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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Smoltz willing to take on bullpen role when healed

Must blow Stu Miller off the mound in career saves! (tied at 154...if yer counting)

John Smoltz, who dominated the National League as a closer for 3½ years, is willing to return to the Atlanta Braves’ bullpen when he comes off the disabled list, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

Smoltz, who was placed on the 15-day DL on Tuesday with inflammation in his right rotator cuff and biceps tendon, said “Yes” when asked about becoming the Braves’ closer again, the newspaper reported.

“Right now I’m sitting at ground zero, taking it day by day, looking at every option to help this team get to the playoffs and end my career the way I’d like to end it,” he said, according to the report.

Repoz Posted: April 30, 2008 at 12:50 PM | 24 comment(s)
Related News: General, Atlanta

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1. Keith Law Posted: April 30, 2008 at 01:26 PM (#2764234)

Right now I’m sitting at ground zero

Then you're dead, John. I'm pretty sure you're at square one.

2. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: April 30, 2008 at 01:44 PM (#2764260)

Was "ground zero" a term before 9/11? I wasn't aware of it before then.

3. Russlan is an overhyped Met BTFer Posted: April 30, 2008 at 01:46 PM (#2764268)

Stop me if you've heard this one before:

Mike Hampton had a setback in his rehab start and won't be returning to the rotation on May 10th as expected.

The Braves need Smoltz as a starter.

4. Sam M. Posted: April 30, 2008 at 01:51 PM (#2764277)

Mike Hampton had a setback in his rehab start

Wouldn't it be more correct to say:

Mike Hampton made a rehab start in the midst of his ongoing setback???

Are Mike Hampton and Carl Pavano the same person? Or does Mike Hampton make Carl Pavano look like Cal Ripken?

5. "Catching Dianetics" by Dr. L. Ron Karkovice Posted: April 30, 2008 at 01:57 PM (#2764290)

Pol Pot took Cambodia back to "year zero". I hope good ole' Smoltzy doesn't have similar delusions.

6. Mike Hampton's #1 Fan Posted: April 30, 2008 at 01:57 PM (#2764292)

Then you're dead, John. I'm pretty sure you're at square one.

At least he didn't say he was hoping to get untracked.

Was "ground zero" a term before 9/11? I wasn't aware of it before then.

I believe it dates back to WW2.

Mike Hampton had a setback in his rehab start and won't be returning to the rotation on May 10th as expected.

Whom the gods destroy, they first make Mike Hampton fans.

7. Edmundo, survivor of 7 right-sourcings Posted: April 30, 2008 at 02:05 PM (#2764305)

This wikipedia entry matches my understanding, for whatever that is worth:
The origins of the term "Ground Zero" began with the Manhattan Project and the bombing of Japan. The Oxford English Dictionary, citing the use of the term in a 1946 New York Times report on the destroyed city of Hiroshima, defines “ground zero” as “that part of the ground situated immediately under an exploding bomb, especially an atomic one.”

The term was military slang — used at the Trinity site where the weapon tower for the first nuclear weapon was at point 'zero' — and moved into general use very shortly after the end of World War II.

8. Obo Posted: April 30, 2008 at 02:17 PM (#2764332)

The first time I heard it used to describe the WTC site my reaction was "that's not what 'ground zero' means". I found it odd when it caught on and it still sounds wrong to me. No big deal though.

9. Colin Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:18 PM (#2764516)

The Braves do need Smoltz as a starter more than as a reliever. And Smoltz very much prefers being a starter to a reliever. So if he's even entertaining the possibility of relieving, that tells me that he feels very uncertain about his prospects of continuing as a starter.

This quote makes it sound to me like he's thinking of retiring after this season:

"Right now I'm sitting at ground zero, taking it day by day, looking at every option to help this team get to the playoffs and end my career the way I'd like to end it"

Maddux has also mentioned the prospect of retiring after this season. It'd be interesting if Glavine were to do same.

10. Harold Reynolds: An Erotic Life (AG#1F) Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:38 PM (#2764532)

Maddux has also mentioned the prospect of retiring after this season. It'd be interesting if Glavine were to do same.

That would be really cool if they all went into the Hall together.

11. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:43 PM (#2764539)

"That would be really cool if they all went into the Hall together."

While the fourth Marx brother, Ave-o, sheds a solitary tear.

12. flournoy Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:43 PM (#2764540)

On one hand, that'd be pretty cool. On the other, they are so often known as MadduxGlavineandSmoltz - it'd be nice to finally recognize them individually in their Hall of Fame inductions. I think the best scenario would be for them to retire one at a time for three consecutive years, and be inducted to the HoF one at a time.

13. bfan Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:47 PM (#2764544)

14. Justin Zeth Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:47 PM (#2764546)

Last night I was looking around to find the player in baseball history that had the longest career spent entirely with one team. The answer I came up with is Carl Yazstremski, 23 seasons with the Red Sox. Anybody know whether this is right? Smoltz would have to play three more years to get there, so... ain't happening.

15. Chuck Oliveros Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:50 PM (#2764552)

I just read Dave O'Brien's Braves Blog on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's site and, from the things said there, it just might be that Smoltz's arm is toast, though he's such a fierce competitor that he doesn't want to admit it. This thing about going to the bullpen sounds like clutching at straws. Too bad. I enjoyed watching him pitch.

16. bfan Posted: April 30, 2008 at 04:56 PM (#2764555)

If Smoltz is done, I wish they would trot him out one more time for a save, at a home game; I would hate his last appearance to be a loss to the Mets, at Shea.

17. BeanoCook Posted: April 30, 2008 at 07:18 PM (#2764627)

The answer I came up with is Carl Yazstremski, 23 seasons with the Red Sox. Anybody know whether this is right?

I believe this is correct. I also know that Yount, Gantner and Molitor are the threesome that played together longer than any other threesome. 1978-1992, 15 seasons.

18. There's a chill wind blowing in Misirlou's soul Posted: April 30, 2008 at 07:33 PM (#2764635)

The answer I came up with is Carl Yazstremski, 23 seasons with the Red Sox. Anybody know whether this is right?

And Brooks. Yaz wins the total games tiebreaker.

19. Baseballing powerhouse Crispix Attacks Posted: April 30, 2008 at 07:41 PM (#2764639)

Mike Hampton's ability to hurt himself is almost frightening. He reminds me of the Samuel L. jackson character in "Unbreakable". I feel for him and he gets an "A" for effort, but would someone please test him for some brittle bone/muscle/tendon/ligament disease?

That sounds almost plausible at this point, but if it were really true his career would have been over before it really began, like Rocco Baldelli.

20. Colin Posted: April 30, 2008 at 08:16 PM (#2764664)

Now there's a story up at MLB.com with Smoltz saying he will return as a reliever at first, and maybe for good.

I'm with Chuck, he sounds like he really should be done, but I bet he'll be back.

21. MM1f Posted: April 30, 2008 at 08:23 PM (#2764669)

oh...
my..
Goodness!

Today was horrible.
This team is killing me

PS-
Nick Johnson.
Your butt ugly 'stache makes you look like a Mexican Ron Jeremy

22. PreservedFish Posted: April 30, 2008 at 08:26 PM (#2764673)

Wait a second, why are people talking about Smoltz like he's toast? The guy has 36 Ks in 27 innings this year, a 2.00 ERA. 10 days ago he looked as brilliant as he ever did at the apex of his career, fastball just as fast, slider just as unhittable. He could take the entire year off just to rest his dead arm and I'll still pencil him in for 15 wins in 2009.

I know the comments in the above story have a weird resigned-to-face-the-inevitable feeling about them, but aren't we talking about a dead arm that just came out of nowhere and a pitcher that has been almost perfectly healthy for the last 6-7 years?

23. Srul Itza Posted: April 30, 2008 at 08:39 PM (#2764690)

Nobody is saying that Smoltz is not amazingly talented, but he has a history of injuries, and the fact that he skated by the last few years does not detract from that. And he is 40.

For the great ones, the end often comes, not because they don't have the talent to pitch any more, but because their body won't take the stress any more.

24. MM1f Posted: April 30, 2008 at 08:59 PM (#2764700)

"I know the comments in the above story have a weird resigned-to-face-the-inevitable feeling about them, but aren't we talking about a dead arm that just came out of nowhere and a pitcher that has been almost perfectly healthy for the last 6-7 years?"

I tried to post this 20-30 min ago but Primer died or something...

The last question is completely wrong. Smoltz's arm has not been "almost perfectly healthy" since... Geez. I dunno. The 90s?

His arm has been a ticking bomb for quite some time and much of his dominance has come despite pain in his arm

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Smoltz willing to take on bullpen role when healed

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