Tom Glavine

Certain Hall of Famer Tom Glavine has been released by the Atlanta Braves. My initial reaction is WTF? Is Glavine hurt or something? Seeing how Glavine gave up ZERO runs in his last 2 rehab starts - I'm guessing that not only is he healthy - he's ready to join the big league staff. Instead he gets cut? I don't get it.

Much will be made over the fact that the Braves would have had to pay Glavine a $1 million roster bonus. Big deal! Is Frank Wren that brain dead? The saying in baseball goes that you can never have too much pitching. Does Wren think he's that stocked at starter that he can afford to just discard a potentially live arm and fan favorite in Glavine? I don't get it.

Here's what I don't get. Sure the Braves have Jair Jurrjens (who makes peanuts and will be under team control for years); Derek Lowe (signed a 4-year $60 million contract in the off-season); Javier Vazquez (who will make $11.5 million this season and next) and Kenshin Kawakami (signed a 3-year $23 million contract this off-season), however, the Braves are 10th in the NL in runs scored and ALL of their NL East competitors are ahead of them. Conversely, they are 5th in the NL in ERA (4.08) with only the Mets (3.87) ahead of them among NL East foes. My point? The Braves need offense. Wouldn't a surplus of starters be the best way to trade for that offense?

Frank Wren can trade Javier Lopez any time he wants. He can trade either Derek Lowe or Kawakami after June 15th. Any of those three pitchers should be able to get the Braves a good bat if they really want to make a ruin at the playoffs or decent prospects in return if they are building for the future. If this was about money - trading Vazquez for a bat would not only help the team now but also save lots more money that tossing Tom Glavine out like yesterday's garbage. And Frank Wren wouldn't have to face the fan backlash he's sure to face with a move like that.

I don't get it.

I'm starting to think that Atlanta GM Frank Wren doesn't get it either.