** FILE ** Atlanta Braves’ Tom Glavine works against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a baseball game Aug. 8, 2002, in Phoenix. The Braves would like to get Glavine back after a five-year absence. New general manager Frank Wren spoke with both the two-time Cy Young Award winner and his agent, Gregg Clifton. Wren said Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007, that he will call again next week, after teams can start making offers to free agents. (AP Photo/Jason Wise)
AP
After a year or so of denial, anger and bargaining, Tom Glavine has finally reached acceptance, officially ending the playing portion of his baseball career. He’s taking a job in the Braves’ front office as the assistant to team president John Schuerholz. He’ll also do a bit of broadcasting work, both on Braves radio and on FOX Sports South, and will do appearances, special projects and that sort of thing for Frank Wren and Bobby Cox.
I’ve long known that he would never pitch again, but this announcement still makes me a little sad. Mostly because I’ve always felt like Tom Glavine and I grew up together. I was 14 years-old when I watched his Major League debut. I was on vacation with my family in Myrtle Beach. It was raining so we were hanging out in the hotel. I clicked on the TV and the Braves were playing the Astros. Skip kept going on about how young he was. He mentioned that Glavine had some promise, but made a far bigger deal about him having been a hockey prospect. Glavine got shelled that day, giving up six runs on ten hits in less than four innings. To my untrained eye there was nothing special about him. I remember thinking that maybe he made a bad decision giving up on the hockey. I certainly had no idea that he’d save the franchise like he did.
Of course Glavine matured, winning more games, becoming more confident on the mound, winning Cy Youngs and leading the Braves to the World Series multiple times. I was always a bigger Maddux fan than Glavine fan, but I’ve never been more thrilled by a Braves’ pitching performance than I was Glavine’s in Game 6 of the 1995 World Series. In some ways Maddux was that guy you always knew would do well. I know intellectually that Tom Glavine was supremely talented as well, but having watched his debut, I always saw a bit of that kid from 1987 in him. I always felt happier for him when he did well, as if he were some underdog or something, even though he obviously wasn’t. I rooted for him in ways that I never rooted for Maddux. I always felt he needed my chores a little more.
I’m guessing every fan of a certain age can identify with this. Can name the first guy whose whole career they watched really, really closely. The first guy with whom they took the entire ride. For me that guy is Tom Glavine and the ride is now officially over.
Guess it’s time to get back in line and ride again.
