What to do with Smoltz?

[MBz]

So after today, Smoltz is now 1-4 with an ERA of 7.04.  I was a big supporter of the signing hoping he could get healthy and help as the #5 starter, clearly this has not happened.  Buchholz is !00% the better option now, but with that being said, is it even possible to get rid of Smoltz at this point?  The best option would probably be putting him to the bullpen, but the bullpen is so good now, it would be tough removing anyone from the pen.  Though I do think Saito may be available as many teams are looking for closers and he may be a guy people go after next week.

[Bankshot]

If you can't trade him, you just have to sit him on the bench.  I don't want to get rid of any bullpen arms to make room for Smoltz.

[yall hate]

you keep giving him the ball every 5th day.

they didnt sign him to win games in July.  they signed him for the end of the season/playoffs.

and who do you want to put in the rotation when you take him out?  Wake (injured), Dice (injured), a AAA starter (Bowden, etc...? - Smoltz gives us more come the playoffs)

[connerhenry43]

there are so many red flags with smoltz

never pitched in the al
old
coming off major surgery
long layoff

i just think the al and the nl are two different worlds. randy johnson did not light the world on fire in NY and he was closer to his prime than smoltz (though both guys were certainly past their prime). rj had AL experience, but was probably simply slightly above average in NY.

i am not sure there is a better option, but right now. i have no faith in smoltz.

[yall hate]

there are so many red flags with smoltz

never pitched in the al
old
coming off major surgery
long layoff

i just think the al and the nl are two different worlds. randy johnson did not light the world on fire in NY and he was closer to his prime than smoltz (though both guys were certainly past their prime). rj had AL experience, but was probably simply slightly above average in NY.

i am not sure there is a better option, but right now. i have no faith in smoltz.

I have a problem with this.

The AL/NL thing is real, but when you are good you are good and you find a way to make a difference.  Curt Schilling had never pitched in the AL when he came to the Sox as a 37 year old (I am discounting his age 21-23 seasons, where he was in the AL, but made 44 appearances, only 5 of which were starts).  he was old, he was coming from the 'bad league' and he dominated.

now, yes Smoltz is older, but by all accounts he is somewhat of a marvel/freak. 

the surgery and the long layoff are why he needs time.  the world series isnt won in July.  if he pitches like this in September, then yea, theres a problem. 

[Redz]

He's looking mighty hittable.  What will improve with more starts?  His arm strength seems as OK as it's going to be. 

[Bankshot]

there are so many red flags with smoltz

never pitched in the al
old
coming off major surgery
long layoff

i just think the al and the nl are two different worlds. randy johnson did not light the world on fire in NY and he was closer to his prime than smoltz (though both guys were certainly past their prime). rj had AL experience, but was probably simply slightly above average in NY.

i am not sure there is a better option, but right now. i have no faith in smoltz.

I have a problem with this.

The AL/NL thing is real, but when you are good you are good and you find a way to make a difference.  Curt Schilling had never pitched in the AL when he came to the Sox as a 37 year old (I am discounting his age 21-23 seasons, where he was in the AL, but made 44 appearances, only 5 of which were starts).  he was old, he was coming from the 'bad league' and he dominated.

now, yes Smoltz is older, but by all accounts he is somewhat of a marvel/freak. 

the surgery and the long layoff are why he needs time.  the world series isnt won in July.  if he pitches like this in September, then yea, theres a problem. 

Huge difference between 37 and 42.  Smoltz is done.

[yall hate]

He's looking mighty hittable.  What will improve with more starts?  His arm strength seems as OK as it's going to be. 

thats the thing.  he's rusty.  his location is atrocious.  the velocity is there, the break is there, but he cant put it where he wants.

we see with guys who throw 100 (Daniel Bard...) if you cant spot the ball, it will get crushed.

[yall hate]

there are so many red flags with smoltz

never pitched in the al
old
coming off major surgery
long layoff

i just think the al and the nl are two different worlds. randy johnson did not light the world on fire in NY and he was closer to his prime than smoltz (though both guys were certainly past their prime). rj had AL experience, but was probably simply slightly above average in NY.

i am not sure there is a better option, but right now. i have no faith in smoltz.

I have a problem with this.

The AL/NL thing is real, but when you are good you are good and you find a way to make a difference.  Curt Schilling had never pitched in the AL when he came to the Sox as a 37 year old (I am discounting his age 21-23 seasons, where he was in the AL, but made 44 appearances, only 5 of which were starts).  he was old, he was coming from the 'bad league' and he dominated.

now, yes Smoltz is older, but by all accounts he is somewhat of a marvel/freak. 

the surgery and the long layoff are why he needs time.  the world series isnt won in July.  if he pitches like this in September, then yea, theres a problem. 

Huge difference between 37 and 42.  Smoltz is done.

Athletes can and have performed at ages that seem unnatural (clemens - with some help, Jaime Moyer - with precision control, julio franco, david wells, kenny rogers, randy johnson - 45...etc... going older, phil niekro, nolan ryan, )

And as everyone seems to say, Smoltz is some sort of freak about that stuff.

and his failure isnt in not having the stuff anymore, it is that he is rusty and hasnt been able to locate pitches.  Will he be the player he was when he was 30?  no.  does he have the chance to be one of the better 4,5 pitchers in baseball? yes.

[Bankshot]

there are so many red flags with smoltz

never pitched in the al
old
coming off major surgery
long layoff

i just think the al and the nl are two different worlds. randy johnson did not light the world on fire in NY and he was closer to his prime than smoltz (though both guys were certainly past their prime). rj had AL experience, but was probably simply slightly above average in NY.

i am not sure there is a better option, but right now. i have no faith in smoltz.

I have a problem with this.

The AL/NL thing is real, but when you are good you are good and you find a way to make a difference.  Curt Schilling had never pitched in the AL when he came to the Sox as a 37 year old (I am discounting his age 21-23 seasons, where he was in the AL, but made 44 appearances, only 5 of which were starts).  he was old, he was coming from the 'bad league' and he dominated.

now, yes Smoltz is older, but by all accounts he is somewhat of a marvel/freak. 

the surgery and the long layoff are why he needs time.  the world series isnt won in July.  if he pitches like this in September, then yea, theres a problem. 

Huge difference between 37 and 42.  Smoltz is done.

Athletes can and have performed at ages that seem unnatural (clemens - with some help, Jaime Moyer - with precision control, julio franco, david wells, kenny rogers, randy johnson - 45...etc... going older, phil niekro, nolan ryan, )

And as everyone seems to say, Smoltz is some sort of freak about that stuff.

and his failure isnt in not having the stuff anymore, it is that he is rusty and hasnt been able to locate pitches.  Will he be the player he was when he was 30?  no.  does he have the chance to be one of the better 4,5 pitchers in baseball? yes.

Doesn't mean Smoltz is one of those people.  Maybe Atlanta knew what they were doing when they let him go.

[yall hate]

Doesn't mean Smoltz is one of those people.  Maybe Atlanta knew what they were doing when they let him go.

or maybe he is and is just rusty right now?

ATL offered him a lot of money, although theres was about half ( I think) of what Boston offered.  As they said, per start it would have worked out to be the same, but Boston was able to pay the extra 2-2.5 million while he was rehabbing that ATL wouldn't.

and again, every article or discussion about him talks about how he rebounds faster then people, is a natural athlete, is healthier, stronger, yada yada.  I think it is more likely that he is rusty (since location is off) then he doesnt have the pitches (since Velocity is same as it has been in past years)

[Moranis]

As a lifelong Braves fan, I can tell you for a fact that since John and Bobby got in control in Atlanta they almost never make a mistake when they let pitchers go.  In fact the only guy I can really think of that was a mistake to let go was Jason Schmidt.  The Braves let Smoltz walk for a reason and the reason quite simply is they knew he was done.  I mean why else would the Braves let a 20+ year staple of their franchise leave.  They knew it.  Smoltz just has nothing left.  I'm sure he will get a good start every once in awhile, but he just doesn't have it any more.

[Aaron]

You can skip to 1:30

"http://www.youtube.com/v/wOMz4D-C8tU&hl=en&fs=1&"

[MBz]

This is my issue, the first time batters see him, he does fairly well, but he needs to use his breaking stuff to get them out.  Second time around, the batters tee off on him, they know the fastball doesn't have the zip it used to and he can't rely on it as much and they're sitting on his breaking stuff.  The control is there, his walks are at a very low number right now.  With that being said, I think he could be effective in the bullpen for those reasons.  First off, he throws strikes, which is something you want out of the pen.  Second, he's getting guys out the first time he sees them.  If he was in the pen, guys wouldn't have to see him more then once. 

[Brickowski]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Smoltz yiddish for "stinks?"