smoltz to close?

by chipper4mvp10 on Apr 30, 2008 3:32 PM EDT

per si.com's truth and rumors section(on thier homepage) smoltz said he be willing to return to the closer's role upon his return from the dl. good or bad news?

75 words is dumb.

filler filler filler filler fille rfiller filler filler filler fillerfiller filler filler filler filler fillerfillerfillerfiller

fille rfillerfille rfillerfille rfillerfillerfillerfill erfillerfille rfillerfillerfillerfiller fillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfille rfillerfiller fillerfiller

fillerfillerfi ller fillerfiller fillerfillerfill erfillerfillerf illerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfil lerfillerfiller

fillerfillerfill e rfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfille rfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfiller

fillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfil lerfillerfillerfillerfil lerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfiller

fillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfillerfiller

0 recs | Comment 22 comments

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

it all depends...

on how you look at it. I personally would rather have him starting, but if it’s the pen or nothing, I would obviously choose having him in the bullpen. I was actually wondering a couple of weeks ago, when i winced every time he threw the ball after the 2nd or 3rd inning, if he might not end up closing again. He was definitely dominant there before, and I’m sure he would be again. The problem would be getting to the 9th with a lead.

by sddbaker on Apr 30, 2008 4:43 PM EDT 0 recs

according to

the Braves website Smoltz said that the only way he will be able to pitch again is out of the bullpen.

by jack_d on Apr 30, 2008 7:11 PM EDT 0 recs

well then, good thing we’re paying soriano 7 million over the next 2 years!

by bigjoe on Apr 30, 2008 7:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

Time for a trade?

If Smoltz closes again, with Soriano’s reasonable salary…part of a deal for a starter at the deadline?

by VegasAces on Apr 30, 2008 8:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

Fine with me

I have never understood the “love” for Soriano. I can see packaging him and Francoeur to get a couple of good “young” pitching prospects to help Jurrjens. The Jurrjens deal reminds me of the Smoltz deal; I think he will be the anchor for our starters for the future, but we will need to give up something to get him some help since the farm system doesn’t seem to be able to produce quality starters (or pitchers in general)! There are two teams in our division that may be interested - Nats and Fish - and both have a number of good young starting pitchers, but since they are in our division, Wren may look elsewhere.

by BBFAN46 on May 1, 2008 7:59 AM EDT up 0 recs

What starters of theirs have peaked your interest? I’m not particularly high on anyone I’ve seen at the major league level…certainly not high enough to give up say Soriano/Francoeur.

Not up to date on their minor league tossers though…time to check out BP…

by Smoltz's Beard on May 1, 2008 10:00 AM EDT up 0 recs

Several Marlins and a few Nats

Probably just wishful thinking, but… Marlins: Badenhop, Hendrickson, Kensing, Miller, even with arm surgery I still like Nolasco better than most anything we have. Not saying I would expect a one-for-one deal, but they are certainly overloaded with younger arms than we have - not sure about their farm. I’m also not convinced Fredi would be very obliging and their payroll can’t handle Francoeur or Soriano very long. Nats: O’Connor and Brownlie (although control questions) from the farm; not as much at the top; although I like Lannan and Hill - lots of potential where we don’t have much. Probably better opportunity to move Francoeur here for more return with Stan Kasten as the buyer, although they don’t really need a closer. Ultimately, Wren will probably go outside the division anyway.

by BBFAN46 on May 1, 2008 12:31 PM EDT up 0 recs

tell me again...

why two rebuilding franchises would deal their young starters for a year and a half or a year of an inconsistent closer who’s been injured a lot the last season?

When you’re rebuilding, you load up on young arms. When you’re ready to win, you go get guys you know will be good. These would be bad deals for everyone involved. For this to happen, the Braves would have to get, you know, at least a good prospect.

by zwillis on May 1, 2008 8:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

Logically..

you’re obviously correct, but when the Fish can’t put 3,500 butts in the seat for a game, they will always be a continuously rebuilding franchise (until they get smart and move). I’m not sure where their young pitchers are in terms of ML service, but once they’re due for a pay raise, they will be gone to someone. I don’t see the Braves logically being able to deal with the Fish. The Nats are another story, but I’m not sure they really have an “answer” to the Braves need to eat some innings. Their young pitchers are also very erratic in terms of dependency on eating innings. Where else would you look?

by BBFAN46 on May 2, 2008 11:54 AM EDT up 0 recs

Anthony Reyes

Reyes is basically black-balled in StL and would likely blossom with a change of scenery. Lillibridge could be the centerpiece of a deal for him or possibly Soriano since Isringhausen is a FA after this year and there best back-up plan for a closer is a prospect with serious command issues (Chris Perez).
The advantage of Reyes is that it shouldn’t require highway robbery to trade for him. Getting Blanton from the A’s (for example) certainly would require highway robbery.

by Recon on May 1, 2008 12:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

Asking price

On Rumblings today, Stark said that the Cards are asking for a ton for Reyes, like a high-ceiling starter prospect who’s close and then some. So he’s “available,” but he’s expensive and he’s not good.

by zwillis on May 1, 2008 8:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

Seems like the only way...

The bullpen would look pretty formidable with Smoltz, Soriano and Mike Gonzalez out there wouldn’t it?

Unfortunately at this moment none of the three are capable of pitching at all.

The season has worn my patience and will thin already and it’s only April. I’m not getting to see hardly any games thanks jackass TBS and I live in Pennsylvania.

by Prelude rL on Apr 30, 2008 9:10 PM EDT 0 recs

think it you got bad

I live in Nebraska. I have seen 2 Braves games on TV. The first one and the one of TBS, and my internet won’t support watching them on the internet, I get stuck watching them on Gameday.

by jack_d on Apr 30, 2008 9:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

I feel ya...

I saw the TBS game, the opening night game and the games they played the Pirates since I get FSN Pittsburgh.

The way things are going I’m not sure I wanna see more though.

by Prelude rL on Apr 30, 2008 11:47 PM EDT 0 recs

true

I was excited when they played the Dodgers on Fox but instead I got to watch Dontrelle Willis have a no hitter with seven walks I hate local programming for all sports but college football.

by jack_d on May 1, 2008 12:01 AM EDT 0 recs

watching the braves

I’m excited for interleague ball b/c the braves are coming to Texas this year in June so I’ll get to go to some games. I was planning on just going to whichever game Smoltz started, but now I guess I’m torn between Hudson or Jurrjens. I’m leaning towards Jurrjens since he’s “the new guy” to see what his stuff looks like live.

Bustins

by hippybustins on May 1, 2008 10:27 AM EDT 0 recs

Who wouldn’t love the idea of Smoltz closing, if it weren’t for the fact he’s coming out of the rotation. If we can get a decent inning-eating SP, this will be great. Big if…

by WienerDog on May 1, 2008 12:06 PM EDT 0 recs

Well...

...I was going to bring up the point that someone else has on here, that Bennett has been decent in his brief spot starts this year:

April 3 vs. PIT – 4 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
April 18 vs. LAD – 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
April 23 vs. FLA – 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR

I guess decent is the right word to use. FLA has an above average offense, while the Pirates are pretty shitty and the Dodgers were most likely slumping when he pitched. We would definately need him to pitch more than 4 innings per outing, but I’m assuming that the reason he went less than 5 twice was because he had probably been used during the week from the ‘pen. Still, he comes away with an ERA of 3.17 (not the best measure) and a 1.13 WHIP in those three outings, while giving up a homerun once in every 7.1 innings.

The sample size is horrifically small, so none of this probably matters anyways.

by Smoltz's Beard on May 1, 2008 1:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hey, if the only way to get the remaining innings out of his arm is out of the bullpen, let’s do it. I’m skeptical that that’s the case, but if Smoltz can remain healthy while closing, that’s one spot we don’t have to worry about. The only question is what comes after Glavine, Hudson, and Jurrjens in the rotation; we can’t win the division with five inning starts from James, Reyes, and Carlyle. That was tried last year and failed.

by 17843 on May 1, 2008 2:16 PM EDT 0 recs

Well that’s why Wren tried to build up some depth. Imagine what it’d look like if he hadn’t acquired Jurrjens (whom I love) and Glavine.

There could be problems next year though. Here’s what I’d like to see: a Braves pitching prospect succeed in the majors. I’m tired of getting excited about Horacio Ramirez and Kyle Davies and Chuck James and watching them crash and burn. Who was the last one who turned out OK? Millwood? Does Jason Marquis count? I’m still hopeful about JoJo, but he’s not getting it done on stuff.

In other news, our pitching coach was never a starter and this is his first big-league coaching job, and Leo Mazzone is doing TV.

by zwillis on May 1, 2008 8:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

This is the best news ever

this is great. you have Smoltz as the closer Soriano as the set up and Acosta as the 6 or 7 inning guy. now our starters only have to go 5 innings. hampton sucks. i hate him dump him. but for glavine jurrjens and hudons this is great news. smotlz is a HOF he will end with 3000 K 200+ wins and like 250 saves he is a class act

by chipper10gobraves on May 2, 2008 2:24 AM EDT 0 recs

you’re forgetting about MIKE GONZALEZ coming back in about 3 weeks to be the 7th inning guy. and remember, those starters can’t go just 5 every night…the pen will get toasted quick.

by bigjoe on May 2, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up 0 recs