rubin of the New York Daily News tosses in the idea of a Roger Clemens "family plan" for Glavine in ’08, where he’s only required to be with the team on days he pitches.
  • David Lennon of Newsday spoke to a Mets official who feels it’s unlikely any extension gets done before the offseason.
  • Don Burke of the Newark Star-Ledger says nothing’s really changed in the Glavine situation.  He also gently chides the Post yesterday for their "breathless" headline.
  • Glavine spoke to Steve Popper of the Bergen Record in double negatives just to increase confusion.
  • Ben Shpigel of the New York Times thinks Omar Minaya would be inclined to decline Glavine’s $13MM option and negotiate something at a lower price.  But everything I’ve read has called it a player option, so I’m not sure if Minaya can do that.  Shpigel thinks that if Glavine pitches, it will "almost certainly be with the Mets."  He also notes Shawn Green musing on his future.  Green’s $10MM option for ’08 will be bought out for $2MM, and the outfielder doesn’t want a utility role if he plays next year.

Glavine Likely To Pitch For Mets In ’08

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The New York Posts’s Kevin Kernan has an exclusive report today on Tom Glavine.  He’s got many quotes from Glavine indicating that the 41 year-old southpaw will play another season and stay with the Mets.  Glavine’s family is encouraging him to play again.  He can also aim to improve his standing in career wins from 21st to 16th.

According to Kernan, Glavine will likely decline his player option and instead ink a new one-year pact for around $12MM.  That is curious to me because the player option is likely to reach $13MM if Glavine reaches 200 innings this year.

Kernan adds that the Braves could still try to lure Glavine back but it seems unlikely given the price.  However with the new ownership and the clear need for one good starter, the possibility can’t be eliminated.  If such a scenario does occur, the Mets could always make a similar offer to Curt Schilling.

Livan Hernandez Hopes To Pitch With El Duque

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Livan Hernandez, half-brother of Orlando, were all set to pitch together as Expos in 2003 until El Duque succumbed to a shoulder injury.  Livan, a free-agent-to-be, mentioned recently that he still aims to pitch with his half-brother.

El Duque is signed through 2008 as a Met; could they make room for Livan in next year’s rotation?  Duque, Oliver Perez, and John Maine are locked in.  Tom Glavine’s status is in question; Livan could conceivably fill Glavine’s rotation spot.  If Glavine reaches 200 innings this year, he’ll have a $13MM player option for ’08.  It might be hard to turn that down.

The market is weak enough where a past-his-prime innings eater like Livan Hernandez might be a hot commodity.  If he’s looking for a 3/36 type deal, the Mets would probably pass.

Glavine Chooses Mets

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Murray Chass’s New York Times article as well as Buster Olney’s blog indicate that Tom Glavine will make a decision today on whether to pitch for the Mets or Braves.

I’m not sure Glavine even has two options, as no one is reporting that the Braves have made him an offer.  Perhaps Schuerholz is waiting on a deal of Tim Hudson or Marcus Giles to free up payroll before doing so.

UPDATE:  As many have emailed to me, Glavine has re-signed with the Mets for one year and $10.5MM.

Brian Bannister Available?

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Word from my Mets source is that the team is in a holding pattern until Tom Glavine makes his decision.  He feels that the club will end up with either Glavine or Barry Zito and fill the other spots internally.

There is a chance Brian Bannister is traded for a solid reliever to replace Chad Bradford.  Interested parties include the Rockies and Mariners.  He mentioned the D’Backs as well, but their interest may have waned now that Doug Davis has been acquired.

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