Tom Glavine
As part of one of baseball history's greatest pitching staffs, lefty Tom Glavine helped the Atlanta Braves to 11 division titles, five pennants, and their first World Series title, all between 1991 and 2002. Glavine won the Cy Young Award in 1991 and 1998, and finished second or third on four other occasions. In the 1995 World Series he won Game Two and came back to win the clincher, Game Six, allowing just one hit in eight innings. For his effort, he was named World Series Most Valuable Player. Glavine won twenty games five times (leading the league each time), and his 164 wins in the 1990s trailed only his teammate, Greg Maddux (176).
Quotes About Glavine
"Glavine's career on the mound has been about guile and guts. He has been the portrait of a man in command of his craft. His command of the strike zone and ability to baffle with the change of speeds have been more than adequate substitutes for velocity. He has never lit up a radar gun, but he has beaten the best consistently -- with brainpower, with will, with ability guided by a world of pitching knowledge." — Mike Bauman, MLB.com, on Tom Glavine
"What made him a great pitcher with us early on is part of what made it hard for him to adjust. He's pretty strong-willed." — Bobby Cox, on Tom Glavine
Quotes From Glavine
"I know how exclusive this is, and how cool it will be to be part of it." — Tom Glavine, on winning his 300th game
Played For
Atlanta Braves (1987-2002)
New York Mets (2003-2005)
Best Season: 1998
Glavine's 171 ERA+ was the best of his career (he posted a 2.47 ERA while the NL had a 4.24 mark). He led the NL in wins (20), hurled three shutouts, and won his second Cy Young trophy.
Factoids
On June 15, 1993, Tom Glavine threw just 79 pitches in a complete-game victory over the Mets. It was just the ninth time in the last 25 years that a pitcher threw less than 80 pitches in a complete-game win.
Tom Glavine, Warren Spahn, and Early Wynn are the only pitchers in history to win 300 games despite never striking out 200 batters in any season.
Description
MLB.com's Marty Noble described Glavine's pitching style as "changeups away, an occasional fastball inside, and never give in to the batter."
Where He Played
Starting pitcher; through 2004, Glavine had never pitched in relief.
Born
Thomas Michael Glavine was born on March 25, 1966, in Concord, MA.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: ATL
Major League Debut
August 17, 1987
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1987
B.J. Surhoff
Edgar Martinez
Ellis Burks
Matt Williams
Ken Caminiti
Tom Glavine
Jose Mesa
Lance Johnson
Ron Gant
Uniform Numbers
#47 (1987-)
Similar Players
Johnny Podres was also a low-strikeout, low-walk pitcher, who played for very successful teams
Related Players
Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, Steve Avery
Post-Season Appearances
1991 National League Championship Series
1991 World Series
1992 National League Championship Series
1992 World Series
1993 National League Championship Series
1995 National League Championship Series
1995 World Series
1995 National League Divisional Series
1996 National League Divisional Series
1996 World Series
1996 National League Championship Series
1997 National League Championship Series
1997 National League Divisional Series
1998 National League Divisional Series
1998 National League Championship Series
1999 National League Championship Series
1999 National League Divisional Series
2000 National League Divisional Series
2001 National League Championship Series
2001 National League Divisional Series
2002 National League Divisional Series
The Pitches He Threw
Fastball, changeup, slider, curveball. His changeup was his specialty. He admitted that his fastball was average.
Post-Season Notes
Glavine is 4-3 with a 2.16 ERA in eight World Series starts... In the NLCS he's 5-9 in 15 games, with a 3.60 ERA... In the NLDS, Glavine is 3-3 in nine starts, with a 5.15 ERA... Overall in the post-season, he's 12-15 in 32 games, with a 3.57 ERA.
The Braves relied heavily on John Smoltz in their Ultimate Games in the 1990s, of which they had just three. In '91, Glavine had started and lost Game Five of the NLCS and did not factor in the seventh game, which Atlanta won. In the WS that year, Smoltz started Game Seven, Glavine having won Game Five three nights earlier. In the 1996 NLCS, Glavine started Game Seven and pitched seven shutout innings, as the Braves rolled to a 15-0 win. In 2002, Glavine started Game Four of the NLDS against the Gianst (his last start for the Braves), losing.
Awards and Honors
1991 NL Cy Young
1995 ML WS MVP
1998 NL Cy Young
Feats
Glavine won 13 consecutive games in 1993... On July 30, 2000, Glavine defeated the Houston Astros, 6-3, to earn his 200th career victory.
Milestones
Won his first game on August 22, 1987, against Pittsburgh... Won his 50th game on August 28, 1991, against the Mets... Won his 100th game on May 18, 1994, against the Reds... Won his 150th game on August 20, 1997, at the Astros... Won his 200th game on July 30, 2000, against the Astros... Won his 250th game on August 15, 2003, against the Rockies... Won his 300th game on August 5, 2007, against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
In 1993, Glavine overcame a torn rotator cuff and still won 22 games... In 1992, Glavine pitched through the pain of a broken rib... In 2006 with the Mets, Glavine suffered cold fingertips and a blood clot scare.
Transactions
June 4, 1984: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2nd round of the 1984 amateur draft; December 2003: signed as a free agent by the New York Mets
All-Star Selections
1991 NL
1992 NL
1993 NL
1996 NL
1997 NL
1998 NL
2000 NL
2002 NL
2004 NL
Replaced
When Doyle Alexander was traded to the Detroit Tigers on August 12, 1987 (for John Smoltz), Glavine stepped into the Braves' rotation. He was rocked for a 5.54 ERA in nine starts, winning two games.
Best Strength as a Player
Pitch location. Through 2003, Glavine had never walked as many as 100 batters in a season. Glavine is also an excellent athlete. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL. He has used his athletic ability to become one of baseball's best-fielding pitchers.
Largest Weakness as a Player
He lacks an overpowering strikeout pitch, but he's certainly overcome that.
Learn More about Tom Glavine
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