NashuaTelegraph.com

August 12, 2007

Glavine reached his milestone the right way

Tom Glavine provided baseball with a much-needed chance to catch its breath.

Sunday, the night after Barry Bonds tied Henry Aaron with 755 home runs and two nights before Bonds jogged past Aaron to become the game’s all-time home run leader, Glavine became the 23rd 300-game winner in major league history.

He provided an intermission to the emotional gamut of Bonds’ pursuit of Aaron. He gave the game something to cheer about without hesitation.

Glavine understands he owes baseball as much as baseball owes him. Despite a career that has consistently had him in the public view, and not always in a feel-good moment, he has maintained his grace and dignity.

While Bonds is the only player ever to refuse to be a member of the Major League Baseball Players Association – he doesn’t want to share any of his royalties, although before he become an established star, he never once turned down a royalty check that came his way, courtesy of others – Glavine has been a leader in the players’ association.

He did not lose sight of the good of the game, though. In 2002, when baseball for the first time in three decades reached a labor agreement without a work stoppage, Glavine was the key.

He flew from Montreal to New York on his own plane, walked into the negotiating session that was about to fall apart and announced he wasn’t leaving the room until the two sides reached a settlement. His common sense won out.

Maybe it is something in the water in Atlanta, where Glavine earned the first 242 of his regular-season victories. He was a part of arguably the most formidable decade-long rotation nucleus in history.

Three potential Hall of Famers shared the stage for the Braves from 1993-2002 – Glavine and Greg Maddux, who preceded Glavine into the 300-win club, and John Smoltz, who most likely would have won 300, too, had it not been for some physical challenges that led him to a stint in the bullpen.

Don’t feel too sorry for Smoltz, though. He is the only pitcher in history to win more than 200 games and save more than 150.

How special were they? The trio won seven Cy Young Awards in the 1990s, including six consecutive beginning with Glavine in 1991.

“We don’t realize how spoiled we were,” veteran Braves broadcaster Pete Van Wieren said. “Every three days, Glavine and Maddux and Smoltz . . . . As people, I can’t imagine them being any different than they were when they were 19 years old. You know how people can change with money and success? I’ve always admired that about Tom.”

Overheard

• Oakland designated hitter Mike Piazza cleared waivers, opening the way for a deal with the Angels or Twins.

• Randy Smith, former San Diego and Detroit general manager, is rumored as a possible replacement for general manager Tim Purpura in Houston, where Smith’s father, Tal, is the club president.

Reader’s turn

Bill Koerner writes: “Has there ever been another Hall induction (like this year’s with Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr.) where the two players going in (in the same year) also had brothers that made the majors? What are the odds of that?”

Bill, in 1999, George Brett and Robin Yount were inducted. Brett’s brother Ken was a longtime big-league pitcher. Yount’s brother Larry pitched in one game with Houston in 1971.

The most famous brothers, though, would be Paul and Lloyd Waner, both elected to the Hall of Fame.

For responses to other questions or to ask your own question, check out the daily Rockies Pregame Report or the weekly Rockies Inbox at RockyMountain News.com/rockies.

Two cents’ worth

Being a member of the 300-win club is among the more prestigious accomplishments in athletics. And with Glavine’s enrollment came the curiosity of whether another 300-game winner will ever emerge.

Unless Randy Johnson makes a miraculous recovery from his third back surgery, there isn’t any in sight, but don’t be too quick to declare the membership closed.

Glavine, Maddux and Roger Clemens became the three most recent members of the 23-man club. They attained No. 300 within a four-year, one-month, 23-day span of each other.

Clemens’ 300th win, however, came 12 years, 10 months and 13 days after Nolan Ryan became the 20th 300-game winner.

When Ryan won his 300th game on July 31, 1990, with Texas, Clemens had a career record of 109-50, Maddux was 52-47 and Glavine was 29-35.

And think back 44 years.

When Early Wynn won No. 300 on July 13, 1963, Gaylord Perry had been in the big leagues for one year and three months.

Of the nine pitchers to join the 300-win club since Wynn, Perry is the only one who was in the big leagues when Wynn became the 14th 300-game winner in history in 1982.

Centered Rockies

A year ago, the Rockies’ primary offseason concern was its center field situation. This year, that appears toward the bottom of the to-do list.

As impressive as the credentials of Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter and Aaron Rowand are, the Rockies have to question if it really makes sense to get involved in the free-agent bidding in light of how their team is put together.

The argument can be made Willy Taveras might not be the same player as Jones, Hunter or Rowand, but he fits the Rockies’ lineup better. He is a true leadoff man and a speed threat, something the Rockies desperately have lacked in recent years. They have big-time run producers who figure to get better in the next year or two.

If they make a major investment, the money would be better spent on a catcher, if one is available, and exploring the possibility of a multiyear deal for All-Star Matt Holliday.

Numbers game

• 0: Runs for the Dodgers in 28 consecutive innings until ending the streak with a run in the first inning Thursday. The Dodgers were shut out three games in a row for the first time since the final three games of the 1966 World Series, when they were dominated by Baltimore’s Jim Palmer, Wally Bunker and Dave McNally. Going into Thursday, the Dodgers had lost six in a row, during which time they were 1-for-43 with runners in scoring position.

Losing, but gaining

Put the talk about the American League Central being one of the strongest divisions in history on hold. Cleveland has lost 14 of 27 games coming out of the All-Star break and has moved ahead of Detroit and into first place.

He said it

“Don’t worry about the results. I’m healthy . . . . I’m bored. I don’t want to be in Florida anymore.”

– Pedro Martinez, New York Mets pitcher who allowed five runs in three innings of a rehabilitation start for the Class A St. Lucie Mets on Wednesday.
AROUND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

A look at how teams have done so far in signing their selections from this year’s amateur draft.

ARIZONA remains optimistic it can sign RHP Jarrod Parker of Ossian, Ind., the ninth player taken in the draft. Arizona did protect itself by signing it’s two selections from the supplemental round between the first and second rounds – RHP West Roemer, Fullerton State, the 50th selection overall, and C Ed Easley, Mississippi State, the 61st selection overall. They also signed fifth-round pick Tyrell Worthington of Winterville, N.C., giving him a $220,000 bonus. That was $76,900 above the slot suggestion, the biggest overpay so far in the draft.

ATLANTA has a history of getting deals done, but this year the Braves are still without three of their top eight selections, including first-rounder Jason Hayward of McDonough, Ga., the 14th player taken overall. They also haven’t signed second-round pick RHP Josh Fields, from the University of Georgia, and eight-round pick RHP Colby Shreve, from Community College of Southern Nevada.

CHICAGO has signed all but one of its picks in the first 10 rounds. The Cubs remain in negotiations with 3B Josh Vitters out of Cypress, Calif., the third player taken in the draft. He’s among eight of the top 12 selections without a deal.

CINCINNATI has failed to sign three of its picks from the first 10 rounds: 3B/OF Blake Stouffer of Texas A&M, fourth-round, RHP Evan Hildenbrandt of Abbotsford, B.C., and sixth-round RHP Drew O’Neill of Penn State, eighth round.

COLORADO is the only team to have signed its first 13 selections. OF Kentrail Davis of Theodore, Ark., the 14th-round pick, appears headed to the University of Tennessee. He is represented by Scott Boras, and indications at draft time were it would take a top 50-signing bonus to get him.

FLORIDA is having financial problems, which is evident by its inability to sign four it first picks from the first six rounds, including each of the first three rounds. The Marlins are still waiting on 3B Matt Dominguez of Chatsworth, Calif., first round, 1B/OF Mike Stanton of Sherman Oaks., Calif., second round, C Jameson Smith of Fresno (Calif.) City College, third round, and OF Taiwan Easterling of Hattiesburg, Miss., a sixth-rounder. Stanton has an offer from USC to play baseball and football, where he projects as a wide receiver or defensive back.

HOUSTON lost its first two picks as compensation for free agents Carlos Lee and Woody Williams, and hasn’t signed No. 3, 3B Derek Dietrich of Cleveland, No. 4, RHP Brad Eibner of The Woodlands, Texas, and No. 8, RHP Chad Bettis of Lubbock, Texas LOS ANGELES has signed all of its picks from the first 10 round except RHP Kyle Blair of Los Gatos, Calif., who was a fifth-round selection who is committed to the University of San Diego.

MILWAUKEE has signed all of its first 10 picks. RHP Cody Scarpetta, an 11th-round pick from Rockford Ill., is the only selection out of the first 20 rounds that hasn’t agreed with the Brewers.

NEW YORK had its first pick at 42nd overall, in the supplemental round, and took RHP Eddie Kunz of Oregon State, who is still unsigned. The Mets also continue to negotiate with ninth-round draft choice Michael Olmstead of Cypress (Calif.) Junior College.

PHILADELPHIA is missing only one pick from the first 10 rounds – RHP Brandon Workman, a third-round draft from Bowie, Texas.

PITTSBURGH has signed all its top 10 picks, and is missing only two of its top 20 – No. 11, OF Runey Davis of Georgetown, Texas, and No. 15, RHP Rey Cotilla of Miami Springs, Fla.

ST. LOUIS has four picks in the first two rounds and signed both of them, but the Cardinals haven’t come to terms with OF Kyle Russell, fourth-round pick from the University of Texas, and RHP Mike Stotes, ninth-round pick from Oregon State.

SAN DIEGO had five of the first 64 selections in the draft, and signed all of them. RHP Tommy Toledo of Tampa, Fla., who was a third-round pick with a commitment to the University of Florida, is the highest draft choice the Padres didn’t sign. Also unsigned are RHP Wynn Pelzar of South Carolina, ninth round, and SS/2B Christian Colon of Canyon Country, Calif., 10th round.

SAN FRANCSICO signed RHP Tim Alderson of Scottsdale, the 22nd overall selection, but hasn’t had much success with its two other first-round picks – LHP Madison Bumgarner of Hudson, N.C., who went 10th overall, and OF Wendell Fairley of Lucedale, Mo., who went 29th overall.

WASHINGTON hasn’t signed LHP Josh Smoker of Calhoun, Ga., the 31st selection overall, and sixth-round pick Jack McGeary a left-handed pitcher/first baseman from West Roxbury, Ma.

AROUND THE AMERICAN LEAGUE

BALTIMORE did not have a second- or third-round pick, and has not reached agreement with No. 1 pick Matt Wieters, a catcher from Georgia Tech who is represented by Scott Boras. The Orioles also have not signed 10th-round pick Eryk McConnell, a right-handed pitcher from North Carolina State.

BOSTON has not been able to sign five players taken in the first seven rounds, but word is they are close to deals with SS/2B Ryan Dent of Long Beach Wilson, a supplemental pick and the 62nd player taken overall; first-round draft Will Middlebooks, third baseman, Texarkana, Texas; sixth-round pick Anthony Rizzo, first baseman/left-handed pitcher, Parkland, Fla.; and seventh-round pick David Mailman, first baseman, Charlotte, NC. Also unsigned is second-round pick Hunter Morris, a first baseman from Huntsville, Ala.

CHICAGO signed all of its first 10 round picks except SS Brian Guinn of Berkley, Calif., who was the 10th-round selection. He is reportedly looking for a bonus more equivalent to the first five rounds of the draft.

CLEVLEAND did not have a second or third round selection. It has not signed LHP T.J. McFarland, fourth round out of the University of Missouri, and LHP Cole St. Clair, seventh round out of Rice University.

DETROIT is facing the deadline with its first pick – RHP Rick Porcello of West Orange, N.J., a Scott Boras client. But that’s nothing new. The Tigers went to the last minute a year ago with LHP Andrew Miller and signed him. The Tigers also haven’t signed LHP Casey Crosby, fifth round, Maple Park, Ill., and SS Cale Iorg, sixth round, University of Alabama. Iorg, son of former big-leaguer Garth, most likely won’t sign. He just returned from a two-year Mormon mission to Portugal, has three years of college eligibility remaining and has transferred to Arizona State.

KANSAS CITY was believed to have a deal in place when it selected 3B Mike Moustakas of Chatsworth, Calif., second overall, but with Scott Boras as the agent, that wasn’t realistic. The Royals also have not signed RHP Zach Kenyon, right-handed pitcher, Davenport, Iowa.

LOS ANGELES did not have a second-round choice and has not signed third-rounder Matt Harvey, a right-handed pitcher from Groton, Conn., who is represented by Scott Boras and has a commitment to pitch at North Carolina.

MINNESOTA has not signed fourth-round pick 3B Reggie Williams, Bellflower, Calif., and fifth-round pick Nate Striz, right-handed pitcher, Lakeland, Fla.

NEW YORK has a major-league-leading six players out of the first 10 rounds unsigned, including No. 1 pick Andrew Brackman, a right-handed closer from North Carolina State, who has Scott Boras as an agent and there is speculation he needs reconstructive elbow surgery after being shutdown in mid-May. They are believed close to deals with C Chase Weems, sixth-round, Columbus, Ga., and OF Taylor Grote, eight-round, The Woodlands, Texas Also unsigned are C Austin Romine, second round, Lake Forest, La., 3B Brad Suttle, fourth-round, University of Texas, and SS Carman Angelini, 10th-round, Lake Charles, La.

OAKLAND had 13 selections in the first 10 rounds, and has signed all of them except two left-handers out of the University of Arizona – Daniel Schlereth, the eight-round pick and son of former NFL lineman Mark Schlereth, and Erick Bergen, ninth-round pick.

SEATTLE thought RHP Phillippe Aumont of Gatineau, Quebec was going to be a quick signs but things haven’t worked out with the first-rounder so far. The Mariners also have not signed eight-round pick Donnie Hume, a left-handed pitcher from San Diego State.

TAMPA BAY remains confident it will sign LHP David Price of Vanderbilt, the No. 1 pick overall, but the deal is expected to exceed the $5.25 million guarantee Luke Hochevar received from Kansas City a year ago. The Devil Rays also have not signed LHP David Newman out of Texas A&M.

TEXAS had a load of early picks thanks to compensation but so far they haven’t signed three of their top four selections. While they did sign RHP Michael Main of Deland, Fla., the 24th player taken overall, they have not signed right-handed pitcher Blake Beaven of Irving, Texas, the 17th player taken; OF Julio Borbon of Tennessee, the 35th selection, and RHP Neil Ramirez of Kempsville, Va., the 44th selection. The Rangers also are still talking to fourth-round pick Garrett Nash of Draper, Utah, and fifth-round pick John Gast, a left-handed pitcher from Altamonte, Springs, Fla., who underwent reconstructive left elbow surgery during the spring.

TORONTO took advantage of having 15 selections in the first 10 rounds, and five before the second round. The only one of the 15th still unsigned is RHP Randy Boone, seventh round, out of the University of Texas.