What about Glavine?

What do the Mets do about their most trusted starter from last season?

If the Mets let Tom Glavine go, then his career in New York will have ended leaving fans with a sour taste in their mouth, to put it nicely. Three horrible, inexcusable starts when the team needed him most, when they were counting on him to help right the ship. Especially his final start, the last game of the season, giving up 7 runs while recording just one out; words can't even describe the hatred and disgust towards Glavine at that time.

And he did it all with seemingly little care. His words were: "I’m not devastated. I’m disappointed, but devastation is for much greater things in life."

As for Glavine returning, I have mixed feelings on it. On the one hand, after the way he finished the season, particularly his final game, the disrespect he showed to all the devastated Mets fans with that quote, the rumors the previous offseason about him going back to the Braves, and the rumors already starting about him going back to the Braves in the upcoming offseason, I was sick. I basically said, "Fine, go back to the Braves, I never want to see you in a Mets uniform ever again."

Of course, tempers have a tendency to calm over time. So, on the other hand, Glavine is a great pitcher, and the way he ended last season will have no effect on the way he pitches next season. He should once again be a reliable arm in the rotation. And if we go through the offseason unable to acquire another pitcher, and Glavine leaves, then we enter next season once again with a very weak starting rotation.

I guess it depends on what other moves we make. If we sign a guy like Carlos Silva, or trade for a guy like Joe Blanton, then the need to keep Glavine lessens. I do not want to see a guy like El Duque or Mike Pelfrey be asked to be the 4th starter on this team. I'd prefer it if they weren't even asked to be the 5th.

I guess the bottom line is, I wouldn't be upset to see Glavine leave, even if it is to go back to the Braves, where he "belongs." I wouldn't mind at all if I didn't see him in a Mets uniform ever again. But we have a glaring weakness in the rotation if no other pieces are added. If that hole is filled by Glavine for one more year, then I'm also fine with that.

Then we can sign Johan to fill the hole next year.