Tom Glavine: Aces

Tom Glavine is the 'new' New York Mets ace.  It may be by default as Pedro Martinez and Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez are down due to injuries but in game one of the NLCS the veteran southpaw was dominant.
 
He is now the Mets ace like it or not. 

"I know why they are saying it," Glavine said after tossing four-hit ball through seven innings in New York's 2-0 win over the St Louis Cardinals in Game One of the National League Championship Series on Thursday.
 
"I understand the importance of when I pitch now. But at the same time, I'm trying my best to mentally play games with myself and dismiss that.

"I don't want to go out there with any added pressure on myself."

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The New York Post's Joel Sherman waxes poetic on the performance:

Stoic and splendid, Glavine mesmerized the Cardinals last night in Game 1 of the NLCS by changing speeds on his fastball and showing no fear of the inside corner.

The Mets won 2-0 because both Carlos Beltran and Glavine went deep - Beltran off the right-field scoreboard and Glavine with seven shutout innings.

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"The range was bleak when Tommy had [his circulation problem]," pitching coach Rick Peterson said. "And when it turned out for the best, it was like Tommy got a new lease on life, a new perspective that is making him better."

Glavine, who went 15-7 with a 3.82 ERA for the Mets this year, entered the night with 13 wins and a 3.34 ERA in 33 post-season starts.

--Josh Hart writes from Las Vegas