John Smoltz and the High Price of Hubris
Here's a link to a good piece about the Smoltz departure. This is pretty much the way I feel... though it's taken me some time to get there. It might not have been so easy to criticize if Smoltz had not made a big stink about his last contract renewal, or the way he acted towards the end of the 2006 season when the Braves had not yet picked up his 2007 option.
about 3 years ago
gondeee
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Good read
Pretty much how I feel as well, gondeee. I don’t hold it against Smoltz quite as much as the writer, but it takes two to tango, and Boston (insert sexual reference here).
I’ve seen a few references to Smoltz having a bit of a pride issue, and I think that’s almost to be expected given his competitiveness.
I wish McGuirk would stfu though, and I’m slowly wishing Chipper would’ve kept his thoughts to himself as well.
by Rafael Belliard's SLG % on Jan 9, 2009 1:47 PM EST reply actions
Can we get an applause button?
I like Smoltz. It’s hard not to like him if you’re a Braves fan. But all of the poor mouthing of Wren and the Braves front office is ridiculous. Now maybe some story will come out and I"ll end up eating crow, but as for now, I have to side with the Braves.
Smoltz has taken discounts in the past, so why not take another one now? Does he think coming off shoulder surgery at age 41, he should be paid more appropriately than when he was a perennial Cy Young candidate? Or is he worried that the current credit crunch will harm his $140 million portfolio?
Either he wanted to play for a winner or Wren nailed his wife. Either way, he should fess up and give us the real reason he left.
would you
take less money to stay at your job with little chance of winning this year or more money to play for a team with a realistic chance of winning the series? this was about money and getting another shot at a ring
I think if I’d have made $130 million by now, then I’d be happy taking $3 mil in Atlanta where I’m comfortable, where my kids are, and get the chance to end my career having played for one team — something as rare as 200 wins and 150 saves.
is it wrong for me to still be torn?
After rooting so hard for Smoltz for so many years, it makes me nauseous to criticize him, but I think I agree with the writer as well. Just hope he admits it’s about the ring sooner rather than later.
For all those (Chipper incl) who feel it was unthinkable for the Braves to let a matter of $3-5 million come b/t Smoltz & the Braves, remember that it goes both ways. Smoltz let go of us as fans for a few more guaranteed $’s and a decidedly better shot at the WCS in ’09. If I truly believed it was about money then I would scream about the $14 million John got last season for 28 innings of work, or the $8.5 million he got while on the DL for all of 2000.
The Braves hadn’t let Smotlzy get to free agency since 2001. They haven’t made it back to the NLCS since then…whose to say he wouldn’t have left sooner?
In being torn on this is wrong...
I don’t wanna be right
/ cringe
by Rafael Belliard's SLG % on Jan 9, 2009 2:44 PM EST up reply actions
though it’s taken me some time to get there
I guess that wasn’t you out there on the ledge with me, oh, a day and a half ago…
This would be a good place for my trusty “you’ve been served” jpg…
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 9, 2009 5:33 PM EST up reply actions
Sure Smoltz has an ego. I doubt you can be a great player without taking a fierce pride in your play, and if you want to call that ego, so be it. Has the time come for the Braves to look to the future and not rely on players well past their prime? Certainly, and I was making that point last season. (Counting on Smoltz, Glavine and Hampton to be 60 percent of the starting rotation was foolish.) But if that’s the direction that Braves management had decided to go, then make a clean break with Smoltz at season’s end, and the hard feelings are at a minimum, and the fans understand what the franchise is doing. By deciding that they’d like Smoltz back if he’d play for an offer they should know he’d find insulting was the worst possible way to send him away, pissing off a franchise icon, engendering bad feelings among the fan base and forever ending the franchise’s reputation as being classy and a place guys want to play.
Finally some good news??? Kawakami!
Don’t want to jump the gun given that we were burned before, but are Japanese sources more trustworthy?
/ crosses fingers!
This is the 2nd Japanese source to report Kawakami was close to signing with Atlanta.
In this case, I would think they have to be at least as privy to what’s going on with Kenshin as sources in the states are.
by Rafael Belliard's SLG % on Jan 9, 2009 4:26 PM EST up reply actions
every take a deep breath
New poster here (longtime lurker, new member)
Everyone seems to be in panic mode, blaming Wren for driving the franchise into the concrete wall, etc, but really, we’ve been mediocre for a while now. I prefer to give him a chance to remodel (not rebuild) the team. Some of the pieces are in place (see McCann, Jurjiens, Escobar, Johnson, maybe Francour if he shapes up, and Hanson by next year. ) Hudson comes back next year, too. Many are heartbroken that Wren has not made a huge splash in the free agent market, but realistically, he is building for the future, not necessarily next season, though it would be nice to at least compete next year.
Along those lines, Vasquez was a solid pickup for next year. Not a number one, but pretty darn good. Jurjiens should improve on last season, and if the Braves were to acquire Lowe or Sheets, that’s a servicable 1-2-3. The back end would have Campillo and someone else (Glavine or Kawakami?)
We do need a leadoff hitter, ideally an outfielder (not sure who at this point.) Another outfielder needs to be a fairly big bopper (Garrett Anderson?) Kotchman should be servicable, as well, if not very good. Defensively he will save a run a game, much like Andruw in the past.
Bullpen is in pretty good shape, too, with Gonzalez as closer. Others who are under contract escape me but I think we have a few holdovers from last year under contract, and we need to resign Ohman.
The point is, I really don’t think it is that bad, and I think with a few more (attainable) players, we will compete in 2009. Look at the Rays this year. Could you name more than 4 position players or 2 starters before the season started? It is about much more than names. Chemistry plays a huge role.
Finally, this whining is similar to what I heard here in Tennessee 3 years ago when Reinfeldt took over as GM of the Titans. He signed solid veteran players from winning teams, often at good values, and did not go after the superstars. He took much heat from fans (Fire this guy, he’s killing us, make a splash, grow some cajones, etc,) and yet, 3 years later, he’s built the #1 seed in the AFC.
Give the guy a chance before you write off 2009 and beyond.
There was a distinct lack of spelling and grammatical errors in your first post ever…what’s your ulterior motive?
But seriously…Garret Anderson? No, no, no.
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 9, 2009 5:40 PM EST up reply actions
Well, he may not be the best choice, but the point is we need solid players in the field and in the clubhouse. When the Titans hired Reinfeldt, there was much gnashing of teeth over decisions to let high priced veterans go for cap space. Many of these players were popular with fans (Steve McNair, Derick Mason, among others.) However, they rebuilt through the draft and by signing solid players.
I don’t think Smoltz was worth 5.5 million in guaranteed money. I also think that 45 million for 3 years of Lowe would be worth it. Ben Sheets could probably be had for 10-12 million per year, and I’m told he has better numbers than Burnett (though I confess I didn’t look that up.)
Who do you think we should put in the outfield next year?
“Who do you think we should put in the outfield next year?”
Adum Dunn
Andruw Jones
Francoeur
And when Jones and Frency come out of May hitting under .200 we can just outright release them both and move Dunn to right and let the youngsters take over center and left.
I’ve said it a million times already, but I really think Adam Dunn is the way to go in LF. Yes, I understand he’s a disaster in the field. Yes, I understand he hits left handed. But he can probably be had for a short-term relatively cheap contract and we know what kind of stats he’ll produce.
With that being said, the Braves have said time and time again that they’re not interested in him. So who knows.
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 10, 2009 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
The reason being that you just can’t interchange a guy like him from LF to RF. For started he’s only played 600 and some innings there in his career, and while that might seem like alot he’s far better suited in LF where he’s spent upwards of 7800 innings. Secondly, if you chose to go by his UZR/150 it’s at a ghastly -64.1 according to Fangraphs. In LH it’s at a much more manageable -9.6
I guess I should be one to talk.
There's nights that I can't even walk.
There's days I couldn't give a fuck.
And in between is where I'm stuck.
by Smoltz's Beard on Jan 10, 2009 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
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