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Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Smoltz-Peavy defining duel
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For those of you who may have been sleeping, Braves hitters did a whole lot of swinging and missing late last night - 18 strikeouts and one walk - and Chris Reitsma probably saved his closer job for a while.
Sorry if either of those developments saddened any of you (from what I hear, one or two folks would like to see a new closer…)
But all Braves fans, of course, could be heartened by other goings-on at Petco Park, where John Smoltz put on a resolute demonstration of what he’s all about, and Ryan Langerhans hit a two-run homer on one of the very few pitches that didn’t do exactly what Jake Peavy wanted it to do.
Oh, yeah, Peavy. Sixteen strikeouts in seven innings. Struck out every Braves starter at least once, six of them at least twice, and struck out cleanup hitter Andruw Jones all three times he faced him.
Uh, this Peavy kid from ‘Bamy is pretty good, folks. Not even 25 yet (will be next week) and, as Smoltzy himself said afterward, “He’s one of the nastiest pitchers in the game.”
It was a power-pitching demonstration comparable to the one that Kerry Wood produced years ago, when Wood struck out 20 in a game, before a slew of injuries stalled Wood’s career. The Padres have to hope that Peavy’s delivery is better suited to long-term good health, because he is so very special. But then, so is Smoltz, in ways entirely different at this stage of his great career.
Peavy (3-5) has 24 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings against the Braves this season, and two losses to show for the effort. Smoltz won both games, and showed why, at 39, he’s still one of the elite pitchers in the game. He simply made every big pitch he needed to make last night, twice thwarting the Padres when they put the potential tying runners on base to protect the 2-0 lead that Langerhans had provided. It was something to watch, those two going at it. One of the best games I’ve seen in years.
And those Chipper-bashers out there, do you get what still makes him special, even if he’s not the 30-homer, 100-RBI guy he used to be? His ninth-inning homer last night, after Piazza homered in the eighth against Kenny Ray to trim the lead to 2-1, was huge. Don’t care who it was against. Doesn’t matter. Because given the state of Reitsma and the Braves’ ninth-inning relief, a two-run lead was crucial. It sucked the life out of the stadium. Chipper can still do that kind of thing with one swing and a swagger that makes people in every city want to strangle him.
That homer probably allowed Reitsma to relax a bit and produce.
Let’s be clear, so no one accuses me of defending, advocating, or protecting Reitsma: I think he’s done an awful job this season, and I think the Braves need another closer. That clear enough?
That said, Bobby used him wisely last night, knowing he had a good chance against the lousy bottom of the order with Vinny (I’m not what I used to be) Castilla and Josh (I’m not Jesse) Barfield due up. He put them away, then struck out Geoff (I’m not one of the greatest lefty hitters around) Blum to end the game.
Cox loves Reitsma, and/or has such a distaste for other closer options available to him presently that he keeps giving Reitsma chances to come around. Last night he got himself another reprieve, I’d suspect.
Probably not going to be any solid closers available until closer to the July 31 trade deadline, folks. Accept it, or keep up the consternation over Reitsma. It’s up to you.
Me, I’m going to get some fish tacos at Rubio’s.
