Atlanta Braves Opening Day countdown: 47, Glavine
Only six left-handed pitchers in the history of the game have won 300 games. Two of those six pitched for the Atlanta Braves. Neither thought he would be a pitcher.
With many of the elite pitchers that have thrown for the Atlanta Braves franchise, two of the best left-handers in the history of the game have both wore a tomahawk across their chest. Neither expected to be a pitcher. In fact, Tom Glavine thought he would be a hockey player.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Tom Glavine was an accomplished hockey player, and he felt that he would have more of a professional future on the ice. He was even selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL draft. Instead of joining the King, however, the Atlanta Braves made him their 2nd round pick in 1984 out of high school, and Glavine took to the mound like a fish to water.
He exploded through the Braves minor league system to make his major league debut in 1987 at 21. In 1988, he led the majors with 17 losses, but the pieces were starting to come together for what would be a long career.
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Glavine would have his breakout season the same year that the Atlanta Braves had their breakout season in the 1990s, 1991. Glavine went 20-11 with a 2.55 ERA over 246 2/3 innings to win his first Cy Young award. Incredibly, he would win 20 games three seasons in a row, the strike in 1994 and shortened season in 1995 cutting him off from winning 20 potentially even more consecutive seasons.
He would return to his 20-win ways in 1998, putting up a 2.47 ERA over 229 1/3 innings to win his second Cy Young. Glavine would sign with the Mets for 5 seasons in his late 30s, but he did return to finish his career with the Braves in 2008.
Tom won 244 of his 305 wins with the Atlanta Braves, throwing 3,408 innings with Atlanta, posting a 3.41 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in his 17 years with the club.
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In his post-career work, Glavine has done broadcasting for the Atlanta Braves. His son Peyton was drafted in 2017, but is attending Auburn to play baseball.