Avery Waiting for Call

They talk about the Big Three of Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine as one of baseball’s best ever, but it was once a Big Four in which Steve Avery was as big as his pitching partners. Now Denny Neagle, the trade-deadline acquisition from the Pittsburgh Pirates, will pitch for the Atlanta Braves tonight in Game 4 of the World Series, while Avery sits, roots and ponders his likely departure from Atlanta as a free agent.

Here he is, a 26-year-old left-hander with a 72-62 career record and a 5-2 record in the postseason, but he is not scheduled to pitch unless a starter gets chased early, which would be a major story.

It’s a tenuous business. Avery had been pitching well early, pulled a muscle on the left side of his rib cage and spent two months on the disabled list, prompting the rich-get-richer trade for Neagle.

Avery finished 7-10 after a poorly supported 7-13 the previous year, a long way from his 18-8 as a 21-year-old phenom in 1991 and his 18-6 of 1993.

“If it wasn’t for the injury, I’d be in the thick of things,” he said Tuesday night. “I feel like I’ve had to defend myself a lot lately, and that’s no fun. I guess it’s a situation where ‘What have you done lately?’ and I haven’t done a lot.”

It’s also a situation in which Avery is making $4.25 million, money that can be applied to the retaining of free-agent eligible Smoltz and particularly big money for a No. 4 pitcher who would be moving to No. 5 behind Neagle.

“It’s no secret that I want to stay,” Avery said. “That would be my preference, but everyone is treating it like a disaster, and it’s not.

“I’m 26 and about to be a free agent. I have the opportunity to look at 29 other clubs. I don’t see anything bad about that.

“I mean, I feel like I have a lot to offer. I’m healthy now, and it shouldn’t be too difficult getting back to where I should be [in terms of performance]. My best days are ahead of me.”

Avery said he hopes to produce those for a National League team with a chance to win. He doesn’t want to switch leagues but isn’t limiting himself. In other words, he definitely expects to leave.

“I think it’s easier to prepare to leave rather than thinking I might be back,” he said. “Expect the worst and take it in stride when it comes.”