Why I'm Not Worried About Smoltz (Yet)

[Dutchy]

He's always taken a few starts to get back to his normal self after injuries.

 

1999 - Returns from DL on June 1st, gives up 11 runs in 14.1 innings his first 3 starts and finishes season with a 3.19 ERA.

 

2001 - Returns from year long DL stint, gives up 10 runs in 14.2 innings in his first 3 starts and finishes the season with a 3.36 ERA.

 

Just goes to show, 3 starts is far too early to tell how he's going to do after getting back into major league action.

[BSN07]

Nice post.

[617_suffolkcounty_standup]

Smoltz is a copetitor. He will give you all he's got and some.

[a700hitter]

Even if he is healthy and feeling great, at age 42 with reduced velocity, he just may not be very good anymore. Unfortunately, we will not know for sure until he has had 6 or 7 starts. By then the trading deadline will have passed.

[Spudboy]

Nice post.

 

Yup. I'm not a huge fan of Smoltz (admittedly because I think Ted Turner is a puke). But he is still working his way back. No one expects him to be the Smoltz of old, but I believe we can reasonably expect him to be effective since he has so much experience and has come back from injuries in the past. Maybe it's just wishful thinking. Who knows?

[Dutchy]

Even if he is healthy and feeling great' date=' at age 42 with reduced velocity, he just may not be very good anymore. Unfortunately, we will not know for sure until he has had 6 or 7 starts. By then the trading deadline will have passed.[/quote']

 

He's been throwing 93, I don't think his velocity is the issue. And if he doesn't pitch well, we'd probably use Buchholz in that rotation spot. I doubt we'll add a starting pitcher.

[BSN07]

Adding Buchholz is probably better the any of the SP who might be available.

[Jasonbay44]

Great post, the other thing is, one of his starts he was cruising, but the rain cost him a win.

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

Great post' date=' the other thing is, one of his starts he was cruising, but the rain cost him a win.[/quote']

 

The rain, and the fact we LOST that game.

[WhiskeyBreath]

I'm not worried yet either.

 

How many starts do you think they give him before removing him from the rotation if he continues to pitch poorly?

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

I'll give him a good 4-5 more starts.

 

Any possibility of him going back to the bullpen at that point?

[BoSox21]

I'll give him a good 4-5 more starts.

 

Any possibility of him going back to the bullpen at that point?

 

who could they justify taking out of the bullpen for Smoltz?

[Gom]

Yeah...why worry about a pitcher whose injury history you listed was a DECADE ago? When his injuries were at the ages of 32 and 33, and he's now 42? Not if he has reduced velocity in the most lethal division in baseball.

 

I hope your front office listens to you.

 

The fact that you're pitching Smoltz instead of Buchholz is a relief for me,

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

who could they justify taking out of the bullpen for Smoltz?

 

Who knows? In 4-6 weeks we may have traded MDC, Saito, or other pieces.

 

Just a thought.

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

Yeah...why worry about a pitcher whose injury history you listed was a DECADE ago? When his injuries were at the ages of 32 and 33, and he's now 42? Not if he has reduced velocity in the most lethal division in baseball.

 

I hope your front office listens to you.

 

The fact that you're pitching Smoltz instead of Buchholz is a relief for me,

 

Like Dutchy said, I don't think velocity is the issue. He's been all over the place.

[BoSox21]

The fact that it's his control that's been the issue as opposed to velocity is a relief to me. You have to expect control issues coming off that injury and really, he's only had two bad innings

[Dutchy]

Yeah...why worry about a pitcher whose injury history you listed was a DECADE ago? When his injuries were at the ages of 32 and 33, and he's now 42? Not if he has reduced velocity in the most lethal division in baseball.

 

I hope your front office listens to you.

 

The fact that you're pitching Smoltz instead of Buchholz is a relief for me,

 

2007 - Returns from DL (shoulder) on July 18, finishes season with a 3.11 ERA.

 

He did just fine at age 40, as well. And I guess you haven't seen him pitch, he's throwing 93-94. His velocity is just fine.

[Gom]

You guys are doing what we did for years. Sign aging superstars hoping for a resurgence. It doesn't work.

 

Personally, I wouldn't sign a single player coming off injury past the age of 40.

[TheKilo]

I think he got hurt by an inconsistent strike zone the other night as well.

 

It happens. Sox weren't beating Anderson the other night anyway.

 

You guys are doing what we did for years. Sign aging superstars hoping for a resurgence. It doesn't work.

 

Personally, I wouldn't sign a single player coming off injury past the age of 40.

 

Not even close, Sox signed a lottery ticket for one year. Yanks would routinely commit multiple years.

[Gom]

Hey, we f***ed up for years with it. Which is why I wouldn't do it. Which is why I'm happy the oldest player they signed last year was 32.

[jacksonianmarch]

I'd be worried about Smoltz. Just like I am worried about Aceves in our rotation for the time being. Its an introduction of the unknown and the unproven into a spot that really needs to be filled strongly.

 

Not to say that Smoltz is unproven in his career. Just that he has a lot to prove to stay in a major league rotation, especially in boston.

 

Think about him. He's a power pitcher from an inferior division. He's 42 yrs old. He's coming off shoulder reconstruction. He's used to sitting 93-95 mph and being able to get it up into the high 90s when needed. At that velocity and with the wicked splitter, he didnt need to be perfect. He always was able to throw strikes, but he didnt need to be exactly on the corner, or exactly off the plate for the swing and miss. Now, he's sitting 90-91 mph and able to reach 93/94. His splitter is nowhere near as sharp and his location in the zone is spotty. But now, the 91 in the zone is a lot easier to hit than the 97 in the zone. And he is facing better lineups (albeit, one of them was Washington's in the NL stadium). So to be honest with you, there is a lot more to worry about than what appears at face value. He needs to make a transition to a finesse pitcher rapidly or he wont last in Boston.

[TedWilliams101]

You guys are doing what we did for years. Sign aging superstars hoping for a resurgence. It doesn't work.

 

Personally, I wouldn't sign a single player coming off injury past the age of 40.

 

Really? I thought Smoltz was just an insurance plan. We got him for a decent 1 year deal, hoping that if he can regain form, he could help this team late in the season/post season. We didn't give him a giant contract and expect him to be a front of the rotation guy, like the Yankees used to love to do.

 

We aren't relying on Smoltz, he's a luxury. If he can get it together, great. Our rotation would be scary good. If not, it's not really a problem. Put Buchholz in the spot and wait for Matsuzaka to get healthy.

[BoSox21]

You guys are doing what we did for years. Sign aging superstars hoping for a resurgence. It doesn't work.

 

What an absolutely stupid comparison.

[jacksonianmarch]

Really? I thought Smoltz was just an insurance plan. We got him for a decent 1 year deal, hoping that if he can regain form, he could help this team late in the season/post season. We didn't give him a giant contract and expect him to be a front of the rotation guy, like the Yankees used to love to do.

 

We aren't relying on Smoltz, he's a luxury. If he can get it together, great. Our rotation would be scary good. If not, it's not really a problem. Put Buchholz in the spot and wait for Matsuzaka to get healthy.

 

right now, you are relying on him just as much as you are relying on any of your starting 5. Once every 5 days for the rest of the season. Now, if DiceK were 100% and throwing like he had in the past, then yes, Smoltz would be a luxury. But right now, you dont have the luxury of throwing every 5th game down the tubes.

[TedWilliams101]

right now' date=' you are relying on him just as much as you are relying on any of your starting 5. Once every 5 days for the rest of the season. Now, if DiceK were 100% and throwing like he had in the past, then yes, Smoltz would be a luxury. But right now, you dont have the luxury of throwing every 5th game down the tubes.[/quote']

 

If he doesn't get it together in the next 4 or 5 starts, then we have Buchholz ready to come up. This isn't a situation were we are desperately trying to plug a hole in our rotation. It's actually the opposite problem. The FO think Smoltz is the better option this season. If that doesn't work, we have a damned good prospect (you know, no hit stuff... ) waiting to get back up into the bigs.

 

Don't turn this into what it is not. We have 6 capable starters for 5 spots (with one on the DL). We aren't stuck with Smoltz.

[BoSox21]

right now' date=' you are relying on him just as much as you are relying on any of your starting 5. Once every 5 days for the rest of the season.[/quote']

 

Smoltz is on a shorter leash than Beckett or Lester.

[pedroia_the_destroyah53]

What an absolutely stupid comparison.

 

Yes. An Enormously Monsterous Gigantic sized

 

 

FAIL

 

Did we sign Smoltz to be our ace? Maybe i missed something.

[Dutchy]

I'd be worried about Smoltz. Just like I am worried about Aceves in our rotation for the time being. Its an introduction of the unknown and the unproven into a spot that really needs to be filled strongly.

 

Not to say that Smoltz is unproven in his career. Just that he has a lot to prove to stay in a major league rotation, especially in boston.

 

Think about him. He's a power pitcher from an inferior division. He's 42 yrs old. He's coming off shoulder reconstruction. He's used to sitting 93-95 mph and being able to get it up into the high 90s when needed. At that velocity and with the wicked splitter, he didnt need to be perfect. He always was able to throw strikes, but he didnt need to be exactly on the corner, or exactly off the plate for the swing and miss. Now, he's sitting 90-91 mph and able to reach 93/94. His splitter is nowhere near as sharp and his location in the zone is spotty. But now, the 91 in the zone is a lot easier to hit than the 97 in the zone. And he is facing better lineups (albeit, one of them was Washington's in the NL stadium). So to be honest with you, there is a lot more to worry about than what appears at face value. He needs to make a transition to a finesse pitcher rapidly or he wont last in Boston.

 

Weren't you the one who said you weren't worried about a 42 year old with his shoulder hanging on by a thread? No one cares about your injury opinions on the Red Sox. All you ever do is claim you're "worried" and then give reasons why the players won't be productive for the Red Sox anymore.

[jacksonianmarch]

If he doesn't get it together in the next 4 or 5 starts, then we have Buchholz ready to come up. This isn't a situation were we are desperately trying to plug a hole in our rotation. It's actually the opposite problem. The FO think Smoltz is the better option this season. If that doesn't work, we have a damned good prospect (you know, no hit stuff... ) waiting to get back up into the bigs.

 

Don't turn this into what it is not. We have 6 capable starters for 5 spots (with one on the DL). We aren't stuck with Smoltz.

 

No, you arent stuck with Smoltz. That being said, you have a kid in the minors who has great stuff but a 2 cent head at times. And the sox knew that when they decided to keep him in limbo for the entire season by signing 2 guys to fill his spot in the rotation. I highly doubt that they would want him to come to the majors now, in a stretch run with the division being hotly contested. That is the exact opposite experience the sox would want.

[Dutchy]

right now' date=' you are relying on him just as much as you are relying on any of your starting 5. Once every 5 days for the rest of the season. Now, if DiceK were 100% and throwing like he had in the past, then yes, Smoltz would be a luxury. But right now, you dont have the luxury of throwing every 5th game down the tubes.[/quote']

 

If you said the opposite, you'd be true. If Smoltz doesn't pitch well, we'll put him in the bullpen and call up Buchholz. If Beckett and Lester don't pitch well, we're pretty much stuck with them.