| | ATLANTA --
Tom Glavine, who caught the flu from his family,
was replaced by Greg Maddux as the Atlanta Braves' starter against
the New York Yankees on Saturday night in Game 1 of the World
Series.
"He's really sick, dehydrated," Braves manager Bobby Cox said
before the game. "He's got some fluids in him, I guess. He won't
be here at all tonight."
Glavine, who last pitched in Game 3 of the NL Championship
Series on Oct. 15, would have been pitching on seven days' rest,
while Maddux, who started Game 5 last Sunday, faced the Yankees on
five days' rest.
While Maddux took a shutout into the eighth inning, he was the
loser in Atlanta's 4-1 defeat, allowing all four runs -- but just
two earned -- and five hits in seven innings.
"It made no difference," he said of the short notice.
"Actually, I was glad. I didn't want to sit around doing
nothing."
Glavine called Braves third-base coach Ned Yost on Friday night
to tell him he was too sick to pitch and asked for the manager's
telephone number at his farm house. He then spoke with Cox around
11:15 p.m.
Maddux seemed at ease before the game, working out in the
outfield. He walked into the Braves dugout about two hours before
the game and Cox introduced him to Yogi Berra.
Kevin Millwood, originally slated to start Game 3 Tuesday at
Yankee Stadium, replaced Maddux as Sunday night's starter against
David Cone in Game 2. Millwood was about to sell his Game 2 tickets
but got them back.
"Now, I need to buy a few more," he said. "So if anybody's
got any, let me know."
Glavine has never been on the disabled list and has made 33 or
more starts in four consecutive seasons.
"Tommy," Cox said, "has pitched at times with a bad arm
through his career, shoulder, elbow, two broken ribs, two bad
knees, a bad ankle, an infected toe and he's never missed a start
that I can think of."
Cox said Glavine probably would start Game 3 against Andy
Pettitte, and John Smoltz would go in Game 4 against Roger Clemens.
If Glavine still feels weak, he could flip flop with Smoltz and
start the fourth game.
Glavine's wife had the flu starting last weekend in New York,
and the bug was passed on to his kids and parents before he caught
it.
"There's absolutely nothing you can do to prevent it, except
keep Tommy home for a day or two and hope nobody else gets it,"
Cox said.
While Glavine's illness would have caused panic on most other
teams, the Braves have four starters who would be aces if they
pitched for other clubs.
Maddux entered with a 2-2 World Series record, splitting
decisions against Cleveland in 1995 and the Yankees in 1996,
including a loss in New York's Game 6 clincher. He pitched a
two-hitter to beat the Indians in the '95 opener.
"He did not throw yesterday, except in the outfield, a little
catch," Cox said. "He threw a lot the day before."
| |
ALSO SEE
Blunder-ful win in opener for Yankees
 |
