A Brave Mistake

(Note: Second piece of the day from Sip. The first, about the Yankees winning the Kei Igawa sweepstakes, is available immediately below this piece, or by clicking here.)

I don't think the Braves are as bad as they were last year. In fact, going into 2007, like any other year, the Braves still scare me. I have not forgotten that they are the Braves.

They still have John Smoltz. They still have the Jones'. They have their kids, Francouer, Laroche, McCann.

Let's just be thankful that for some reason, it appears that they are not interested in Tom Glavine.

Reports from Espn.com are that the Braves have yet to offer Glavine a contract.

Glavine, who in one of his many handshake agreements with the Mets, agreed to make a decision on next year by the winter meetings (starting this coming Monday), appeared to prefer Atlanta over a return to Shea. At least that is what I have heard and that is my gut.

And yet, Atlanta is yet to pass along an offer.

There has been discussion with regards to John Scheurholz's book, Built To Win, in which he slanders Tommy for a difficult contract negotiation back in the winter of 2003.

But if Glavine wants to return to Atlanta, at a discount price of around $8 mil per, the Braves would be foolish not to want him back.

Put Smoltz and Glavine at the top of the rotation and you have the best starting pitching in the division. The Braves would have a legit shot at taking back the East.

It's a scary thought.

Which makes me wonder.

I've been to Turner Field and the original Momo works there. I know they aren't putting too many fans in the seats. And I definitely know that Major League Baseball is less popular than Georgia football, Falcons football, Macon County High School football, Maretta Pop Warner football and even the newly formed WNFL, but still.

Is this team just broke?

While they have been shedding payroll over the last couple of years, is Glavine really out of their price range?

With the chaotic spending going down in baseball over the last couple of weeks, I cannot imagine that this is the case.

Which means that this appears to be a personnel decision.

Which to me doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense. If the Braves fail to bring back Tommy, I would welcome him back with the most open of arms.

We need to bring back Glavine. He is the core of our pitching staff.

Without him and with the uncertainty of that surrouns acquiring Barry Zito, our opening day starter right now is El Duque. Our #2 is John Maine. I guess that makes Oliver Perez our #3.

These guys were in the MLBDL last year.

We have three days till Tommy makes a decision. Let's hope the Braves make the decision for him.

VCD,

Sip