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January 2009
Braves have no excuse for Smoltz’s departure
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve defended Frank Wren several times this off-season, but there’s no excuse for the way the John Smoltz situation was handled.
I thought Braves management would have learned a lesson about dealing with proud future Hall of Famers after Tom Glavine ended up with the Mets. Apparently not.
That day in December when Smoltz impressed Bobby Cox and Roger McDowell with his rehab progress is the day Wren should have had Smoltz’s agent on the phone. And if it took a couple of million dollars more to get a deal done, so be it. Let’s face it, $2 million means a lot to you and me but not to the Braves. At least it wasn’t supposed to this year.
And for Smoltz, I don’t believe it was about that $2 million; it was about respect and appreciation for the times he tried to throw when his arm felt like it was about to fall off, for the competitor who missed out on a shot at 300 wins because his team needed him in the bullpen.
Wren and the Braves’ brass obviously knew what a public relations nightmare this would be, especially when lumped in with this offseason’s other fiascos, because they brought in free agent Derek Lowe today of all days. As fans, we can only hope this has lit a fire under them that will actually lead to something.
And that should mean reaching out to Chipper Jones as well. In an interview with Carroll Rogers, the veteran spokesman gave some seriously straight talk, as usual, and let it be known that the Braves had promised to talk extension with him but have not lived up to that promise yet.
“We’ve got over a month until spring training. Yeah, [an extension] could certainly happen. I’ve just been chalking it up to the Braves have bigger fish to fry. But it seems like somebody keeps coming along and eating all our fish.”
That sums it up pretty well for me.
I’ve got my vacation time requested for Spring Training, hotel reservations made and was planning to buy game tickets when they go on sale Saturday. I hope Wren pulls out a miracle soon so I can get excited again.
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