Report: The Red Sox designate Smoltz for assignment
Chad Finn of the Boston Globe reported at 4:37 this afternoon that the Red Sox have designated John Smoltz for assigment. This would seem to mean Smoltz’s attempted comeback from arm surgery has reached an end and that the former Braves’ pitcher could be nearing retirement.
Apparently Smoltz, 42, canceled a scheduled appearance on a New York radio station this afternoon and was believed to be flying home to Atlanta.
Smoltz is 2-5 with an ERA of 8.33. He yielded eight runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Yankees on Thursday, a performance that left both the Red Sox and Smoltz questioning the future.
From Finn’s story: “If [Smoltz] is not claimed on waivers, the club has 10 days to release him or send him to the minors.”
Smoltz chose to sign with the Red Sox over the Braves in January when Boston offered more guaranteed money than his longtime employer did. The Sox were hoping Smoltz, who has a postseason record of 15-4, would pitch and win big games for them in September and October.
The Braves’ position was that Smoltz wouldn’t be available to pitch until June at the earliest and they needed to have a starting rotation in place when they broke training camp. His departure set off a firestorm of criticism directed at Braves general manager Frank Wren, some of it from Chipper Jones.
Update: Here’s what I, Mark Andrew Bradley, have to say about the suggestions the Braves should re-sign John Andrew Smoltz. You’ll never guess my position on this.
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176 comments Add your comment
Cow
August 7th, 2009
5:03 pm
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
kappellmeister
August 7th, 2009
5:03 pm
dont care if im first….
sign ‘em, frank. let em retire a BRAVE
Sting 'em Buzz
August 7th, 2009
5:06 pm
let the 10 days pass them sign him so he can retire a Brave
Seth Thompson
August 7th, 2009
5:06 pm
Sign him as a reliever, silly Boston already guaranteed his 5 mil anyway, so we’d only have to pay the minimum. He’s better than Moylan/Acosta any day of the week.
REALITY calling
August 7th, 2009
5:07 pm
for Smoltz on line 1…
Smoltzy
August 7th, 2009
5:07 pm
I was here begging for the Braves to get Smoltz as a reliever and now I am back, Lets bring him back to face right handed batters
Structuralist
August 7th, 2009
5:08 pm
The Braves should pay whatever it takes to sign him. After surgery, he’ll be good for a few wins.
E-Roll
August 7th, 2009
5:08 pm
John, it was wonderful watching you pitch all of these years for the Braves but the time has come to hang it up and begin the countdown because 5 years from now you will be in Cooperstown.
liquid3
August 7th, 2009
5:08 pm
Braves should take him and use him as a set up man or possibly a closer in some cases. Smoltz has been looking good in the one or two innings this year, then he loses it, so maybe he can only handle an inning or two. Perfect for a set up man. I agree let him retire a Brave.
Sting 'em Buzz
August 7th, 2009
5:09 pm
in looking at that 8.33 ERA…better than Moylan and Acosta? ummm not so much so
Manny
August 7th, 2009
5:09 pm
I agree with Seth. Sign him as a reliever. We need the help. Plus, he’ll retire a Brave.
Smack
August 7th, 2009
5:11 pm
A way for Wren to save face? Let Smoltz go out a Brave. This is different from the Glavine thing…We would have had to pay Glavine $1 mil right off the bat and he would not/could not tranistion to the bullpen had we needed him to. John we know can thrive out there. For John, we give the prorated minimum, which after tonight is $135,802.44. Trade JoJo or another middling minor leaguer to the Sox to secure him. God knows the bullpen could use him.
Mark Bradley
August 7th, 2009
5:11 pm
I don’t mean to be a jerk about this, but: What’s the point of having him retire as a Brave? He already left. And Maddux didn’t have to retire as a Brave for the Braves to retire his number 31 and induct him into their Hall of Fame.
I know, symbolism. But I don’t see where it’s that big a deal.
JP Swain
August 7th, 2009
5:11 pm
He looks great for an inning or two- as he has for years. No one is claiming him and the Sox won’t sent him down. So after he’s released, lets see if he wants to be in the BullPen.
Dawg80
August 7th, 2009
5:12 pm
Soriano has blown two huge saves in a week. We need someone out of the bullpen, Sign him.
Mitch C
August 7th, 2009
5:13 pm
I agree with the posters here. I thought that how the Braves let Smoltz go was deplorable, after twenty one good years. The Braves season is done for 2009. I would sign Smoltz for the pro rated minimum, use him in blow out games, and let him make one last start at the end of the season if we are out of it, like Phil Niekro did in 1987. The risk side is low, and this would save face for Frank and John S, to let Smoltz retire as a Brave.
Mitch
phil
August 7th, 2009
5:14 pm
What a competitor, it’s time to go.
Mark Bradley
August 7th, 2009
5:14 pm
Again, I don’t mean to be a jerk, but sign him and make him the closer? His ERA is 8.33. Lefthanders are hitting .450 off him. He’s got nothing left.
Chilly
August 7th, 2009
5:15 pm
Smoltz is a class act…let me retire as a Brave.
lost brave
August 7th, 2009
5:15 pm
Bring John back, make him the closer.
Smack
August 7th, 2009
5:15 pm
Mark, Greg wasn’t here 20 years either. Smoltz was the one that was here after the others left. Yes he left, but we as fans (I know you hate him) have a deeper connection to him. We rode through the injuries and pulled for him in the different roles he had. He is our pitcher, at least the best of this decade.
chc4
August 7th, 2009
5:15 pm
If I were Frank Wren I would ask Smoltz to apologize for his ridiculous comments about the organization after he signed w/ the Sox. Turns our Wren was right… Smoltz didn’t even deserve what the Braves offered.
Mike
August 7th, 2009
5:15 pm
Why don’t we leave the decision on Smoltz to the man who made THE RIGHT decision in the first place. Good for FW.
g$
August 7th, 2009
5:15 pm
karma?
liz
August 7th, 2009
5:16 pm
Not “symbolism” but “sentimentalism.” I don’t think he’d come back anyway. It wouldn’t do anything for him and could hurt the team. Really it would just be a publicity stunt and the team is too close to contention for that.
As a fan of the legend, however I am heartbroken.
Noah
August 7th, 2009
5:16 pm
lots of greats retire with the team they started with, its not something new, fans like to see it and the player enjoys it.
Mitch C
August 7th, 2009
5:16 pm
Mark, I just read your post, and I disagree. I have two reasons for this. One, the Braves let not one, but two, of our franchise greats go in one season with what they did to Glavine and Smoltz. It has been a PR backlash for them. Two, the team wouldnt be hurt by letting Smoltz pitch some. We are done for 2009 anyway. What is $135,000 to a baseball team?
Have to disagree with you on this one, buddy, and I hope that Frank W, Bobby and JS see it the fans way.
Mitch
Robert
August 7th, 2009
5:17 pm
Wren should get Smoltz and then let him pitch a few innings, so he goes to Cooperstown as a Bravo.
g$
August 7th, 2009
5:17 pm
lets do a save face…when the braves fall out on the run..sign glavine and smolz..pitch out in atl style
Ron E.
August 7th, 2009
5:17 pm
I’m happy he flopped so badly after transparently leaving for more money. Turns out he was smart to do that because it was his last contract. In a couple of weeks when the Braves run up the white flag on what is clearly not going to be a season that results in a playoff run and Smoltz clears waivers, it would be cool if they brought him in for one start so he can finish in Braves uniform.
Mark Bradley
August 7th, 2009
5:19 pm
I understand that, Smack. But I’m not a big fan of the sentimental sendoff. I opposed it — much to Phil Niekro’s chagrin, if you care to read his book — when the Braves brought Niekro back for one Sunday start in 1987. (He lasted three innings, surrendering five runs and six hits.)
Whatever
August 7th, 2009
5:19 pm
So you would have been happy if we paid him all that money and he pitched like that for the Braves???? We offered him a fair deal for an old pitcher coming off surgery. He made it out to be something it wasn’t. We should be glad that our GM and staff got it right in that he was not the same.
And Smack why would we trade for him if they are releasing him anyway?
Are people really this stupid!
Biff Pocaroba
August 7th, 2009
5:20 pm
Let him vacuum Frank Wren’s office and retire as a Brave employee.
Sting 'em Buzz
August 7th, 2009
5:20 pm
Smack, if they trade for Smoltz, they are on the hook for the remainder of his contract.
jackets77
August 7th, 2009
5:21 pm
really sad to see it end this way for Smoltz…my all time favorite brave..guy was a true warrior on the mound…
Michael Prick
August 7th, 2009
5:22 pm
If you want Smoltz a Brave, bring both him and Maddux to spring training next year as advisors to the young pitchers. The Braves aren’t going to the playoffs this year being 7 1/2 behind the Phils and 5 1/2 back of San Fran in the wildcard. Adding Smoltz to the bullpen isn’t going to make that big of a difference. He left on his own!!!
Jay
August 7th, 2009
5:22 pm
Stick a fork in him.
E-Roll
August 7th, 2009
5:22 pm
Mark, I will be in the minority with you on this one. The Braves did not release Smoltz so please posters, do not put his situation with that of Glavine. Smoltzy decided to take a better deal with Boston. If you want the sign and retire plan, I won’t fault you but I am fine either way.
Now for those that are saying sign him so he can pitch, please, please, please go back and watch what has been happening to Smoltz this year. He is not closer material right now and if you use him in middle relief, you will either lose the lead or fall further behind.
MightyQuinn
August 7th, 2009
5:22 pm
I agree, Mark, put a fork in him, he’s done….BUT…I wouldn’t mind a farewell shot if we dump the season soon so the home fans can see him one more time a la Niekro’s appearance at the end of his career. Of course, an average crowd showed up for his 3000th K last year, so maybe not that many people care!
Bob Ondeez
August 7th, 2009
5:22 pm
Who cares if he retires a Bravo? He’s already going to Cooperstown with our hat on, whether he likes it or not. His arm wasn’t healed and he pushed himself to get ready… so it’s his own darn fault. Like it or not, Wren was right to let both $moltz and TommyG go. Yeah, our bullpen is imploding… but Smoltz isn’t the answer. And he certainly isn’t worth the pro-rated minimum at this point. Save the bucks and bring up some young bucks!
ME
August 7th, 2009
5:22 pm
It’s the same problem that the Braves have. Bobby Cox notoriously leaves pitchers in about an inning too long. John Smoltz should have retired after last year. It’s sad to see athletes who have nothing to live for unwilling to accept retirement. He’s had such a stellar career and have it end like this. Too bad.
bvillebaron
August 7th, 2009
5:24 pm
Mitch C and others: Can we stop with the Smoltz and Glavine pity parties for god’s sake. As great as they both were, neither can pitch effectively at this level any more and, judging by his body language last night, I think Smoltz finally has realized that. I realize that it is unlikely that the Braves can win the wild card, but bringing Smoltz and Glavine back for a “curtain call” would represent a clear “running up the white flag”. My guess would be that many of you who want the curtain call were the same guys who were whining at the deadline that the Braves’ failure to trade more of their future for a rental player was a clear sign of the team playing out the string. As the old timer in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid said a long time ago “Butch and Sundance you were the best, but your times are over, your times are over!”
yellow dufus
August 7th, 2009
5:24 pm
You can’t sign Smoltz. He is one of my favorite players but no. He wanted more money and left his “home” team. Peace out Smoltzy!
Sage of Bluesland
August 7th, 2009
5:24 pm
Maybe he’ll classlessly gripe about the Red Sox organization now?
No time for emotional rot–unless you’re a sheep…
Space Monkey
August 7th, 2009
5:24 pm
It couldn’t hurt to sign Smoltzie and let him teach the boys in the pen how to compete. I would love to see that. He probably can go an inning or two every few days. That’s about what Medlen and Acosta do now.
M
August 7th, 2009
5:24 pm
Sign him after the ten day waiting period. Nothing to lose (I don’t think that the Braves bullpen is above bringing him in, because they are not that deep). Good PR for Wren and the Braves.
01HAWK
August 7th, 2009
5:25 pm
Why would we sign Smoltz. He is washed up like Glavine. I would be very surprised if someone picked him up. 40 something old pitchers and hitters are not any good.
J
August 7th, 2009
5:28 pm
He was one of my idols growing up with the Braves, and while I understand it’s a business as well as a sport, it was a HUGE disappointment when he followed the money to the Sox. Looks like he’s paying for the decision now :\ If it’s possible I hope he comes back and retires as a Brave.
Cranberry
August 7th, 2009
5:28 pm
Please, Braves Management, sign Smoltzie and let him retire a Brave where he belongs!
kcob95
August 7th, 2009
5:29 pm
Some of you should just “get over it”. FW made the right decision with Smoltz and Glavine. The guy is getting rocked and you people want the braves to roll his tired arm out there. Smoltz had a great career, but he needs to come too terms with the fact that he attempted to prove the braves wrong and only proved them right!