Braves Defend Glavine Release As Performance, Not Business, Move

Braves Release Glavine Claiming Lack Of Progress In Comeback From Surgery

THE RIGHT MOVE? In Atlanta, Mark Bradley writes the "belief here is that there will be no massive outcry" over Glavine's release. The thought is the Braves "will sell more tickets" for P Tommy Hanson's first MLB start on Saturday "than they would have for Glavine's 683rd," and that Wren "deserves no grief for this move, none whatsoever." Glavine is "among the most distinguished Braves ever," but "time waits for no man, and it was time for the team he ennobled to move on" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 6/4). But ESPN's Buster Olney writes the team's handling of Glavine "was particularly awful, like butchery with a pen knife."  The Braves "cut him and shoved him out the door before they had to pay him any more money, a move that is beneath them." Olney: "They were dealing with Glavine, who had played a major role in hoisting up the franchise after decades of failure" (ESPN.com, 6/4). THE BIG LEAD writes, "If Glavine was an elderly dog, the Braves would have taken him out back and shot him" (THEBIGLEAD.com, 6/4).

LET'S MAKE A DEAL: In Pittsburgh, Dejan Kovacevic reports the Pirates last night traded CF Nate McLouth to the Braves for three prospects. The Pirates then announced the "immediate promotion of their top prospect," CF Andrew McCutchen, "perhaps the only aspect of this scenario that will placate a fan base certain to be furious again." Pirates GM Neal Huntington: "I know how it's going to be received back home. Believe me, it was the most difficult move I've made, but we believe it was the right baseball move, and we believe it firmly." Pirates President Frank Coonelly: "I'm convinced we're a better organization now than 24 hours ago." Kovacevic notes McLouth in February agreed to a three-year extension with the Pirates worth a guaranteed $15.75M, including $3.5M this year. McLouth received $1.5M of his pay for this season "in an upfront signing bonus." Coonelly said, "It's not about money. If we had any design on trading Nate before this, we certainly wouldn't have structured his contract as we did" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 6/4).

A QUIET SUMMER? Wren indicated that it may be a quiet trade season in MLB going forward. Wren: "We've seen a lot of trades in recent years that were financially motivated -- clubs trying to dump payroll. But there were a lot of takers because there were other clubs that were doing quite well. I think with the economy -- it's affecting everyone, it's going to affect a lot of teams. So I'm not sure there are going to be as many takers for large contracts" ("Cubs-Braves," Peachtree TV, 6/3).

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