Braves set to sign Glaus to play first base

Braves set to sign Glaus to play first base
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Wednesday, December 23, 2009 at 8:34 p.m.

ATLANTA — The power-hungry Atlanta Braves are hoping longtime third baseman Troy Glaus can fill the team’s void at first base.
The Braves have reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract with Glaus, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press yesterday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is not final.
The agreement is pending a physical planned for the first week of January.
Glaus, a Carlsbad High product, has played third base most of his career but the Braves probably would use the 33-year-old at first base in place of Adam LaRoche, a free agent.
“We think (Glaus is) 100 percent healthy,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said. “I have talked to him and told him we would love to have him here.”
Glaus played in two games at first base for St. Louis this year after missing most of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He hit .172 in only 14 games.
If healthy, Glaus could give the Braves much-needed power behind Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. The Braves ranked 22nd in the major leagues with 149 homers last season.
Glaus hit 27 homers with 99 RBI for St. Louis in 2008 and had 30 or more homers in five of seven seasons from 2000-06 with the Angels, Arizona and Toronto. He has 304 career homers.
“He’s been a power guy every year except when he got hurt,” Cox said. “He’s still a young guy and he’s always been athletic. He can learn to play first in a heartbeat, and I know he has played there some already.”