How bad were Jeff Weaver and Kenny Rogers as Yankees? Among pitchers who logged 200 innings for the team, Weaver (5.35) has the worst Yankees ERA ever and Rogers (5.11) is sixth. For the record, Nos. 2-5 are Andy Hawkins (5.21), Sterling Hitchcock (5.15), Rich Dotson (5.13) and Tim Leary (5.12). Jaret Wright (4.99) is seventh.
Tom Glavine said his only choices for the 2007 season are to return to the Mets or to be closer to his family by reuniting with the Braves (the Cubs and Red Sox scouted Glavine late in the year, just in case). However, Glavine told me he would not accept a substantially under-market deal to play near home in Atlanta. So that does much to assure a Mets return.
The Braves already have $31 million tied up in three veteran starters next year – Mike Hampton, Tim Hudson and John Smoltz – and are, at best, in such a payroll holding pattern they may have to deal Andruw Jones, who is due $13.5 million next year before entering free agency. So it is hard to see how the Braves incorporate another veteran starter’s salary into their structure.
Glavine did joke, “Maybe I can get one of those [Roger] Clemens deals,” meaning the deferment of a lot of money and the ability to stay home and not pitch when the team is on the road. . . . Has the Mets’ Cy Young campaign for Billy Wagner ended yet?