Sports Columnists

By Max Sizemore

January 18, 2006 10:08 PM | Link to this

Mostly, Jeff, you’re on target here. Schuerholz has never spent money on relief pitching, so this whole scenario is nothing new. But a couple of points: one, statistics currently make no distinction between an actual blown save (the kind of thing we would see in the ninth inning, for example) and a “blown hold.” Some of those “blown save” numbers mentioned above were actually blown holds. So the numbers are exaggerated. Two, Chris Hammond in 2002 was never used as a closer. You don’t actually say this, but since he was mentioned in the same graph with Smoltz and other closers the implication is there.

By SouthernJackAssRadioPersonalityGoneHaywireRR

January 18, 2006 10:59 PM | Link to this

No! Jeff Schultz…you’re not sounding like Yogi Berra…

By Andy

January 18, 2006 11:27 PM | Link to this

Don’t forget about the psychological advantage to knowing that the game is over in the 8th. To have Wagner, Lidge, Rivera, Gagne or Hoffman “lurking” in the pen all night is a huge psychological plus.

This is why having a proven closer is a priority on many teams. Plus, fans will quickly get tired of another season of blown saves.

By JMar

January 18, 2006 11:45 PM | Link to this

And another half says that closer is the most overrated spot on a baseball team. Just ask Goose Gossage.

By Penn

January 18, 2006 11:57 PM | Link to this

There will be a closer from the current 40 man roster. There always is.

By Jeff

January 19, 2006 02:13 AM | Link to this

The Braves already have one of the best closers in the game. Unfortunately Smoltz doesnt want the job.

By geechee

January 19, 2006 06:17 AM | Link to this

“Schuerholz has never spent money on relief pitching, so this whole scenario is nothing new.”

It’s not that he has never spent money on closers. He has not spent it lately cause he ain’t got it. Ted is gone and he has a budget. The guy does what he can. He’s not going to worry about it, at least outwardly. He never has. He expects to find someone and either he will or won’t but he knows worrying about it won’t make it happen; it will only cloud the situiation with negativity.

By Gene

January 19, 2006 08:13 AM | Link to this

I think that Schuerholz is limited as to what he can spend. That is why the Braves continue to come up short on talent in October.

By Robert (Justice is the best)

January 19, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this

I hate to say this but maybe it must be said. I find it hard to believe that in 14 years that not one of the relievers that have been on this team have not been able to sustain any sort of success for a long period of time. Well, I mean other than Smoltz. Many relievers have come and gone during that time but there has been one constant. That constant was Leo Mazzone. Mazzone’s genius can’t be denied but maybe the rumblings we have heard about him being indifferent with younger pitchers and the bullpen have some merit. I’m still waiting for someone to explain Jason Schmidt to me. He stinks here (while he is a youngster) and goes to Pittsburgh where he has great success (while still young). Doesn’t add up does it? Just maybe Roger McDowell is what this bullpen needs. Maybe.

By Marc

January 19, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this

The problem with the closer position is that it’s much more important in the playoffs than in the regular season. As the Braves have proven, it’s possible to do quite well with a less-than-stellar closer during the season, but it’s impossible to survive the playoffs without one. So that raises the question of, when you have limited resources, how much to devote to the closer. Paying Smoltz $10 mm to close was too much because it prevented them from addressing other areas that were more important. And, Smoltz didn’t help much in the playoffs because they weren’t able to get to him. So, I think JS has a real quandary about how hard to pursue a topflight closer, given his limited resources and the fact that there are other holes on the team.

By LeTwan Anthony

January 19, 2006 09:31 AM | Link to this

Robert, you are probably right. Maybe changing pitching coaches will help some. The bullpen has been less than stellar under Leo and now we have a former reliever coming in to work with the kids. That may be just what they need. LeTwan has said before that the young players might relate better to a younger staff. Bobby is the old sage but he is surrounded by old guys like Dews and Corrales. That’s not fatherly advice they’re passing … more like grandfatherly.

Did you notice that Schultz didn’t mention Boyer? Bobby liked going to him last season, and it worked a lot until the injury. Don’t count him out after Reitsma struggles. These starters don’t go deep, so we need lots of bullpen help. Relying on Foster scares LeTwan. Surely one of these guys can be a decent set-up (we hope). Somebody’s gotta step up to close or it’s going to be a different kind of season in Atlanta.

By Tank

January 19, 2006 09:39 AM | Link to this

Some people have a very selective memory. Saying that Schmidt was a “great success with the Pirates” is just plain wrong. He was with them from late ‘96 until late ‘01. In that time, he had a 44-47 record with a 4.21 ERA. He actually didn’t become good until he was with the Giants and much older and mature. Any Braves’ fan is lying to himself if he thinks that this town would’ve been able to put up with Schmidt for the 5 years he struggled as a pitcher after leaving Atlanta.

By Alan

January 19, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this

Also regarding Schmidt, don’t forget that he (along with another prospect whose name escapes me) was traded for Denny Neagle, who was a very good pitcher for the Braves in ‘96. Schuerholz has been trading so-called prospects (Melvin Nieves, David Nied and Bubba Nelson, to name just three “N-names”) for top-flight, proven talent his entire career. Jason Schmidt is one of a very few who’ve turned into legitimate big-leaguers. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again now: Schuerholz will pull off another coup before Opening Day.

By Dan

January 19, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this

Off topic but why ins’t Giles getting a look for the world baseball classic. He has better offensive stats than all but about 3-4 of the infielders on the list and only one of those is a second baseman

By Alan

January 19, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this

Obviously, I’m just as anal-retentive as everyone else on this blog. David Nied was not traded — he was the very first draft pick of the Colorado Rockies in ‘93. And now I remember the name of the “other guy” traded to the Pirates with Jason Schmidt — the one and only Ron Wright. Whatever became of him?

By Lew Hartman

January 19, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this

All through the offseason, I have argued with all of the naysayers about Ryan Langerhans and now it seems like the Braves are actually going to go with him. Now is the time to argue for Blaine Boyer. His shoulder is supposedly in good shape. Before the shoulder strain, he was absolutely lights out. Villarreal also has supposedly regained his arm strength and speed. For years the Braves have won using the biggest conglomeration of no names (except Smoltz, of course) and yet they keep winning. The Braves, as usual, are pitching rich. McBride is going to be good and so is Boyer. We need to realize that Boyer, McBride and Devine are coming from minor league and college programs which don’t play as long a season as the majors. I’m sure that their offseason training regimens have been adjusted to build up strength for a longer season. Every year the skeptics claim the Braves can’t do it again and they are wrong. Every year the Mets spend millions of $ on more players and they are wrong. We will be fine.

By Play the game

January 19, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this

Alan, there is no way JS will pull off another coup before opening day. Other clubs know they have a advantage over the Braves…money, selling the team ,etc. It puts JS behind the 8 ball. Same reason free agents whiffs at the braves. A new owner with some money would be nice. JS will try thats for sure.

By Mike of Alpharetta

January 19, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this

We have 6 starting pitchers for 5 slots. If we have a solid performance out of those pitchers, and IF a closer is more important during the play-offs than during the regular season, who is to say we couldn’t use Smoltz as a closer during the play-offs? With 24 blown saves during a 90 win season, the Braves could have easily had another 15 victories.

That said, Reitsma has the stuff to be a successful closer. He needs to be a little tougher and pitch with more of an edge. Maybe McCann and McDowell will actually help the transition of Reitsma from set-up man to the closer.

By Marty

January 19, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this

The closer position is very overrated, and to say it is so much more important in the postseason is belied by the fact that the Braves exited in the first round every year that they had Smoltz as a closer. In the playoffs, you need good pitching — period. It doesn’t matter whether you have starters who go nine, or whether your starter leaves after the 5th and you have 4 one-inning guys follow him. To make it to the playoffs in the first place, though, you need starting pitching, defense, and and timely hitting. If the Braves didn’t prove that last year — see Schultz’s great stats about how bad our bullpen was — I don’t know what will.

A great closer can bring a great sense of a security to a team and its fans, but it’s far from the most important part of a team. First you have to get a lead and keep it.

By Voice of Reason

January 19, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this

First, JS has made some of his best trades, and most surprising (Lofton?) during Spring Training. Don’t be surprised if he does it again. That being said, there are arms on the current roster that could, could, be very effective. Let me be very specific. Rietsma was the Rolaids Reliever of the Month in July. Go back and think about Reitsma’s pitch choices. He has a decent, not great fastball. He has a very good curve that sets up everything else. When he throws the curve early in the count, he is a tough pitcher; but, when he a) forgets it, or b) abandons it for other reasons, he gets hit. I’ll lobby that as long as he isn’t overused or injured, and receives the proper coaching and pitch direction, he will more resemble the Reitsma of July than of September. Secondly, Villarreal was an exciting prospect with “electric” stuff who flamed out due to overuse in his rookie and 2nd seasons, requiring 2 arm surgeries. The scout that originally signed him is on record as saying that his arm is back to full strength. Most importantly, however, let’s not forget the other youngsters we currently have - Boyer, Devine, McBride (the lefty.) Nobody heard of Lidge 3 years ago when was just another youngster in Houston’s ‘pen. Suddenly, he is the consumate closer. It’s time for one or more of these kids to step up. Leo was allowed to go because JS was ready for him to go. The only people who are crying over his exit are us, the fans. None, (I challenge anyone to find me one,) none of the pitchers are hanging their heads over Leo’s exit or Roger’s entrance. Let’s re-examine the ‘pen in July - JS’s most important acquisition of the offseason may well be Roger McDowell.

By georgia

January 19, 2006 12:23 PM | Link to this

Do you think Quisenberry is interested in a comeback? Does he still have any hair to set on fire? What about it JS?

By Voice of Reason

January 19, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this

By the way, all of you can continue to cry over the exit of Leo all you want, but I won’t. It was time. If retaining Leo was as important as many of you seem to believe, it would have happened, period. Conversely, I believe his timely exit was necessary to the development of the young arms we now have. With all due respect, Leo’s strength isn’t nurturing youngsters, it is coaching established pitchers. God bless him in his exit, but don’t assign the Braves’ fortunes to his absence.

By Jman

January 19, 2006 02:11 PM | Link to this

Hey georgia,

Quisenberry’s dead. He died in 1998. I hope you didnt know that, because if you did what you said was completely out of line.

By Jman

January 19, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this

Blaine Boyer will be the closer. He will probably have between 25-30 saves as the Braves wont find out until June that he is lights out in the 9th. Until June though the Braves will go with closer by comittee. Reitsma will have about 8-10 saves, and Villarreal will save between 4-6, and Devine will save 2-3. And Mcbride will have 1 or 2. That’s the way it shakes out.

By SouthernJackAssRadioPersonalityGoneHaywireRR

January 19, 2006 02:44 PM | Link to this

Thanks for a view into the future NOSTRADUMBASS!…

By Voice of Reason

January 19, 2006 02:52 PM | Link to this

jman, I believe you’re prediction is probably right on the mark. I stated earlier that one or more of the kids must step up, and I think Boyer is the key. Was it any small detail that the Braves fell all over themselves about Boyer after his late season injury? They recognize his immediate importance to their success in 2006. Look for Boyer setting up Reitsma early, and Rietsma setting up Boyer afterward. I think all of the youngsters you mentioned will make the ‘pen, with the possible exception of Devine, who may benefit from a couple of months at AAA. I’d look for the acquisition of at least one veteran to stabilize the ‘pen and mentor the kids.

By Voice of Reason

January 19, 2006 02:57 PM | Link to this

By the way, the real wild card could be Villarreal, whose stuff is supposed to be really nasty. If he’s healthy, he could make a case for himself…

By willie

January 19, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this

Voice of reason, Are you sure your real names not MARK BOWMAN? IF not you got to be on the Braves payroll.

By geechee

January 19, 2006 03:31 PM | Link to this

“Quisenberry’s dead. He died in 1998. I hope you didnt know that, because if you did what you said was completely out of line.”

So what if he’s dead. Being dead, the Braves should be able to get him on the cheap and dead or alive he could still out pitch Kolb.

By Voice of Reason

January 19, 2006 03:49 PM | Link to this

I am an optimist, yes, but with reason. I have attempted to somewhat monitor the guys playing in winter, and I’ve tried to look back at 2005 with more objectivity than emotion. You’ll see more animosity on these vents toward Reitsma than anyone else now that Kolb is gone, but the simple facts are clear: he was overused, he was injured. Early in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Reitsma enjoyed success out of the ‘pen. He was, in fact, the only reliable arm which led to Bobby overusing him. Therein is one of the few criticisms you’ll get from me on BC, but he has mismanaged Chris Reitsma. And, to his credit, Reitsma did not blame his late season ineffectiveness last year on leg injuries, but the injuries were present. Without healthy legs, a pitcher loses his power and leverage. You can’t shoot a cannon from a canoe, can you? I do look at Boyer, Reitsma, Devine, McBride and Villarreal with optimism. The other pitchers the Braves picked up (Baker, Cormier, Bennett, Obermueller, Rodriguez, etc..) not so much. But with the 5 named earlier, plus, hopefully a veteran presence, why not be optimistic?

By willie

January 19, 2006 04:00 PM | Link to this

Voice Of Reason= Ok brother but BC over used SMOLTZ also because he didn’t want to use the bull pen. Thats why SMOLTZ was shot in the playoffs. I pray you are right.

By Angle#1

January 19, 2006 04:12 PM | Link to this

geechee,You are a bad boy,go to your room and stay there. I will pray for U. No food tonight, Bad Boy.

By Gary

January 19, 2006 04:26 PM | Link to this

This just in…Braves picked to win the Division and lose in the first round of the playoffs.

By Voice of Reason

January 19, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this

Smoltz was overworked, but that was mostly by his own choice. BC deferred to his veteran often in that regard as most managers will. Smoltzie’s on record as saying that he chose to stay late into games, having had several saves blown in his starts, in which he should have come out earlier. He is also on record as saying that he has learned from his mistake. I pray he’s right.

By Rob

January 19, 2006 05:47 PM | Link to this

I feel the people who are holding the braves back from winning the world series is ownership (time warner). John Schuerholz has an 80 million dollar budget. If ownership were to give him a little more flexibity 10-15 million dollars to spend I feel he could of re-signed rafael furcal before the dodgers and cubs offered him those lucrative deals and I feel they could have have resigned kyle farnsworth or maybe even make a push at trevor hoffman or todd jones. I understand that they did not have the financial flexibility to sign a billy wagner or a B.J. Ryan but just 10-15 million dollars could have soved these problems. The reason why I am upset with ownership is because 10-15 more million dollars is peanuts to a company like time warner. I give a lot of credit to John Schuerholz for bringing in Edgar Rentaria I feel that was a great move. As far as the closers role I feel he is still doing the rite thing. I feel he did the right thing by not giving in to the devil rays for Danny Baez andthe blue jays for Miguel Batista. The braves have some live arms in there system that could close games for this team. I feel Joey Devine has the most talent then any body in there bullpen but lets face it he only has 2 months of major league baseball under his belt same for blaine boyer. Oscar Villareal was hurt last year and Chris Reitsma has problems staying healthy for a full season. I am confident one of these guys could fill the closers role but it there is a very good chance and it wouldnt suprise if these guys were to fail as closers. Time warner please sell this team because you are holding the braves back from winning a world series.

By geechee

January 19, 2006 06:26 PM | Link to this

Once and for all people, the Braves are cursed. You have to first accept the curse as Red Sox fans did before the curse can be broken.

The Bravos were a three-legged stool. They had the brains (Cox), the heart(pitching) and the soul (Justice). It was Justice that won the damn penant and he was then traded by a normally level thinking group of managers because of a knee-jerk reaction to a true statement he made.

For all the genius moves that JS has made, trading David Justice will haunt him and Braves fans for years to come.

By Greg

January 19, 2006 06:51 PM | Link to this

There’s only one palatable option left that I can see: see if Kevin Brown wants to close. It’s not his preference, obviously, but no one is going to be beating down his door to start. He can still reach the mid 90s with his heat and still has the nasty slider and splitter.

Sign him to an incentive based contract, give him a locker next to Smoltz and cross your fingers.

By Captain Wacky

January 19, 2006 07:15 PM | Link to this

I think the main problem is that we still need another middle of the order hitter. Most of the time when we’re getting bounced from the playoffs is because we didn’t hit enough. I’d love to see them try to get Sammy Sosa in an incentive deal and have him compete with Langerhans. I also think that Davies should be the fifth starter and that we were right in not making a pointless trade that would have given up Davies, Lerew, James, or Devine. Schuerholz doesn’t really like to spend on closers and the bullpen because of a bad experience before (Mark Davis, Mark Wohlers, John Rocker)and because bullpens can me done cheap. In the long run, I think Devine will be the answer, he’s one of the new breed of potential closers developed in his system, like Lidge, Huston Street, Chad Cordero, Bobby Jenks and that he’ll work out fine. Once the bullpen is given its defined roles for the season, we’ll be okay. Whether we will be in the playoffs is another matter of course.

By tony

January 20, 2006 12:31 AM | Link to this

I believe that relief pitching is very important. However you can not only blame the bullpen for the shortcomings of this team. I think some of the problem is the hitting it doesn’t seem that many runs are scored in late innings to bail out the bullpen. If you look at when the Red Sox won the World Series there bullpen was horrific, but they had the firepower to overcome this sporadic late inning pitching. JS should look to adding another hitter to this line up instead of a closer.