‘The 40/40 Club’ – 1980′s – Card #9
Tom Glavine – 1988 Score
Tom Glavine could be classified as the most consistent pitcher to debut during the 1980′s. From 1988-2007, Glavine started at least 29 games per season. With the remarkable ability to stay healthy and remain in shape through each season, Glavine put up exceptional numbers.
Going into the 2009 baseball season Tom Glavine has 305 career wins. In his 22-year career in the major leagues Glavine has won 20 or more games 5 times and 13 or more games 16 times. His consistent play has provided his teams with 11 seasons of pitching 200 innings or more. With 2,607 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.54 for his career, Glavine is primed for Hall of Fame entry after his playing days come to an end.
Tom Glavine has won 2 Cy Young awards. He has also placed in the Top 3 for the award 4 more times during his career. Glavine’s first Cy Young award came in 1991 when he went 20-11 with a 2.55 ERA. Glavine pitched 9 complete games in 1991 and struck out 192 batters while walking just 69. His second Cy Young award was won in 1998 where he went 20-6 with a 2.47 ERA.
Tom Glavine is a 10-time All-star. He has also won 4 Silver Slugger award and was often considered to be the best hitting pitcher in the game. Oftentimes, he and his pitching peers on the Atlanta Braves would compete to see who could turn in the best hitting performances and Glavine finished on top quite a bit.
Glavine has made it to post-season play 12 times in his career while earning 4 trips to the World Series. In 4 attempts, Glavine won 1 World Series title in 1995 as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He was tremendous in that championship series as he won 2 games and had an ERA of just 1.29. In 14 innings of play, Glavine allowed just 2 runs while striking out 11 batters and giving up only 4 hits. Glavine’s performance was so dominant in that series that he was named the World Series MVP.
