Interweb: FOX Sports: Ken Rosenthal

by Eric Simon on May 17, 2006 5:54 PM EDT

Some eerie details have surfaced about Tom Glavine's recent contract restructuring. Ken Rosenthal has the scoop:

Never mind that $12 million club option for 2007 that the Mets included in left-hander Tom Glavine's restructured contract: There is little chance the team will exercise it.
The Mets have agreed informally to decline the option if Glavine wants to return to the Braves next season, according to a source with knowledge of his contract.
The restructured deal also includes a "poison pill," FOXSports.com has learned -- a $3 million bonus if Glavine makes the All-Star team in '06 and '07 and a $2 million bonus if he makes it only in '07.
The Mets will apparently allow Tom Glavine to return to Atlanta next season.
By defeating the Cardinals on Tuesday night, Glavine, 40, improved to 6-2 with a 2.43 ERA -- All-Star caliber numbers. Both the Mets and Braves figure to want him next season; he is now just 19 victories short of 300.
Thanks to the All-Star bonuses, Glavine's club option with the Mets could be worth $14 million or $15 million -- both prohibitive numbers. If the Mets want to keep Glavine, they almost certainly would negotiate a new deal at a lower salary.
Glavine restructured his contract with the Mets to reduce his '06 salary from $10.5 million to $7.5 million. In return, he received the $12 million club option and a $5.5 million player option for '07, both with a $3 million buyout.
The new deal protects Glavine if he suffers a serious injury later this season; his player option amounts to disability insurance. The value of that option will increase by $1 million each if he pitches 180, 190 and 200 innings, maxing out at $8.5 million.

If true, this is pretty ludicrous. Sportswriters tend to pull things out of their asses a lof of the time, but what exactly was the point of the restructuring -- from the Mets' perspective -- if they were going to include a handshake agreement to allow Glavine to walk right back into the Braves' rotation? Somebody please explain this to me.

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Ludicrous is the word

I couldn't believe it when I read it either. The Mets don't even save 3 million dollars. They just deferred it until next year in the form of a buyout if/when either side chooses to reject their option. The Mets won't likely exercise a 12-15 million option for Glav, and Glavine won't likely take just 5.5 million next year when he could make 8-12 on the open market. And furthermore, they'll let him waltz back to Atlanta to really collect Win #300. If he likes it so much better in Atlanta, why'd he ever leave?

It really makes no sense at all.

by Alex Nelson on May 17, 2006 6:47 PM EDT reply actions

Sounds like something a few savvy lawyers

cooked up to make sure the Mets (and Glavine) have a superior negotating position in any scenario. He will probably want to come back for 300 wins, and they may renegotiate again at the end of the year armed with less uncertainty.

by peeder on May 17, 2006 6:47 PM EDT reply actions

I don't believe

this for a second.

by future on May 17, 2006 7:50 PM EDT reply actions

WFAN Interview

I heard Glavine interviewed on WFAN about 2 weeks ago, and he didn't sugar coat the topic when asked about playing for the Braves next year. I don't have the exact quote, but basically he said if he doesn't pitch for the Mets it will be for the Braves. It sounded like there are two considerations, one the fact that his family seems to have liked living in Atlanta much more than NY (in fact it sounded like that is where he will move after his playing days). He basically made it known that he doesn't want to keep his family in NY for too much longer. However he did talk about his desire to win 300, and the fact that the Mets seem to be the better team not just this year but also next year. That could convince him to play for NY for one more year, as I think he only wants to pitch one more.

Basically, if the Mets wind up in the playoffs, and Glavine wins 16-20 games, and the Braves wind up 10-20 games under 500, I think we will see Glavine back in a Mets uniform, otherwise he will be finishing his career in Atlanta.

by Schifftis on May 18, 2006 8:05 AM EDT reply actions

His Family Doesn't Live

In NY they live in Greenwich, CT. It drives me absolutely bonkers when players trot this argument out. Its insulting to the 20 million people of the NYC area. He has the means that can live anywhere in the region he pleases, and I'm supposed to believe his family can't find somewhere they're comfortable. I can't wait to see a ball player from the Northeast say he wants to move out of the South/Midwest and go back home, because his family hates. All hell will break loose.

its a ground ball...trickling... its a fair ball, its by Buckner, rounding third Knight, the Mets will win the ballgame, the Mets win

by DoctorK16 on May 18, 2006 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Hate it was not

He didn't use the word hate, he basically said his family was more comfortable in Atlanta. I lived for 4 years in St Louis, but grew up in NJ, and now live in NYC. There is a big difference between other parts of the country (midwest, south) and any NYC suburb. Yes, he could live in Greenwich, or Westchester or Jersey, but that doesn't change the fact that the Northeast, in partiular the NYC Metro area is a much different atmosphere than down south. I believe he has school age children, and must feel he would want them to grow up in the southern enviorment.

He never said he hated NYC, just that his family was happier in Atlanta, for whatever the reason (for all I know, his wife has family there)

by Schifftis on May 18, 2006 9:55 AM EDT reply actions