Glavine Resigns with Mets

Posted by Robert Christy Dec 11, 2006

Tom Glavine has decided that Atlanta isn't the place to be after all. He's made the decision to resign with the New York Mets for at least another year. In doing so, his 1 year contract will pay him $10.5 million.

Specifically, he'll earn $7.5mm in salary for 2007. There's a vesting option for 2008 that ranges from $9-$13mm. The contract also includes a buyout of $3mm should the Mets choose to not resign him for 2008.

Glavine, who lives in the North Atlanta suburb of Alpharetta, wanted to return to Atlanta and finish his career with the team he started with.

John Schuerholz, the Braves GM, worked hard to get a deal done, but simply ran out of time. Glavine had promised the Mets a decision before the winter meetings which start on Monday.

The hurdle that Schuerholz faced was the salary cap. The Braves have a firm cap set at $80mm and as of right now, have little room to work with. The Braves are rumored to be shopping both 2B Marcus Giles and RHP Tim Hudson. Without a trade in hand for either, the Braves GM wasn't in a good position to make Glavine and offer.

Glavine, who is 40, will start 2007 just 10 wins shy of 300. The future Hall of Fame candidate is a 2 time Cy Young Award winner and was the MVP of the 1995 World Series. He finished 2006 with a 15-7 record and his ERA was 3.82.

Schuerholz said he was disappointed that he couldn't get something done because he wanted to reunite Glavine and John Smoltz so that they could end their careers together in Atlanta.