Braves Give Troy Glaus One-Year Deal to Play First Base

The Atlanta Braves believe they have found their right-handed power hitting first baseman.

The Braves and free agent Troy Glaus reportedly have agreed to terms on an incentive laden, one-year deal.

The contract is believed to be worth a base salary of two million dollars included with incentive clauses based on the number of games Glaus plays.

Glaus, 33, spent most of the 2009 season recovering from shoulder surgery and missed all but 14 games with the St. Louis Cardinals last year.

The four-time former All-Star underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder in January of 2009 but suffered setbacks in his recovery with the Cardinals and didn’t return to the club until September.

In an effort to show teams he is now healthy, Glaus underwent a physical in early December and made his records available to all major league clubs.

The deal is still pending a physical and probably won’t be announced until after Christmas.

The Braves believe Glaus is fully recovered and can handle the full-time first base duties for the team this season.

He will become Atlanta’s 11th different opening day starting first baseman in the past 12 years, replacing free agent 1B Adam LaRoche, who the Braves didn’t make an effort to re-sign.

Glaus is a former third baseman and has only played six games at first base in his career.

However, the Braves believe his large 6-foot-5, 245-pound frame and athletic ability will make him a more than suitable first baseman.

Glaus, a former American League home run leader, has 304 dingers in 12 seasons including at least five seasons with 30 or more homers and two with 40-plus bombs.

If he can stay healthy, Glaus will provide the Braves with the right-handed power their predominately left-handed line-up had lacked in 2009.

Glaus could provide third baseman Chipper Jones with much needed protection in the middle of Atlanta’s order and together they could prove to be an intimidating tandem for opposing pitchers to face.

The two of them have combined for 730 home runs and 2,324 RBIs in 27 major league seasons but both have been hampered with nagging injuries throughout their careers.

For his 12-year career, Glaus has posted a .856 on-base/slugging percentage while hitting 20 or more homers eight times, including in 2008 when he hit 27 HRs in his last full season with the Cardinals.

He began his career with the Angels where he was crowned the 2002 World Series MVP.