Atlanta Braves: Should John Smoltz be re-signed to help Braves bullpen?
The Boston Red Sox cut John Smoltz Friday after the veteran pitcher, signed as a free agent this past January, managed only a 2-5 record in eight starts with an 8.33 ERA.
YOU TELL US: Do you think Smoltz, who racked up 154 saves from 2001-04 as Atlanta’s closer, should be re-signed to help in the Braves bullpen? Or is he, at age 42 and coming off shoulder rehab, simply out of gas?
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352 comments Add your comment
kaygeeone
August 10th, 2009
5:37 pm
I don’t know what the over-all reaction from everyone else is, but I say bring him back and let him shine for the Braves in the post-season. Give him a rookie salary and treat him as any other player, no special attention. If he don’t agree to that, kick his @$$ to the curb.
steve munge
August 10th, 2009
5:39 pm
I think if you could get him at a reasonable rate it would be worth a chance to have him workout in Gwinnett and if he looks good then bring him up to throw 1 inning relief stints, he would be a better solution then some of our bullpen pitchers and I think he is just a better fit for us in Atlanta.
Matt the Brave
August 10th, 2009
5:40 pm
Ok, new order of pitching for my great 58-10 slaughter:
Tom Glavine to start, Kent Mercker, Dan Kolb, Chris Reitsma, Mike Stanton, then John Smoltz to close the game. Maybe we can squeeze Don Sutton and Phil Neikro in as well.
Bobbymahlon
August 10th, 2009
5:41 pm
Let him be a setup man until there is a chance for him to close. After that sign him on as pitching coach. He burned his bridges but lets give him one and only one more chance to be a Brave again.
John Brown
August 10th, 2009
5:43 pm
I say bring back Smoltz if they the Braves determine he could help them in a relief role, but I don’t see how he could with Hudson returning and Kawakami probably going to the pen. Even with his struggles, Kenshin has been 3x as effective as Smoltz. Some Braves fans need to learn that this is a pennant race in professional baseball, not a pageant for retired thoroughbreds or American Idol celebrity guest night. I remember when the SF Giants won over 100 games and missed the playoffs by one game to our Braves(probably the final straw that sent us to expanded playoffs) and I don’t think we want that here. Not that the Braves will win 100 games this year, but if they miss the playoffs by one game(which is a distinct possibilty) because we trotted out Smoltz for some Gordie Howe-like exhibiton start or relief appearance, that’s very well what could happen. And do we want that to be our last memory of a HOFer? I think not.
John Brown
August 10th, 2009
5:45 pm
Hey – and while we’re at it why don’t we bring back Sid Bream for one more game at 1st base, Lemke at 2nd, Blauser at SS, and trot out Pendleton at 3rd for Smoltzie’s final appearance as a Brave. If we weren’t in a pennant race, that would be fun!
double d
August 10th, 2009
5:52 pm
Reitsma or Kolb whew I think that Green Tea must have been fermented.Bring him back on a trial basis.
JayCee
August 10th, 2009
5:55 pm
I agree with 18 Wheels, with an emphatic NO!!! He IS over the hill and he threw the team management under the bus. How could they ???
wayne smith
August 10th, 2009
5:55 pm
absloutely smoltzy would be a great addition to the bullpen.he has proven his worth with 154 saves and yes maybe he is not the same pitcher,but it has come to a comfort factor.he is home when it comes to atlanta.having smoltz,gonzalez,and soriano is a trivecta that no one wants to face in the later innings.I do hope that the braves go after smoltz and bring him back home where he belongs.
one final note!!!!!!! smoltzy could only improve us not hurt us.take the chance braves.we are making a push for our division although many critics said it couldn’t be done!!!!!! lets prove them wrong……….
GO BRAVES!!!!!
steveh
August 10th, 2009
5:57 pm
Love Smoltzie. But time and injuries have caught up with him. Now he can play golf whenever he likes.
COry
August 10th, 2009
6:01 pm
I was as big of a John Smoltz fan as anyone out there (and still am), but it was obvious this spring that when the Braves wanted to “wait and see” he felt that he was disrespected…guess the Braves aren’t so dumb after all. Why would he want to come back? He is a very proud athlete and now would be crawling back to Atlanta for a few innings…Also, and probably more important – AREN’T WE PRETTY CLOSE TO WINNING? He hasnt proven to be effective so bringing him on could have terrible ramifications down the line. Next time we see Smoltzie the braves will be hanging his jersey up in Turner Field, right where it belongs.
Hotrod
August 10th, 2009
6:03 pm
I vote sign him :
1) For the minimum
2) The pen
Its a .500 year anyhow. No real harm can be done.
Joe S
August 10th, 2009
6:05 pm
Smoltz’s age has caught up to him after last year. He has been suffering for while now with the Red Sox and like a sick dog he deserves to move onto another life. He should just hang up his spikes and glove and throw it into Cooperstown, NY after what he has done for the Braves and MLB.
What great competitor he was but he’s not the Smoltz we all knew of in his prime.
Springs
August 10th, 2009
6:08 pm
No.
Bushwacker
August 10th, 2009
6:11 pm
I love smoltz but we are in a pennant race and can’t afford to lose 1 game much less 3 while we see if he has anything left,LETS GO WITH WHATS GOT US HERE!
He’s not going to be as good as any of our 5 starters or Soriano and Gonzales closing, so how can he help us?
Chicken farmer
August 10th, 2009
6:13 pm
Bring back Smoltz? NO. Especially since he bad mouthed the Braves when he left for more pennies and when Wren made the decision to cut Glavine. Now then, I haven’t read anything in any of the comments as to what to do with Hudson when he’s ready to return. There’s an arm we’ve been waiting for, not the worn out one hanging on Smoltz.
i say No
August 10th, 2009
6:14 pm
U really think his 8.33 will help if that case we should resign tom house are buzz capra are rick camp (oh wait he in prison)….nope
Tomahawk Matt
August 10th, 2009
6:27 pm
Give Smoltz a shot in the pen?
An extra arm never hurt… wait it does hurt… the arm hurts…
oooo so sore..
Over It
August 10th, 2009
6:31 pm
Get over it for crying out loud. Do you have this much trouble getting over an old girlfriend? He has nto looked good and the Braves are starting to win. Let it go!!!
Kim
August 10th, 2009
6:31 pm
Ditto what 18 wheels of love said.
kenneth tallant
August 10th, 2009
6:34 pm
i think we need to resign him & at the end of the year retire him with the braves where he needs to be
Rayfrog
August 10th, 2009
6:36 pm
NO WAY !! He made his decision just like Glavine did and money won the day for both of them.
Billy
August 10th, 2009
6:46 pm
A$$ Clown, I love it….
Jeff Hollifield
August 10th, 2009
6:47 pm
As much as I hate to say it, Mr. Wren got this correct. Loved Smoltzy through-out his career, which sadly appears to be over.
wink
August 10th, 2009
6:51 pm
Give Smoltz a try in the pen. Pick your spots where you use him. Let him pitch to only one guy or two max. Use him against hitters he has owned during his career. The closer we get to a playoff spot the more that will make sense. There are some players who just have not been able to hit Smoltz; also limit his pitch selection.
anthony mangham
August 10th, 2009
7:01 pm
get your golf club out and your fishing rodes and your rocking chair and enjoy life and have some fun no more pain no more baseball and put your family first
bdawg
August 10th, 2009
7:07 pm
He is washed up and a clubhouse lawyer. Just move on.
Jack Nicholson
August 10th, 2009
7:10 pm
As a player Smoltz is done. He knows it. You know it. I know it. There’s no reason to be a candy a$$ about it. How about them Lakers.
Mark
August 10th, 2009
7:14 pm
While it may provide him some motivation, I believe it is over for John
Coon-Dawg
August 10th, 2009
7:18 pm
Make Smoltzy the new “Hitting” coach.
deep
August 10th, 2009
7:19 pm
I agree…..Maddux for Pitching coach…… Pendelton as Manager
bfred
August 10th, 2009
7:21 pm
The only real value Smoltz could bring would be in a mop-up role to bank innings for the rest of the bullpen. He can’t start anymore (and we don’t need him) and we’re not going to take the closer role away from Soriano / Gonzo. If he is willing to work long relief in blowouts then he may be useful. My guess is he is completely uninterested in such an arrangement.
As for Hudson, I’d be surprised if he starts a game this year. He’s certainly not coming back in a starting capacity. He may give us what Smoltz could, only better. I like Hudson’s ability to keep us close in a long relief role better than Smoltz’s.
JB
August 10th, 2009
7:23 pm
He’s toast! Great career though. Give the youngsters their chance to shine.
Bamadad11
August 10th, 2009
7:57 pm
As much as I loved watching Smoltz pitch, there won’t be room for him. When Hudson returns, Kawakami probably moves to the pen. Time to bronze your spikes, John.
kay
August 10th, 2009
8:11 pm
yes, yes, yes….let’s get smoltzy back!!!!
steve
August 10th, 2009
8:17 pm
no – time to hang it up
1000 times NO!
August 10th, 2009
8:19 pm
We don’t need Smoltz. He is a whiny little b—h. Uh huh YEAH HE IS!!
1000 times NO!
August 10th, 2009
8:20 pm
I’ve already told you felas over on Bradley’s blog – bring him back to clean the dugouts after the game. He can even wear one of his old uniforms.
jonnycash
August 10th, 2009
8:31 pm
He’s done,finished, caput. Why is this even being brought up again? Here we go with all the Smoltz lovers freaking out. Move on and accept the fact that Wren was right!!
1000 times NO!
August 10th, 2009
8:33 pm
Smoltz sucks hairy moose GOW!!! Can’t you guys see this?
ace driscoll
August 10th, 2009
8:39 pm
the atlanta braves and this city provided him a great life and he left us behind – I have no real problem with his ‘expected lack of loyality ( like the rest of the has- been millionaire clowns playing a kids game), but it never really works out when you bring back this type of employee in any business ( see also glavine )
EJ
August 10th, 2009
8:41 pm
Of course not….it is time for my friend to retire and golf…….the braves need young arms right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
L Sexton
August 10th, 2009
8:47 pm
Absolutley! And whatever his comments were about Glavine’s release would be true. I want to know when they are going to RELEASE
jd
August 10th, 2009
9:02 pm
Yes give him a chance. All we need him is for one inning or two. Hard core in your face fastball pitchers is what wins playoffs. We need more of that even if it is in our bullpen.The real question is will Smoltz come back? He went to Boston to be a starter; is he willing to settle now just to pitch?
stew
August 10th, 2009
9:03 pm
Bring him back and dump Acosta. He has to build up his arm. Greatest competitor we ever had. Just gotta get him rolling.
Dan, Marietta
August 10th, 2009
9:03 pm
John cannot let go–he’s old and will not accept that fact.
jarvis
August 10th, 2009
9:10 pm
A starter????? Who in this rotation would he replace? He couldn’t even be our 6th starter once Hudson comes back in a few weeks.
I’d say put him in the pen, but he burnt this bridge during the Glavine fiasco. Time we all moved on.
Paddy
August 10th, 2009
9:14 pm
As Gabe Paul said; the worst thing management can do is sign someone elses aging super star. Gabe didn’t do well in Cleveland but he sure put the Yankess back on the map. I trust his judgement. It won’t be long before he is in the Hall of Fame My vote, no on Smoltz, per Gabe.
GPB
August 10th, 2009
9:38 pm
I think we should put McCann on waivers to get Smoltz on the roster. Clearly, this is a superior trade than Kotchman for LaRoche.
4 jacks
August 10th, 2009
9:52 pm
No way. As a poster said before, Smoltz chose to take the money, which I have no problem with, but then he throws the organization under the bus. The organization that put a lot of good players around him to help him have a great career, and have a chance at the post season every year. Not to mention a pay check that most here would love to have. No, John chose his way, the Braves need to move on. Give him the retirement of his number day and let it go.