Unlike any other sport, baseball places a high emphasis on statistics. Those who achieve certain landmarks, such as three-thousand hits, three-hundred wins, or five-hundred home runs, are lauded for their accomplishments above those who fall just short. For this reason, it is a big deal whenever any modern-day player comes close to any of these milestones. Craig Biggio’s quest for three-thousand hits persuaded the Astros to keep him in their everyday lineup despite his play having suffered from his ancient age.
But as time has worn on, for whatever reason, hitting achievements have been easier and easier to achieve. There was a time when belting five-hundred dingers was as hard to do as winning three-hundred games. Nowadays, it seems as if one or two players are on the verge of hitting their five-hundredth each and every season. In fact, there are four active members of this exclusive club, and four others within twenty-five home-runs of membership. In stark contrast, the three-hundred win club has only garnished two pitchers since 1990. Five-man rotations and arm injuries have hurt the chances of many mound greats to reach the three-hundred milestone.
So when a pitcher comes close to hitting the number everyone is looking for, it is a major achievement. And fans of modern-day baseball are lucky enough to witness someone on the brink of greatness. Tom Glavine, the longtime Braves and Mets pitcher, is sitting at 299 wins with about two months of the season to go.
It may not be easy to get to the final winning start. His last outing was stellar, as Glavine left the game with a 2-1 lead and seemingly a historical win. Faulty relief pitching, as is often the case, let him down. The subsequent bullpen blowup cost Glavine number three-hundred, at least until his next outing. But there is little question that Tom will eventually get there. It is only inevitable that a pitcher of his quality and skill set will be able to score a victory before seasons end, barring an unforeseen injury.
Winning three hundred games requires many different qualities from a pitcher. Talent is needed to stay in the major leagues and win games in different situation. Glavine, whether with the stacked Braves or the, mostly, hapless Mets, has been the mark of consistency and excellence. One does not reach three-hundred by mistake. Tom’s complete control of his pitches and willingness to adapt new pitches as he aged was a major factor in his long-term success. Longevity, another crucial quality, is not an easy thing to achieve without some adaptability. Glavine has long proven he can age as well as anyone in the majors.
Of course, a pitcher cannot win three-hundred without a little run support and help. Tom has had luck in this department. His Atlanta teams were regularly stacked with top-notch talent from the top to the bottom and were a perennial playoff contender. Even his Mets squad has shaped up as of late, bolstered by smart free-agent signings and good young batting stars such as David Wright and Jose Reyes.
But as the media focuses all their attention on Barry Bonds quest for Hank Aaron and A-Rod’s five hundredth, people seem to be losing sight on just how remarkable Glavine’s impending achievement will be. Look to the future and there might not be many three-hundred game winners for quite a while. Randy Johnson might get there if he can stay healthy for another season, but that seems more and more unlikely with each back injury he sustains. Mike Mussina has a chance with only fifty-five to go, but that is nearly three to four years away. And after him, who is left?
So if you have the chance, tune in to a Mets game when Glavine is pitching. If he ends up winning, you may have witnessed a feat that won’t be repeated in the majors for quite a while.
One person has commented on this article.  1. CONGRATS!MotownWebGuy, UnregisteredCongrats to Tom Glavine on winning his 300th game. I just wish hehad done it as a Brave, not a Met. |
