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Braves speak with Glavine
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ATLANTA — The Braves held their first formal talks Wednesday in pursuit of 300-game winner Tom Glavine, hoping to lure him back to Atlanta to finish his career.

Glavine’s agent, Gregg Clifton, met with Braves general manager Frank Wren at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, where Wren was scouting an Arizona Fall League game.

The 41-year-old Glavine was at his home in Atlanta and did not attend. The Braves already spoke with Clifton last week to express an interest in having the left-hander rejoin his original team.

"It was kind of a continuation of the phone call we had last week," Clifton said. "It was nice. They again expressed their thoughts and hopes about having Tom back in the rotation. It was all nice pleasantries."

The two sides have not started talking money yet, but that will come. Glavine turned down a $13 million option to return to the New York Mets for a sixth year.

"There was no proposal from us, and we didn’t make an offer," Clifton said. "Every negotiation is unique. It will progress at its own pace. When the time is right over the next couple of days, we’ll continue the talks."

Wren did not immediately return a message left on his cell phone seeking comment, but he already made it clear Glavine is one of Atlanta’s top offseason targets. The Braves are eager to add depth to a rotation that relied heavily on John Smoltz and Tim Hudson this past season, and they cleared room in the payroll by trading shortstop Edgar Renteria for prospects.

"We have flexibility this year to be more active in both the trade market and the free-agent market," Wren said last week during the GM meetings in Orlando, Fla.

Glavine went 13-8 with a 4.45 ERA in 200 À innings this past season for the Mets. If he signs with the Braves and Mike Hampton returns to health after missing the last two seasons, the Braves’ rotation would be significantly improved.

Hampton has started his latest comeback attempt in the Arizona league.

Glavine pitched for the Braves from 1987-2002, winning two NL Cy Young awards and putting up five 20-win seasons. He kept his home in Atlanta even after a bitter split from the team when he signed with the Mets.

New York hasn’t given up on Glavine staying put in 2008.

"He seems to want to play," Mets GM Omar Minaya said. "I have not spoken with Tom. At some point in time, I’m pretty sure we’re going to hear from him as far as what his plans are."

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