Tom Glavine is a Traitor ?

再過幾個鐘頭，Tom Glavine 與 John Smoltz 的對決就要展開，他媽的民視和 ESPN 只會播洋基是不是？兩位很可能進入名人堂的投手，未來再碰頭對決的機會屈指可數，這兩家電視台竟然還是選擇了二流的比賽，SHIT！

回到主題，開宗明義的說，I hate Tom Glavine。

Tommy 1995 年世界大賽第六場的精采演出，為 Braves 在亞特蘭大拿下唯一的一座世界冠軍；他和 Greg Maddux、John Smoltz 共構了 90 年代最強的先發組合；他為勇士拿下 242 場勝投、獲得 2 座賽揚獎；不像 Maddog 是從自由市場簽來、Smoltzie 是與老虎隊小聯盟交易來，Glavine 是勇士自己農場培養出來的正統子弟兵；他未來進入名人堂會穿著勇士隊服；他去年球季結束還想回勇士 ....... Sorry, 這些理由還是不能讓我改變對他的印象：a traitor, for the money and went to the division rival.

我知道也許大多數的勇士球迷還是很喜歡 Tom Glavine，但不包括我。John Schuerholz 的一本爛書「Built to Win」內容述及當年 ( 2002) 與 Glavine 談續約的場景，Schuerholz 親自到 Glavine 的家裡，Glavine 經過包括與老婆的討論、仔細考慮，最後決定繼續留在 Braves；會談的氣氛很融洽，Tommy 的小孩還坐在 Schuerholz 的膝上玩，甚至連 TBS 都被通知隔天會有大消息宣佈 ....... 結果隔天 Glavine 沒打電話來，Schuerholz 急忙撥電話給 Glavine，然後才被告知他和經紀人已經決定和 Mets 簽約了。

以下摘自去年 AJC 的一篇敘述此事的文章 (全文 Click Here)：
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Schuerholz said he called Glavine and the pitcher invited him to come to his house at the Country Club of the South in Alpharetta.

"He and his wife, Chris, and I talked," Schuerholz wrote. "The three of us talked and talked and talked. It was a tough visit. At times, we were all on the verge of tears. Tommy did most of the talking — about what was on his mind, about remaining a Brave. . . .

"I said, 'Tommy, we would be happy to have you remain with us if that's what you want."

"After a lot of soul-searching, Tommy decided he was going to stay," Schuerholz wrote. "Quite obviously, he was relieved. His wife was relieved. And I was bouncing their son on my knee. . . .

"Stan alerted TBS that there could be a major news conference the next day. . . ."

But when Glavine didn't call him Saturday, Schuerholz called Sunday, and Glavine told him "simply that he had decided to stick with the Mets deal. . . . The issue ended with Clifton, and I suppose the union, persuading Tommy that it would be in everyone's best interest if he did not change his mind about the agreement he made with the Mets."
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He turned down Braves' three-year, $30M offer and followed three-year, $35M with the division rival. How about that?! 所以去年底 Glavine 放話想回勇士，我早就認為不可能發生，甚至覺得 JS 根本不會和他談，倒不是 Schuerholz 小心眼，是預算問題嗎？Yes, 但不是全部，Braves 後來還簽了 Chris Woodward、Tanyon Sturtze、Craig Wilson、Mike Gonzalez，我不覺得 Braves 付不出一年 $8M 給 Glavine，只是得到 Glavine 的代價太大，牛棚的補強以及留住未來球隊的核心才是 Braves 的當務之急。

anyway, Glavine 在表達了希望回到 Braves 的意願後，沒多久就匆匆忙忙的又和 Mets 續約了。

Is Glavine's leaving one of the Braves' heartbroken trade? Of course not, it's not a trade. But definitely made fans heartbroken, this time including me.

Update: Glavine was one of the leading representatives of player's union, they decided to break the 1994 season. That's another reason caused fans' bad feeling.
Probably that's also the reason why he regretted his verbal commitment to John Schuerholz and chose the richer contract .

Reference:
Glavine's first game at Atlanta. A rude welcome
We got Chuck James. James makes Glavine unnecessary