What were you doing on December 5, 2002, the day the New York Mets signed Tom Glavine? Thirteen-year-old me spent that Thursday shuttling between English, Chemistry, and Algebra classes before the news broke that the longtime Atlanta Braves left-hander was making his way to Queens.
Just two years removed from the National League pennant-winning season in 2000, the Mets finished 2002 with the worst record in the NL East, 26.5 games behind the Braves. That Glavine would leave Atlanta – a town he’d called home for his entire 16-year career to that point – was significant in and of itself.