Sports Columnists

By Ray

July 20, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

Just a ridiculous notion for this year. A year down the road….maybe. But now way it’s happening this year.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 12:05 PM | Link to this

Right on, Mr. Bradley!

How many blown saves have Braves fans had to endure since Selfish Smoltz made his me-first, screw-the-team switch back to starter? And how many wins has Jump-the-Bullpen John had in that time? About a third as many saves as he would have had.

I can’t help but notice, Mr. Bradley, that your Braves columns improve dramatically when you’re objective about the team instead of slavishly kissing their butts. The more clueless Braves’ fans won’t appreciate it, but I want to let you know that those of us who are grounded in reality welcome you to our world. Ironically, a dose of mediocrity has raised you from the ranks of the mediocre. Congratulations.

By Mike

July 20, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this

NO WAY! Can’t be our best starter and closer. Management needed to step up this winter and did not. We all knew that we didn’t have a closer to begin with. Its the owners and GM’s job to fill the position, blame them. Don’t blame our best starter for being outspoken and wanting to win now.

By Steve

July 20, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this

Get a grip Mr. Bradley. Exactly how many postseason wins did our starters earn during the Smoltz as closer era? He’s the best postseason starting pitcher ever and that’s why he should be a starter. They are not going to miss the playoffs because Smoltz isn’t the closer. The bullpen has blown nine saves for Smoltz alone this year. But if he had been in the bullpen it sjust would have meant a longer stay for our boy Sosa as a starter. Hmm, Sosa starting and Smoltz never pitching from the bullpen or Smoltz giving us a quality start every fifth day and maybe us getting Bob Wickman and Paul Byrd from the Indians. You can have Sosa and Shields start every game, I’m giving the ball to Smoltz.

By TrainWreckBystander

July 20, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this

Amen, brother.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this

Wanting to win now? Last I checked, the Braves are 45-50 with 20+ blown saves.

Smoltz says he gets frustrated sitting in the bullpen every October watching the Braves pitchers underachieve. Apparently he thinks it will be less frustrating to sit on his couch at home in October watching eight other teams, because that’s where he’s going to be thanks to his me-first attitude.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 12:21 PM | Link to this

And the best postseason starting pitcher of all time is Bob Gibson. No question.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 12:28 PM | Link to this

“The bullpen has blown nine saves alone for Smoltz this year.”

Even though that’s an exaggeration, it illustrates more clearly than anything how useless it is for Smoltz to start.

By Brent

July 20, 2006 12:35 PM | Link to this

When Smoltz was closer, the Braves couldn’t get to him in the post-season, as a starter, he got us our only win, but the rest of the starters were fair to poor, and we couldn’t score any runs.

Smoltz is great as a closer; but we have a team that doesn’t know how to generate runs in the post-season, thus nullifying 10% of our payroll instantly.

I have no problem with Smoltz as closer, but other adjustments need to be made as well.

By The Man

July 20, 2006 12:48 PM | Link to this

1. Then where do you get a #1 starter since Hudson sure isn’t it.

2. Will you ever bring back the picture of you with the moustache and curly afro?

By Casey

July 20, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

I think it’s ironic that most of the blown saves have come on Smoltz’s starts. Very ironic… and funny!

By craig miller

July 20, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this

In the playoffs, I want my best pitcher on the mound for as many innings as possible. As a starter, Smoltz could pitch as many as 20 innings in a 7 game series. As a closer, 4 innings. Having a dominant closer does create a psychological advantage, but it doesn’t matter who’s pitching the 9th if you have a substandard starter who gave up 6 runs in the 3rd inning.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 01:32 PM | Link to this

Playoff games and who’s pitching them are immaterial until you MAKE the playoffs. The Braves probably aren’t making the playoffs this year with this bullpen. And last year, how much of an advantage did the Braves enjoy trotting Big, Bad John out as a starter? It was yet another Division Series exit, if I recall.

By Brent

July 20, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this

Anybody else hearing Wickman for (Max) Ramirez?

By BP

July 20, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this

Mark - say you run a newspaper. You have a great employee. They are the best at what they do. They are critical to your success.

He/she can work full time. Let’s call it 200 innings. Or 1/3 time, say 70 innings. No matter how much they work, you pay them the same high salary.

You’d really send that person home at 10:30 every morning?

We’ve got guys like Jason Shiell picking up the slack in the rotation. And you want to move the best starter out? Crazy!

By J. Elmo Fogg

July 20, 2006 01:46 PM | Link to this

Smoltz is the starter. He is not returning to the bullpen.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 01:52 PM | Link to this

You’d send your best employee home at 10:30 if it meant you’d sell more papers, just like Smoltz as the closer wins more games.

If Smoltz weren’t running the team, he’d have been the closer all along. Then the Braves could have spent their time and efforts shoring up the starting rotation instead of trading for rag-arms like Bob Wickman in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding Smoltz caused in the bullpen.

Let’s say the Braves actually get to Game 7 of the World Series. Let’s say they’re nursing a one-run lead going to the 9th inning. Who are you going to want taking the mound, BP? John Smoltz or Bob Wickman?

Good luck with your choice. With mine, the Braves are popping the champagne corks in about 10 minutes.

By Steve

July 20, 2006 01:54 PM | Link to this

With your choice the Braves aren’t lasting 7 games. They get swept in four and Smoltz never gets the ball. Nice call, moron.

By Spider29

July 20, 2006 01:55 PM | Link to this

Sounds like a great idea but where are we going to find another starter who gives us a legitmate chance to win every time he starts? If we had another stud starter your argument might hold. Hudson has so far proven that he isn’t a number one guy. Ramirez hasn’t proven he can stay healthy for a season, Thomson is a serviceable pitcher who is injury prone, James is an unproven rookie and we don’t know how Davies will rebound after returning from his injury. It says something about Smoltz’s ability as a starter that he has pitched deep enough into games, left with a lead and had the closer blow it for him 6 or 7 times. As good as he was as a closer, I think we need him more right now in the starting role. Smoltz himself said that pitching on a regular schedule was easier on his arm than relieving. I have to think that he know himself better than we do. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t think he is being selfish. He has always seemed like a team player. Maybe he will reconsider for next year, maybe not. My opinion is that he serves this team,this year better as a starter.

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this

stupid article, but joe sheenen is reporting braves got wickman, anyone else heard?

By azcats

July 20, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this

Yea. Since the Cardinals bullpen sucks maybe they should move Chris Carpenter to a closer role. Get real.

By azcats

July 20, 2006 01:58 PM | Link to this

Yea. Since the Cardinals bullpen sucks maybe they should move Chris Carpenter to a closer role. Get real.

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 01:58 PM | Link to this

stupid article, but joe sheenen is reporting braves got wickman, anyone else heard?

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 01:58 PM | Link to this

My choice saves Game 4 of last year’s division series, Steve. Remember? The one Farnsworth blew? Myabe the Braves win Game 5 then. Maybe they go on and improve on their UTTERLY PATHETIC postseason record of one championship in 14 tries.

You know, I think deep in your heart of hearts, Steve, you enjoy being a loser.

By azcats

July 20, 2006 01:59 PM | Link to this

Yea. Since the Cardinals bullpen sucks maybe they should move Chris Carpenter to a closer role. Get real.

By Dave

July 20, 2006 01:59 PM | Link to this

Mark:

Right On!!

Had Smoltz bitten the bullet and gone to Bobby Cox in early May for closer duty, the Braves would still be in the NL East chase and not just chasing a wild card slot.

I can think of at least EIGHT games that the Braves’ bullpen let get away that Smoltz would have saved. Those eight games would have put them about 4 games behind the Mets on this date.

Will it happen?? Probably not, because while JohnSmoltz had three great seasons as a reliever, two of these seasons he also had significant arm problems. Being a closer is probably asking a bit much from a man who just turned 39 and who has had a BUNCH of wear-and-tear on his right arm.

Just my humble opinion!

By azcats

July 20, 2006 02:01 PM | Link to this

Yea. Since the Cardinals bullpen sucks maybe they should move Chris Carpenter to a closer role. Get real.

By azcats

July 20, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this

Yea. Since the Cardinals bullpen sucks maybe they should move Chris Carpenter to a closer role. Get real.

By Harold

July 20, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this

Does “Chopthis” not have anything better to do?

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 02:07 PM | Link to this

its official baby! The Braves finally obtained a closer Thursday, acquiring right-hander Bob Wickman from the Indians for Class A catcher Max Ramirez, FOXSports.com has learned.

its definately an upgrade from what we have already and we didnt give up too much to get him.

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this

its official baby! The Braves finally obtained a closer Thursday, acquiring right-hander Bob Wickman from the Indians for Class A catcher Max Ramirez, FOXSports.com has learned.

its definately an upgrade from what we have already and we didnt give up too much to get him.

By Harold

July 20, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this

Does “Chopthis” not have anything better to do?

By KC

July 20, 2006 02:11 PM | Link to this

NOW HERE THIS:

With Smoltz as a starter, we went to the World Series 5 times and won it once.

With Smoltz as a our closer, we’ve only made it out of the 1st round once, and haven’t been back to the WS.

Smoltz is the most prolific post-season starter of all time. (A statistical fact.)

Is the Braves’ goal (for this year and for the next couple of years to come) to get to the post-season, or win a world series?

If the goal is simply to get to the post-season then, yes fine, put Smoltz back in the ‘pen’. But if our goal is to actually win when we get there, Smoltzy’s place is at the top of our rotation.

Isn’t everybody tired of getting to the post-season only to lose in the first round?

The answer is obvious. The Braves made the right decision. Find your closer some place else. If you want to win a World Series, there’s no one better you could have at the top of your rotation.

By r u kidding

July 20, 2006 02:14 PM | Link to this

That is the dumbest thing I have heard. That’s like telling Chris Carpenter to go close. Who would be our number one starter? …Hudson? Ha! You knucklehead

By Steve

July 20, 2006 02:15 PM | Link to this

Lets count how many playoff series we won with Smoltz as a starter versus how many we won with Smoltz as a closer … WIth Smoltz as a starter, the Braves went 11-8 in playoff series. WIth Smoltz as a closer, we went 2-6 in playoff series. Smoltz as a starter is 13-4 in the playoffs Smoltz as a closer saved exactly 4 games in 4 years. Again, great use of our best pitcher. Chop this, in your heart of hearts, you must be a mets fan.

By Carroll

July 20, 2006 02:18 PM | Link to this

KC: Good point my man. in fact, the ONE time the Braves made it out of the first round with Smoltzie closing was 2001, and I think that was his first year closing after coming back from surgery….so he wasn’t even like the official closer at that time….he was just more or less in the bullpen. Am I remembering that correctly?

By KC

July 20, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

Carroll: Well, by that time he had become the official closer. But yeah, 2001 was the only year we got out of the first round.

And the kicker is that Maddux and Glavine both pitched extremely well against Arizona that year, but Schilling and Johnson (similar pitchers to Smoltz in both style and results) were simply too much to handle.

Everyone here does know that we just aqcuired Wickman from the Indians right?

By bdhypes

July 20, 2006 02:31 PM | Link to this

Try this senerio,trade for an old favorite,Greg Maddux,plug him in the starting rotation then have Smoltzie resume his role as the closer.Experiment for a couple of series and if it doesn’t work put John back in the rotation.Just please don’t trade Wilson Bettiment in any deal. BD Hypes-

By KC

July 20, 2006 02:33 PM | Link to this

bdhypes: We’ve got a closer now in Wickman. He’s not a dominant closer, but has been a reliable one.

As to the Maddux thing… I would love to see Maddog back in a Braves uni, but he’s no longer anywhere close to being in the same league as Smoltz. Smoltzy’s needed right where he is.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

My choice saves Game 4 of last year’s division series, Steve. Remember? The one Farnsworth blew? Myabe the Braves win Game 5 then. Maybe they go on and improve on their UTTERLY PATHETIC postseason record of one championship in 14 tries.

You know, I think deep in your heart of hearts, Steve, you enjoy being a loser.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

My choice saves Game 4 of last year’s division series, Steve. Remember? The one Farnsworth blew? Myabe the Braves win Game 5 then. Maybe they go on and improve on their UTTERLY PATHETIC postseason record of one championship in 14 tries.

You know, I think deep in your heart of hearts, Steve, you enjoy being a loser.

By chopthis

July 20, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

My choice saves Game 4 of last year’s division series, Steve. Remember? The one Farnsworth blew? Myabe the Braves win Game 5 then. Maybe they go on and improve on their UTTERLY PATHETIC postseason record of one championship in 14 tries.

You know, I think deep in your heart of hearts, Steve, you enjoy being a loser.

By Wes

July 20, 2006 02:40 PM | Link to this

I think I would try to trade a class A catcher for Bob Wickman instead…

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this

KC, JUST YOU AND ME KNOW

By Phillip

July 20, 2006 02:44 PM | Link to this

In case you haven’t yet heard, we just acquired a solid and reliable closer in Bob Wickman. AND we get to keep our best starter right where he belongs…in the starting rotation. Who did we give up to make this trade? Some minor league catcher stuck in A ball. This is precisely why Schuerholz is the best GM in the history of MLB. Mark Bradley, if you were running this team, we’d stink! Kinda like your articles.

By Mark Bradley

July 20, 2006 02:44 PM | Link to this

Obviously this Quick Hit was written and posted before the Braves traded for Bob Wickman. A few fast updated thoughts: Wickman is a better closer than the Braves have had since Smoltz, but he’s still not as good a closer as Smoltz was (and presumably would still be). And Wickman’s on a one-year contract, which means the notion of Smoltz-as-closer next season — which was, kind of, my original point — still isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

By Steve

July 20, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

Lets count how many playoff series we won with Smoltz as a starter versus how many we won with Smoltz as a closer … WIth Smoltz as a starter, the Braves went 11-8 in playoff series. WIth Smoltz as a closer, we went 2-6 in playoff series. Smoltz as a starter is 13-4 in the playoffs Smoltz as a closer saved exactly 4 games in 4 years. Again, great use of our best pitcher. Chop this, in your heart of hearts, you must be a mets fan.

By Phillip

July 20, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

In case you haven’t yet heard, we just acquired a solid and reliable closer in Bob Wickman. AND we get to keep our best starter right where he belongs…in the starting rotation. Who did we give up to make this trade? Some minor league catcher stuck in A ball. This is precisely why Schuerholz is the best GM in the history of MLB. Mark Bradley, if you were running this team, we’d stink! Kinda like your articles.

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 02:51 PM | Link to this

Mr Bradley its out of the realm of possibility to see smoltz as a closer next season.He already said he isnt prepared to close games anymore. the braves organization just needs to cough up tha cash for a dependable closer.

By Matt Yoder

July 20, 2006 02:53 PM | Link to this

What a GREAT move!!!! Only the likes Mr.John Schuerholz can get a closer like Bob Wickman and give up some catcher from the system that I never heard of !!! Whats his name again???

By Lew

July 20, 2006 03:04 PM | Link to this

I guess he’s a better GM than you think he is.

By KC

July 20, 2006 03:16 PM | Link to this

LEW: Nice post! Golden!

By Tommy Hawk

July 20, 2006 04:27 PM | Link to this

This is a moot point now that the Braves have Wickman but I’ll mention it.

Smoltz didn’t want to go back to being a starter because he was selfish, it was out of frustration. He was frustrated sitting on the pine in the bullpen watchingthe team lose in the playoffs because they couldn’t hand him a save opportunity in the 9th. He figured at least if he started he could get a chance to help the team win.

I think he is right.

Looking at his history with the Braves, he has been a very unselfish player. I’ll bet the Braves would have to give up a lot more than a single-A catcher to get a starter of his ability also. With him in the pen we wouild need one.

Just my 2 cents.

Great job again John Shurholtz.

By alaninutah

July 20, 2006 05:21 PM | Link to this

chopthis Your post is just stupid. Smoltz is anything but selfish. I agree with Steve, you must be a mets fan. I think the trade for Wickman is a great one. Even if he’s a bust, we haven’t lost much. Schuerholz pulled a better trade than I had hoped for. Now if only I could get Bobby to call me before he makes out his line up card and when a pitcher is in trouble, I’m sure we could win the division and the WS.

By Matt

July 20, 2006 05:24 PM | Link to this

I’m sure John Smoltz appreciates your opinion, CHOPTHIS, just like you’d appreciate his opinion on how you do your job when pumping gas.

By mike

July 20, 2006 05:26 PM | Link to this

The Braves have a loyal fan base and draw 3 million year after year. They have as lucretive of a TV contract as anyone this side of the Yankees. They have a new stadium built and paid for by the Olympic Committee. The Braves and their fans deserve a rotation of Maddux, Glavine, Hudson, and Hampton. Middle relievers should be Ramirez, Davies, Thompson, James and Boyer. Smoltz could close for that group. Bob Wickman shouldn’t even be able to make the team. Thank the ownership for being too cheap to keep players the fans deserve and more importantly paid for with their support of the team.

By nathan

July 20, 2006 06:04 PM | Link to this

By Steve

Lets count how many playoff series we won with Smoltz as a starter versus how many we won with Smoltz as a closer … WIth Smoltz as a starter, the Braves went 11-8 in playoff series. WIth Smoltz as a closer, we went 2-6 in playoff series. Smoltz as a starter is 13-4 in the playoffs Smoltz as a closer saved exactly 4 games in 4 years. Again, great use of our best pitcher. Chop this, in your heart of hearts, you must be a mets fan.

STEVE and everybody else trying to say that all of those series were won purely on the shoulders of Smoltz, rethink your thoughts.

1991:Avery was just as (if not more dominating than Smoltz-other than the game 7 classic) THEY got past the Pirates on the ARM OF AVERY.

1992: It doesn’t matter how good Smoltz or anybody pitched in the NLCS. The Braves don’t win JACK S. if Jose (Chico) Lind doesn’t completely CHOKE that ground ball in the 9th.

1993: Didn’t seam to help that year did it?

1994: We’ll just skip that one! LOL

1995: As I recall in the WS Maddux and Glavine were the only ones who pitched well in the WS.

1996: My guess is Smoltz wouldn’t have hung the slider to Jim Lyritz. But he did pitch pretty darn good that post season as a starter. As should he have since he won the CY YOUNG.

I’ll stop right there you get the point. What I’m getting at is those series where he got a lot of his wins, were also prolonged series because the Braves had other good starters MANY OF THEM! It’s not like the rotation sucked and Smoltz did all the work.

Don’t ge me wrong. I agree with the statement that Smoltz is one of the, if not the greatest STARTING pitcher in post season history. But I’m not going to say BEST PITCHER overall. That title goes to Mariano Rivera. Plain and simple people, even when the Yankees had Wettland, it was Rivera that was the difference maker. He pitched the 7th and 8th inning of most post season games. The yankees only needed six good innings from their starters. Right now (even with Wickman) we’re gonna need 8 innings on most nights. NO CONSISTANCY IN THIS BULLPEN TO RELY ON.

With Smoltz as CLOSER, Ray as the 8th inning guy (obviously better suited for that roll) and anybody else to step up and fill the 7th inning, we could be in that six inning starter mode.

I get that Smoltz wants to start for health reasons. And in the past we didn’t have the offense to compete in October. But I truly believe with the capabilities of this line up, we don’t need ACES to make some noise in the Post Season. Heck with a good bullpen that was able to pitch 3 reliable innings, Hudson would even do.

I’ll shut up now. Smoltz is in the rotation for the remainder of his time in Atlanta. You heard it here 1st. There is NO WAY he ever goes back to being a closer. I guess he has earned that right. But unfortuneately it will also earn him the right to be in charge of the remote control in his living room during the playoffs! LOL

By RobertH

July 20, 2006 06:09 PM | Link to this

I have run out of patience for listening to idiots, who think they know baseball, who can’t seem to understand that if you don’t have decent starters to get you in a position to win, you could have the best closer in the history of the game and he still wouldn’t be worth much more than a used bag of baseballs. In Hudson’s 7 wins, only 2 needed a save, and it goes without saying that having the best closer in baseball wouldn’t have done any good sitting on the bench all those times that Hudson, Thomson, and Sosa were getting shelled.

If you want to get upset about one thing Schuerholz has done regarding this pitching staff, it is signing Hudson to a long term contract that will be worth 13 million a year in 2008 and 2009. Some experts thought Hudson was already losing it the last part of his last year in Oakland. I have no problem with taking a chance and trading for him. But 13 mil a year three years from now? Sheer foolishness. Schuerholz got hosed on that deal. I don’t know why the buffoons on TV talk about trading Smoltz. Hudson is the one who needs to go…and the sooner, the better.

By nathan

July 20, 2006 06:18 PM | Link to this

I’m gonna add this question, because it’s somthing I even commented on.

I stated in the above post that Smoltz has “earned the right” to decide if he starts or not. Not sure what I was thinking. Yeah, he’s a veteran, possibly even a future HOF player. But last time I checked he doesn’t sign the checks, or get to make decisions on who hits in what spot in the order, and even though recently he made a “public” cry to JS to make a trade, he’s not the GM. What I’m getting at is, HE’s NOT THE BOSS. HE SHOULDN’T GET TO TELL BOBBY AND JS WHERE HE PITCHES.

I’m not a Falcons fan. But I’ll use them as an example. Let’s say Michael Vick (arguably the best Falcons player - similar to Smoltz) came into Mora’s office and said: “Hey Jim, I’ve been thinking about it, and due to my health and longevity issues, and the fact that I’m the fastest guy on the team. I’ve decided I’m gonna be a Wide Receiver this year. Yeah, I know, I’m technically the best QB on the team, but that’s where I think I’m best suited.”

Jim Mora would b*tch slap him all the way down the hall & say “grab a ball and start throwing QB”

Why is it OK for Smoltz to decide where he best suits the team. Isn’t JS the GM, isn’t he the one taking all the heat (from me included) for not finding a closer this last off season? He already had a closer, one of the top ten of all time closers in pure domination!!!!

I’ll put it this way, and maybe this applies in the regular season more than the post season due to 3 man rotations. But you have 5 starters, they each start aroun 30-35 games a year, give or take a few. So if you replace Smoltz in the rotation with lesser pitcher, you put your team at risk of losing at the most - 35 more games. But if you have a crappy closer, there is a possiblity of them pitching in 50-80 games. And at that rate, this bullpen will cost us (at the current success rate) about 35-40 games!!

So as far as I’m concerned it’s a wash.

GROW SOME B*LLS, JS. Your the BOSS! You tell Smoltz where this team needs him the most and if he don’t like it. Then YES he is selfish.

By GTGD

July 20, 2006 06:38 PM | Link to this

you guys are all morons. smoltz will be a starter as long as he wants. he’s been in the league 18 years, he can decide what he wants for the most part. the Vick comparison is stupid, football is different. we just signed WICKMAN, dummies, read previous posts. and calling smoltz selfish is nuts. he has done more for this franchise than any player aside from Hank Aaron.

By nathan

July 20, 2006 07:08 PM | Link to this

OK GTGD…..lets put it in baseball terms.

Giles has stated he HATES batting in the leadoff spot. Yet he continues to do it, everyday that bobby puts his name in there.

In my personal opinion and due to the fact that I LOVE Smoltz, (He is far and away THE face of this incredible run), I think he does deserve to choose where he wants to pitch (bullpen or rotation) but ultimately if JS and Bobby said “we really need you out there, he shouldn’t have a choice. I honestly don’t think he is selfish, and face it, if he blows out his arm pitching everyday, that doesn’t do us any good either. Believe me, I get it!

Wickman is a better option than what we’ve got. But he’s no sure thing either. I suppose nobody is. But Smoltz the Closer was close. Due to the fact that there isn’t any team willing to part with a dominant closer at this time. What if the Braves were able to have a supposed ACE available to them in a trade possibility, say Roger Clemens (yeah I know, far fetched but it’s just an example), then would you wish Smoltz was in the pen?

Face it, at this point of this season it would be way more of a reality of JS aquiring a solid starting pitcher than a BIG TIME closer.

So save the name calling for another day. I’m not personally attacking anybody. All you do by calling other people morons, is make youself look like one.

By supergrass

July 20, 2006 07:11 PM | Link to this

matt taking it effing hard to chopthis

By nathan

July 20, 2006 07:14 PM | Link to this

I meant to add this to the last post also.

How about this off season, if the Braves were to try to aquire another top of the rotation starter through Free Agency. With this bullpen, what starter in there right mind would want to sign on and have this pen blow leads night after night?

If Smoltz was the closer, starters will come. Plus having a great closer would do wonder for the development of Davies, James and any other starter in the system with limited experience. They would realize that they don’t have to be perfect and go 8 or 9 innings every night to get a win. Why do you think teams on the rise with young pitching staffs go out and spend money on closers. THEY ARE A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR GENIUS GM THOUGHT THEY WERE!

By RobertH

July 20, 2006 07:33 PM | Link to this

Nathan, pray tell, how do starters just magically come just if Smoltz is the closer? You mean guys like Russ Ortiz? Shane Reynolds?

By the way, as far as Smoltz having the right to decide to start…so what? Last time I checked, we were still living in America and we aren’t forced into working at a job we don’t want. If you don’t like your job, you’re free to go find another one. Why shouldn’t the same be true for Smoltz? If his job description changes such that he doesn’t want the job anymore, why shouldn’t he be free to go find another one?

By nathan

July 20, 2006 07:54 PM | Link to this

I’m not saying that starters will definitely come if Smoltz or anybody else reliable is the closer. We still might not have the money to do so. Plus we will have Hampton back next year. Not sure if that is good or bad! LOL

But I’m POSITIVE that NOBODY will come here as a Free Agent if the closer sucks. Not to make another “stupid” football comment, but it’s no different than a Free Agent QB choosing not to go to a team if they have no receivers or the opposite, a Free Agent receiver staying away from a team with no established QB.

Yeah, most players are about the money, and usually go to the highest bidder, but they still go to the highest bidder with the best chance to succeed.

But I was just making a point, free agents are the least of my concern. Look at the big picture of this long run. All 15 years of it. In those fifteen years we have had a reliable closer in place (April to October) for 4 of those seasons. It was Smoltz for three of them and Wohlers for the other. I don’t count the seasons that sombody “stepped up” and took the job midway through the season. Nor do I count when JS had to trade for one in the middle of the season. (Pena, Reardon, Farnsworth, I can’t think of the guys name we got from Cleveland with Steve Reed). Rocker took the job half way through the year, and then proceeded to open his mouth in the off season and never was the same. Stanton worked for a half a season, then McMichael took over. Wohlers took over half way through 95. You get my point. So I think it’s safe to say that JS has had better “luck” (not to mention a solid core to the rotation when he took over the GM’s job already in place) finding guys for the rotation via trades or reclamation projects to fill holes in the rotation (Wright, Burkett, Martinez, Hampton, Thomson and yes, even Ortiz).

So too me, if I were JS, I’d be BEGGING Smoltz to go back to the pen. If not NOW, at the very least next season.

Yes it’s true, we live in America and Smoltz can “choose” what he would like to do. But last time I checked he signed a contract to “pitch” for the Atlanta Braves. So the Atlanta Braves should at least have a say as to what his role is.

It’s pointless to argue. I don’t get a say, just an opinion as a fan. But the way I see it if Smoltz wants to be a starter on a team that doesn’t sniff the playoffs, rather than be a closer that doesn’t get into any games in the playoffs. That is his choice.

In an earlier post, I was detailing (lightly) some of the post season scenarios that we won with Smoltz in the rotation. How about from 1997 - 2001 (or whenever smoltz was full time closer), how come we didn’t win the WS in any of those games? I’m not saying it’s Smoltz’s fault, he obviously has the number to say it’s not.

I just wish he never would’ve left the Closer’s role. He is aweson as a starter, but for as good as he has been and still is, he was that much better as a closer. When he was warming up, the game was essentially over and the other teams new it. Now it’s like a fox in the hen house. You can see the other teams licking their chops when our “closers” have been warming up.

It’s all good though, dude. Just trying to spark some conversation on an off day.

By Andy

July 20, 2006 08:12 PM | Link to this

Mark actually commented on his blog—yesterday the braves don’t have a #1 starter—today (next year) Hudson being the #1 starter then the braves should have Smotlz in the pen—-tomorrow jorge sosa should play left…..amazing thoughts.

By Nelson

July 21, 2006 02:57 AM | Link to this

As for finding a real closer at this late date with the limited resources he has to trade: If Schuerholz can do that, he’s a better GM than I think he is, and I think he’s the best.

I don’t get it. You say this, but then you criticize JS for waiting three months to make a deal. These articles have cost you a lot of credibility.

By embarrassed_to_be_a_braves_fan

July 21, 2006 09:31 AM | Link to this

you people that think smoltz should be a closer sounds as smart as you people who are disappointed with 14 consecutive division titles and 1 world series. i would much rather have smoltz pitching 13-15 innings of a division series than 3-5 innings. ummmmmm….how much of a fking idiot to you have to be to want smoltz to be a closer. all the years he was a closer, he sat and rotted in the pen in the postseason getting 1 or 2 innings in a division series loss. so many atlanta fans are embarrassing….with 4 million people in atlanta, this franchise deserves the same support that yankees’ fans give to their franchise. you people are fking pathetic…go follow the fking devil rays a*******holes.

By manny

July 21, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this

chopthis, in your scenario, there might not have been a Game 4 for Smoltz to save.

By Josh

July 21, 2006 11:06 AM | Link to this

Do you think there would be all of this “Selfish Smoltz” talk if he were contending for the Cy Young this year? We forget so quickly that Smoltz carried this team down the stretch last summer when Thompson, Hudson, and Hampton were all out and the offense couldn’t score any runs. Smoltz is the best starting pitcher we have and one of the best in franchise history alongside Spahn, Niekro, Glavine and Maddux. Smoltz is best suited as a starting pitcher and that’s how he should leave the game.

By Gota love em

July 21, 2006 01:13 PM | Link to this

Listen up. It does not matter here people. The fact is that we have a closer now. The pitchers will now settle down and not try to be so perfect. And if by some chance we are in the lead in the end of the WS game and the score is 1-0 and Smoltz if free and Wickman is tired, you will see Smoltz close. Its not that he cant and its not that he wont…….Its just not HIS job at the mement…….Leave John Smoltz to do what he does best. PITCH…….

By Gota love em

July 21, 2006 01:14 PM | Link to this

Listen up. It does not matter here people. The fact is that we have a closer now. The pitchers will now settle down and not try to be so perfect. And if by some chance we are in the lead in the end of the WS game and the score is 1-0 and Smoltz if free and Wickman is tired, you will see Smoltz close. Its not that he cant and its not that he wont…….Its just not HIS job at the mement…….Leave John Smoltz to do what he does best. PITCH…….

By tommy

July 21, 2006 03:16 PM | Link to this

What difference does it make about who starts and who closes? Smoltz doesn’t put zeroes up every time out. You have to remember that all pitchers pitch better when they have the lead early. The offense is responsible for our pitching this year. We aren’t setting the table correctly and we aren’t picking each other up on a regular basis, until the winning streak. You could have a rotation with Smoltz, Santana, Halladay, Hudson, etc. and still be in the same predicament. If the offense doesn’t allow the pitcher to relax by giving him an early lead, the pitcher becomes mental and feels every pitch has to be perfect, where mistakes start to happen…we all know the domino effect that takes place from there…pitching does win games but a good offense makes better pitching because pitchers can be more aggresive with their pitches

By ajcisjackasses

July 21, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this

what a bunch of d******* i have never read so much bull s**t in my life if yall think it is that easy running a team then why dont yall have the job as GM or even manager ill tell you why because none of you know anything about running a baseball team hahahahahahahahaha jackasses

By tommy

July 21, 2006 04:10 PM | Link to this

The toughest part of being manager is managing egos, homey…your screen name suits you…you’re that super die hard fan from Major League II…egos make and break teams, in any sport…