#649) TOM GLAVINE

Tom Glavine came to the New York Mets when he was signed as a free agent on December 5, 2002. The former two-time Cy Young Award winner with the Atlanta Braves was brought over to become the staff ace for the Mets. "I never thought I would play for someone else." Glavine said at the time of the deal. "I thought I would play my whole career with the Braves. I held out hope that things would work out, but they didn't. There's a lot of emotions. It's a tough time."

His first season in New York was an adjustment and the results showed that. Tom finished with a 9-14 record and 4.52 ERA. In 2004 the left-hander would return closer to his previous form. Glavine represented the Mets in the All-Star Game that year and dropped to a 3.60 ERA for the season. He even flirted with a no-hitter, which would have been the first in franchise history, on May 23rd facing the Colorado Rockies at Shea Stadium. Tom was working on the no-hitter until Kit Pellow hit a double in the eight inning with two outs. "Believe me, a no-hitter or a perfect game, that's the last thing that I expect to do," Glavine said. "I've got a better chance of going 4-for-4."

Tom was just 10 wins shy of collecting 300 victories in his career at the close of the 2005 season. With his contract with the Mets fulfilled, Glavine again expressed a desire to return to Atlanta. "It's been a very difficult month for him. agonizing over it," his agent Gregg Clifton explained, "but when he never got an offer (from Atlanta), there was nothing to really think about in the end." Tom was signed to a one-year $10.5 million dollar contract with the Mets.

Glavine became only the 23rd pitcher all-time, and 5th left-hander, to reach the 300 win plateau on August 5, 2007. He reached the milestone with a 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Thus becoming the only man to do so while wearing a Mets' uniform. "I think that the feeling right now is probably relief," Tom said. "At some point in time, I don't know when, the historic side of it will sink in. I know the company I'm in, and I'm as proud as can be to be in that company." The entire Mets' clubhouse was proud of him too. They all donned special t-shirts that were ordered by clubhouse manager Charlie Samuels following the game. An orange "300" and a silhouette of Glavine pitching were on the chest. The future Hall of Famer was honored in a pre-game ceremony at Shea Stadium on August 12th. "To say that I'm humbled and flattered certainly would not scratch the surface of how I feel right now at this moment," Tom told the crowd that day. "To you guys, the fans in New York, it's been a fun ride for me here (and) it's a pretty cool thing to be a part of."

He returned to Atlanta when he signed as a free agent contract with the Braves on November 18, 2007.

Tom Glavine signed the logo card I used to create his card in the set when the Atlanta Braves visited the Washington Nationals for a spring training game in Viera, Florida on March 15, 2010.