Tom Glavine

[soupcan]

...just pissed me off last night.

If there was ever a time for a first ballot Hall of Fame 300 game-winning veteran of a staff to 'show up', then last night was it.

I don't want to hear that 'it was just one of those nights', or 'I just didn't have my stuff'. Please.

That team, again, is the weakest hitting team in the bigs and they ran roughshod over him from the get-go.

If Gavine gives up 3 runs over 5 innings then the Mets win that game. Not a lot to ask of him at that point you know?

Go home Tom, retire already. In my mind he pulled a Trachsel last night.

Now lets say the Mets do get in the postseason and Glavine spins some wunnerful games. That's all well and good but I'm soured on him from here on in. I really thought that he, of all people, would take charge of that game last night and he let all Met fans down. Hard.

[metirish]

I can't really say I was surprised by his outing,to me he looks the same throwing a one hitter as he does on nights he stinks the joint, does that make sense?

[Guest Edgy DC]

First loss of the second half.

Send him home, you've got to send a lot of guys with him.

[soupcan]

Edgy DC wrote: First loss of the second half. Send him home, you've got to send a lot of guys with him.

First loss but not the first bad outing at crunch time.

I know I'm being irrational but you know what I'm talking about.

Tell me you didn't feel good knowing that it was Glavine last night. Knowing that we had our veteran guy who even without his best stuff would know what the situation called for and would somehow muster up the effort that the Mets needed last night.

I was just so disappointed.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's Glavine's second bad performance in a row. If he had pitched well in one of his last two starts, the Mets would be three games up instead of two, which, at this point, is a huge difference.

Having said that, he's been the Mets most consistent and reliable starter throughout the year. They'd be, overall, in much worse shape without him. I'd still welcome him back for 2008.

[HahnSolo]

Gotta pose this question: if we need the final game of the season, does anybody really have any confidence in Glavine after his last two starts?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Relative to the rest of the rotation, why not?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Well, no, of course not.

I have no confidence in Maine or Pelfrey either. Hernandez has been hurt. Martinez has been throwing too many pitches. I'm not confident in any of these guys, but I'm least uneasy with Perez and Martinez.

This is why our NLDS outlook is so dicey. They've all been more bad than good lately.

[smg58]

Edgy DC wrote: Relative to the rest of the rotation, why not?

Unfortunately that's the only answer I could come up with myself. Yes we're all mad at him for his gopher ball exhibition last night, but he's still a HOF pitcher and he's been our most consistent starter the second half.

[soupcan]

="smg58"]but he's still a HOF pitcher and he's been our most consistent starter the second half.

What good is that when he throws a stinkbomb like he did last night?

Not against the Braves, not against the Phillies, not against the Cubs. Against the Nationals.

'We're giving the ball to Tommy tonight because he's a crafty veteran who knows what to do in these situations...blah, blah, freakin' blah...'

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, he sucked last night?

Does that mean he'll suck again next time around?

Maybe it does, and maybe it doesn't. Our only reasonable option is to put him out there again and see what happens.

We didn't give up on Al Leiter when he couldn't get anyone out (literally!) in 1999 NLCS Game 6.

Really, what can you do. Even pitchers as good as Glavine (or better) have bad games. And sometimes they come at bad times. It's not a sign of a character flaw, it's a sign that he's human.

[Frayed Knot]

Glavine on the radio NOW!!!! for his regular weekly stint.

- couldn't get the feel/control of the change-up all night

- the curveball that Kearns hit surprised him because he throws so few that batters rarely even swing at it much less hit it a mile

[soupcan]

="Yancy Street Gang"]Really, what can you do. Even pitchers as good as Glavine (or better) have bad games. And sometimes they come at bad times. It's not a sign of a character flaw, it's a sign that he's human.

I understand. I do. Its just that the stars were aligned last night.


- MUST win

- Tom Glavine

- Met offense is clicking

- Nationals


All we needed was a so-so start from a guy that we should've been able to count on in that situation.

The guy just did not show up.

It bummed me out.

[metirish]

Can pitchers really make adjustments during a game, I hear a lot about it but am wondering if Glavine does.Right now I would trust Perez in a must win.

[soupcan]

Thanks again Tom!

Douchebag.

[Benjamin Grimm]

You're not pleased with today's results?

[soupcan]

You still want him back next year?

I sure as hell don't.

He got the ball twice in two must win situations and got blown out of the box. Didn't even come close to giving his team a chance. Against two of the worst teams in the league.

The last thing I want to see is Tom Glavine in a Mets uniform next year.

Good riddance choker.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Glavine has been one of the Mets best starting pitchers the past 2 seasons, but he really spit the bit the last few times out, particularly his last two outings. I had believed that the Mets should bring him back in 2008, but after the last few outings I'm thinking that the money required to retain him could go to better use elsewhere. Glavine is a certain hall of Famer that his enjoyed a long and successful career, but I think his stuff has eroded away to the point that he has no room for error with his pitches. I do think it is now time to move on.

[bmfc1]

I do want to see Glavine pitch again for the Mets... during the '07 playoffs. In '08, he can pitch elsewhere. Three big starts down the stretch, three lousy performances.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

bmfc1 -"I do want to see Glavine pitch again for the Mets... during the '07 playoffs...."

Extremely slim chance of that happening. The Mets collapse is definitiely not Glavine's fault, but he did nothing to help end the slide down the stretch.

[Guest cooby]

I was folding sheets, up in the bedroom, and walked over to the laptop to check on the score right after the game started....when I saw it was 7-0 after a third of an inning I commented to my husband that Glavine's going to be run out of NY on a rail.

Anybody got a rail?

[Guest Iubitul]

He left the same way he came in, as The Manchurian Brave*

*thanks FAFIF for this great nickname

[stevejrogers]

One problem, isn't the option for next year his to pick up?

[seawolf17]

His option, team's buyout, I believe. Or is that someone else? Did his option vest already?

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

ESPN offers the following details regarding the terms of Tom Glavine's contract status for the 2008 season:

Glavine signed a one year contract for $10.5 mil. this season. His deal contained a $9 million player option for 2008 that became guaranteed when he passed 160 innings this season.

The price of the option increases by $1 million for each additional 10 innings up to a maximum price of $13 million. Glavine pitched 200.3 innings this season, to lead the Mets staff.

If the option isn't exercised, Glavine gets a $3 million buyout and he has the right to decline the option even if it becomes guaranteed.

So Glavine would receive $13 mil. if he decides to exercise his guaranteed player option or he gets $ 3 mil. if he decides to retire or opts to pursue free agency. Hell, for $13 mil. I would come back for a final year if I was him, so the Mets may not really have a choice.

[Guest Iubitul]

All the jokes about glavine being the Manchurian Brave aside, he always seemed to be a class guy with his priorities straight. I don't think he would come back for just the money if he didn't think it was the right thing to do for his family or his career.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, he's a good guy. He deserved a better last game as a Met than what he had today.

[soupcan]

I think its too bad that he'll be coming back (I assume the Mets aren't going to eat $13 mil in order to let a starting pitcher who won 13 games walk away).

He's shown himself to be so much less than a big game pitcher.

If the Mets are ever faced with another big spot in which they need a starting pitcher to step up, I hope that they remember how badly Glavine failed in that role this season the two times he had a chance. I never want to hear another baseball person, broadcaser, writer, etc. espouse about what a dependable veteran Tom Glavine is. Because he isn't.

[seawolf17]

Has anyone ever really felt comfortable with Glavine in a big spot? I know I haven't, in all his years here. I've never once said "Oh, it's okay, because Glavine's pitching tonight." There's always been that underlying unease for me.

[metirish]

I don't think I have ever felt comfortable with that, like when he would face off against the Braves I would think " oh fuck he's facing Smoltz".

Hearing him on the post-game he sounds very nonchalant about the whole thing.