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Sunday, October 26, 2008
What to make of latest Smoltz story?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Philadelphia — Things to ponder while marveling at how quickly a story hinting at a possible new address for John Smoltz will inevitably mushroom in the internet era, and wondering if some folks will stop the “AL is superior” mantra if Philly becomes the fourth NL team in eight years to win the World Series.
First, the Smoltz matter.
The bearded Braves icon continues his rehab and hopeful comeback from shoulder surgery, and Smoltz said late Saturday he wasn’t aware of a New York Daily News story in which one of his agents was quoted saying Smoltz might entertain a midseason return with a playoff contender ala Roger Clemens.
Smoltz had a $12 million option for 2009 that didn’t vest, and he’ll become a free agent soon after the World Series. But Braves general manager Frank Wren said nothing had changed in their minds after a previously agreed-to plan.
That plan was for Wren and Smoltz to address the contract matter later this winter, only after the 41-year-old pitcher progresses in his recovery to the point of deciding whether he can pitch again in the major leagues.
“I know nothing about [the Daily News story],” Smoltz said in a text message. “It’s news to me.”
Keith Grunewald, one of Smoltz’s agents in the Career Sports and Entertainment, was asked by a Daily News reporter about the possibility of Smoltz making a Clemens-like dramatic reentry at midseason to help a contending team reach the playoffs.
“That’s not a bad approach to say who is winning and who can he help?” Grunewald told the paper. “There will be injuries and poor performance around the league, so that will be part of it. … He won’t be ready for the beginning of the season, but we’re thinking May or June and he could make an impact like Roger Clemens a couple of years ago to help make a run at a playoff spot.”
Grunewald also was quoted saying, “John’s made it clear he’d love to finish his career in Atlanta, but that depends on what [Wren] and the guys want to do.”
Much was made of the story, which was picked up by numerous online baseball rumor sites, including news outlets and blogs. Some interpreted it to mean Smoltz was getting antsy and pondering a move, but he refuted that Saturday.
He said nothing had changed in his desire to stay with the Braves and his approach this offseason. He plans to increase the intensity of his throwing workouts soon as he moves closer to the time when he’ll make a decision.
Smoltz has told Braves officials and others that his initial workouts this winter went very well, and his follow-up visits with surgeon James Andrews have produced nothing but positive reports.
But the pitcher stood by his previously stated plan of not offering any public pronouncements of his progress, and said he’s about to move into a period of relative isolation as he focuses on his comeback bid.
“Nothing has changed,” he said of his plans. “I am disappearing and doing my thing, whatever that is. There will be no quotes from me on anything because there is nothing to report.”
Smoltz said repeatedly this year that he hopes to finish his career with the Braves, the only major league team he’s ever pitched for.
Wren said Saturday, “”John and I, the last time we talked, we agreed that when he got deeper in the winter we would talk [about a possible contract].”
Wren said last month that if Smoltz can pitch again and wants to pitch, the Braves want him back with the only major league team he’s ever played for.
Asked Saturday if that were still the case, Wren said, “That’s exactly right.”
Molly Fletcher, another of the team of agents who represents Smoltz, said today (Sunday): “Everybody is monitoring John’s progress, which has been tremendous. And we’re certainly sensitive to our relationship with the Atlanta Braves.”
The Braves have given no indication of the value of contract they might offer Smoltz, a probable future Hall of Famer and the only pitcher to record at least 200 wins and 150 saves. He also surpassed 3,000 career strikeouts in 2008 before his season was cut short by throbbing pain in his shoulder.
“We have a fantastic relationship with the Atlanta Braves,” Fletcher said, “and it’s important to us that that continue. At the same time, John’s going to be in a position to have some choices, and he wants to evaluate those choices when the time is right.
“He’s going to have choices. But we’re incredibly sensitive and respectful to our relationship to Frank and the team.”
Smoltz finished the season 3-2 with a 2.57 ERA in six games (five starts), with 36 strikeouts in 28 innings. He was 3-1 with a microscopic 0.78 ERA and two 10-strikeout games in four starts before pain forced him out of a rough start at New York, his last before a one-month stint on the disabled list.
He tried to come back as a closer, but the pain returned in his lone relief appearance.
Serious damage to his labrum and rotator cuff were addressed in June shoulder surgery, the fifth operation Smoltz has had on his pitching arm, including “Tommy John” ligament-transplant elbow surgery and three other elbow procedures.
Smoltz was told before and after the operation that there was no guarantee he would pitch again, but so far he and his representative say reports have been positive from Andrews.
Another World Series title for NL East? Do people realize that after winning Game 3 against Tampa Bay on a bases-loaded infield dribbler hit by Carlos Ruiz at 1:47 a.m. Sunday, the Phillies are two wins from being the fourth NL team to win the World Series since 2001.
The other three were Arizona (’01), Florida (’03) and St. Louis (’06). Three AL teams have won the Series in that period: Anaheim, Boston (twice) and Chicago.
A Phillies World Series title would be the second for an NL East team in six years. The only other division with two championships in the past eight years is the AL East, both its titles won by the Red Sox in ’04 and ’07.
Going back a little further (required in order to bring Atlanta into the conversation), a Phillies World Series title would be the fourth for an NL East team in 14 years, after the Braves (1995) and the Marlins (’97 and ’03).
Speaking of the Braves, they had a mark erased from the postseason record book in Game 3 when Tampa Bay stole four bases (three by budding superstar B.J. Upton) to raise its postseason total to 22, surpassing the previous record of 20 set by Cincinnati in 1975 and matched by the ’92 Braves.
Otis Nixon stole eight bases (in nine attempts) for the Braves in 13 games in the ’92 postseason, and Deion Sanders was 5-for-5 in steals, all of his in four games during the World Series loss against Toronto.
During the ’92 regular season, the trio of Nixon, Sanders and Ron Gant totaled 99 stolen bases in 136 attempts, including 41 steals for Nixon and 32 for Gant. Yes, the Braves did run some way back in the day.
Can the Rays win this Series? Of course. But to do so, they’re almost certainly going to need more than they’ve gotten so far from middle-of-the-order hitters Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria.
What they’ve gotten so far from those two is nothing. Zilch. Well, other than a towering fly from Longoria on Saturday night, which appeared like a sure home run before the wind stalled the moon shot as it climbed into the cool night air.
In the end, it was just a loud out.
The reversal of fortunes for Longoria and Pena during this postseason has been startling, and simultaneous. In four ALCS games against Boston from Oct. 11 to Oct. 16, Longoria was 6-for-17 with two doubles, four homers and seven RBI, including a homer in each game.
In the five games since, Longoria is 1-for-18 with one double and two RBI, including 0-for-12 with six strikeouts and no walks in the World Series.
Pena, meanwhile, was 7-for-17 with a double, three homers and six RBI in that four-game period Oct. 11-16. In five games since, he has gone 0-for-17 with one RBI and seven strikeouts.
To summarize: Longoria and Pena were a combined 13-for-34 with seven homers and 13 RBI in four games Oct. 11-16, and in five games since then, they’re a combined 1-for-35 with three RBI and 13 strikeouts.
Speaking of amazing stats….After three World Series games, Phillies hitters had as many wins as hits with runners in scoring position. Before the game-ending chopped dribbler that gave them the win in Game 3, Philly hitters were 1-for-33 with runners in scoring position.
They are 6-for-51 (.118) with one homer with runners on base, and 18-for-49 with four homers with none on base, including solo homers in Game 3 by Ruiz, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard off Matt Garza, the 24-year-old Rays ace, who was outdueled by Phillies old man Jamie Moyer, who’ll be 46 next month.
The Phillies have a 2-1 series lead despite being 2-for-33 with RISP, 0-for-11 with RISP and two outs, and 3-for-22 in the late innings of close games.
The homer by Howard was his second in 15 career postseason games, and his first since he went deep against Colorado in the 2007 division series in his second playoff game.
The big first baseman had been 11-for-44 with three doubles and three RBI in 12 playoff games between homers.
”TALK OF THE TOWN” by The Pretenders
Such a drag to want something sometime
One thing leads to another I know
Was a time wanted you for mine
Nobody knew
You arrived like a day
And passed like a cloud
I made a wish, I said it out loud
Out loud in a crowd
Everybody heard
‘twas the talk of the town
It’s not my place to know what you feel
I’d like to know but why should I?
Who were you then, who are you now?
Common laborer by night, by day highbrow
Back in my room I wonder, then I
Sit on the bed, look at the sky
Up in the sky
Clouds rearrange
Like the talk of the town
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
Maybe tomorrow, maybe someday
You’ve changed your place in this world
You’ve changed your place in this world
Oh but it’s hard to live by the rules
I never could and still never do
The rules and such never bothered you
You call the shots and they follow
I watch you still from a distance then go
Back to my room, you never know
I want you, I want you but now
Who’s the talk of the town?
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