Frank Wren was right about Smoltzy

[HawkItus]

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Friday, August 7, 2009

Smoltz in limbo as Red Sox move on

ESPN.com news services

John Smoltz

John Smoltz

#29 SP

Boston Red Sox

2009 STATS

* GM8

* W2

* L5

* BB9

* K33

* ERA8.33

The Boston Red Sox have designated John Smoltz for assignment, one day after the right-hander was tagged for eight runs and nine hits in a 13-6 loss to the Yankees.

The announcement came from Terry Francona during the manager's pregame news conference Friday at Yankee Stadium, where Boston will play the second game of a four-game series.

The Boston Globe reported that the 42-year-old Smoltz was en route to his Atlanta home on Friday.

The Red Sox have 10 days to trade or release Smoltz (2-5), who was signed by the team in the offseason for $5.5 million after his 2008 season -- his 20th with the Atlanta Braves -- was cut short because of shoulder surgery.

The pitcher's outing Thursday shot his ERA to 8.33 for his eight starts this season. It was his most runs allowed since he gave up eight in a no-decision with Atlanta on May 28, 2006, at Wrigley Field.

"I'm not doing it right now," Smoltz said after Thursday's loss. "I'm a big enough man to stand up here and say I'm not doing it. Time may not be on my side if this continues. I've been here before, but not like this."

[WraithSentinel]

Wren has been right about quite a bit of stuff. He is doing a very good job as GM. He is trying to hold onto key prospects while trying to build a winner. JS left him with very little to work with after that horrible and I MEAN HORRIBLE Tex trade.

Back to Smoltz many of knew he would be a year away or was likely finished. Everyone allowed emotion to get involve and cloud their judgment. Now everyone up North is trashing on Smoltz for no good reason. What the hell did they expect from a 42 year old coming off shoulder surgery. Whether Smoltz get release or not. Braves should bring him back and see if he can help out of the bullpen in certain situations.

[HawkItus]

Wren has been right about quite a bit of stuff. He is doing a very good job as GM. He is trying to hold onto key prospects while trying to build a winner. JS left him with very little to work with after that horrible and I MEAN HORRIBLE Tex trade.

Back to Smoltz many of knew he would be a year away or was likely finished. Everyone allowed emotion to get involve and cloud their judgment. Now everyone up North is trashing on Smoltz for no good reason. What the hell did they expect from a 42 year old coming off shoulder surgery. Whether Smoltz get release or not. Braves should bring him back and see if he can help out of the bullpen in certain situations.

I don't know Smoltz sort of left a bad taste in my mouth. Some of his comments and shots at the Braves he made on 790 make me think he should just retire and let things cool off a little. Then we'll bring him and Tommy back for a day like Mad-dog got.

[WraithSentinel]

That was Smoltz pride and ego talking. That of which made him a fan favorite here. He has now been humble. Smoltz did back off those comments though.

[APE]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Aj6w4OWJpsxM3eVFyDr_U6o5nYcB?slug=txredsoxsmoltzcut&prov=st&type=lgns

[frosgrim]

I don't know if Smoltz is completely done. Supposedly his velocity is there but he can't locate. If I were Smoltz, I'd take the rest of this season off of competitative pitching and work on understanding what the new shoulder is about. The location problems probably stems from him having to release the ball from a different arm slot. Taking the rest of the summer off will at least give him some perspective about what he wants to do next.

If he thinks he can pitch, I would love for the Braves to invite him back to ST as a reliever. One last season in the bullpen wouldn't be bad. However, Smoltz has to understand that there is no room in the starting five.

All that said, I wouldn't be surprised if John just hangs up the cleats and does something else with his life. I wouldn't mind him joining the TV team for the Braves.

[xhawk]

Being up here in the Boston area, I can say that Smoltz is taking alot of heat for his pitching. But really, he should have been in the bullpen. Or actually, he should have just finished his career in Atlanta.

[APE]

Now he's a Cardinal

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Avmxh4Qe0amSl2YNQnnwEDERvLYF?slug=ap-cardinals-smoltz&prov=ap&type=lgns

[DrReality]

We'll see if LaRusa has any magic to get itout of him.

[TroyMcClure]

We'll see if LaRusa has any magic to get itout of him.

I don't know if I'll ever truly forgive Smoltz the way that I have Glavine, but I think he will be pretty good for the Cardinals. Dude has a massive ego and his stuff is still there. He just hasn't pitched in a year and his location and pitch selection are terrible right now. Those are things that can be affected by age, no doubt. I think he can still put it together for a few months at least, though.

Edited August 20, 2009 by TroyMcClure

[AHF]

I don't feel the need to "forgive" Smoltz. Unlike Glavine who was offered a big contract by the Braves and left for a small amount more, the Braves were not real confident in bringing back Smoltz for this season and didn't offer much. I think the Braves were fine to see him go. I view that as primarily a departure led by the Braves as opposed to Glavine who went to our biggest rival against the wishes of team management.

[TroyMcClure]

I don't feel the need to "forgive" Smoltz. Unlike Glavine who was offered a big contract by the Braves and left for a small amount more, the Braves were not real confident in bringing back Smoltz for this season and didn't offer much. I think the Braves were fine to see him go. I view that as primarily a departure led by the Braves as opposed to Glavine who went to our biggest rival against the wishes of team management.

After finding out about his decade long crybaby act with one of the best and most professional writers in sports, Mark Bradley, I feel a little differently about him. Not to mention he got paid 14 million to NOT pitch last year alone. Then he acts like a baby again and hurts us as fans. That's a few of the things that I need to forgive him for. I always respected the man... but I didn't really know him. Now, that level of respect has be significantly lowered. Glavine came back and did everything he could do, for virtually no money in today's game, just to make it up to us, himself, and the game. I can forgive a man who shows remorse and wants to make things right.

[AHF]

After finding out about his decade long crybaby act with one of the best and most professional writers in sports, Mark Bradley, I feel a little differently about him.

I don't know the story behind that part.

Not to mention he got paid 14 million to NOT pitch last year alone.

What could he do about that? He got injured and rehabbed and didn't make it back. I don't fault him for it since he has proven he will fight back from injuries before.

Then he acts like a baby again and hurts us as fans. That's a few of the things that I need to forgive him for. I always respected the man... but I didn't really know him. Now, that level of respect has be significantly lowered. Glavine came back and did everything he could do, for virtually no money in today's game, just to make it up to us, himself, and the game. I can forgive a man who shows remorse and wants to make things right.

Glavine wasn't showing any remorse less than a season after leaving the Braves. Give Smoltz a little time.

[TroyMcClure]

Read Mark's blog regarding this. It's not something he talked about while Smoltz was here and it show his immense professionalism. Let's just say, they haven't talked for over a decade because Bradley wrote one article that wasn't totally complimentary of the guy after dozens of ones that were. Smoltz is a baby. Just read the blog, it's eye opening.

Sure, he could not do anything about having 14 million deposited in his account. But he could do something about whining like a baby that he was being disrespected because they wouldn't give him another 10 million to suck this year. He should respect the fact that most of us could live our whole lives on the "disrespect" the Braves showed him. He's a punk.

I totally agree about your last part. With the caveat that I don't think Glavine is or ever was a baby.

[TroyMcClure]

I don't know if I'll ever truly forgive Smoltz the way that I have Glavine, but I think he will be pretty good for the Cardinals. Dude has a massive ego and his stuff is still there. He just hasn't pitched in a year and his location and pitch selection are terrible right now. Those are things that can be affected by age, no doubt. I think he can still put it together for a few months at least, though.

No, Frank Wren didn't exactly get it right. But I did. He struck out 7 in a row today and is poised to get the win as I type this. He can still really pitch and the Sox are effing stupid. They had the money. Just wait till he gets right. Horrible decision by the Sox. I'm glad Wren let Smoltz walk, though. He's a jerk. Not the man I thought he was.

[TroyMcClure]

I don't know what "back" means in this regard, but he can be effective. I don't know that he ever struck out 7 in a row for us. And how can you put pitcher's park against him? Do you know how many warning track shots were hit? I don't think any were. Last time I checked, when you strike out, it doesn't matter if it's a T-ball field.

[TroyMcClure]

I do think the Sox were stupid with the money they have to burn, as illustrated by their attempted acquisition of Billy Wagner. It was just a matter of Smoltz getting his location down.

Dude lay off the semantics argument about 'back". You claimed earlier that the Sox were "effing stupid" for getting rid of Smoltz. If that doesn't coincide with being "back" then I'm not sure what does. Being "back" would imply being back to his form before he was injured. If you really want to run around a semantics argument about that then go ahead but a typical poster would have just let that slide as common sense.

It doesn't imply he is "back". And I'm not playing games. It's simple. He is not, nor ever will be again, the pitcher he was, but he can still be very effective.

As far as a pitcher's ballpark, why not check out what ballpark ranks near last in homers, runs, doubles, and hits:

http://espn.go.com/m...tats/parkfactor

That has virtually nothing to do with the point I was making about Smoltz being able to strike out 7 in a row.

Then compare how Smoltz did when factoring in that. As far as strikeouts go, exactly why does it matter that you got an out via strikeout, groundout, flyout, popout, or foulout?

That is a much larger, baseball oriented discussion that we can perhaps go into another time. As for this instance in a vacuum, it shows that Smoltz can still locate and has the velocity to make guys swing and miss. You really aren't trying to say that ability isn't coveted, or not a positive indicator, are you?

The correlation between strikeouts and ERA is positive, but it isn't very strong. Just because Smoltz throws a 9 K game against a team that strikes out more than the league average doesn't necessarily mean he will all of the sudden be an effective pitcher.

Correlation. lol. Actually more of a silent grin. Who's playing games here? I think you are. It does mean that "all of a sudden" he was effective on that day. Very effective. That's all I'm saying. Heck, I practically hate the guy now anyway, but I've watched him pitch for 20 years, Hawksfanatic. I'm just saying he can still pitch, regardless of what your analysis of any data might show. A "typical poster" would have probably understood that. Geez.

Edited August 25, 2009 by TroyMcClure

[DrReality]

Not so fast . . . . . his outing with the Cards showed some promise?

[TroyMcClure]

And you're ignoring 20 years! I'm not ignoring anything. His stuff is fine. If you don't want to take my word, you should take Bobby's. He just needed to work out location. Which, I think, he has. Also, the al east is only the best offensive division on the planet. It's disingenuous to suggest he can't pitch well against the rest of the league.