Smoltz DFA'd

[JohnBriggs12]

Looks like the end of the line. Maybe he and Glavine will enter HOF together.

[TooLiveBrew]

Great bit on Smoltz from the NY Times' Tyler Kepner.

 

It was definitely a bit sad to watch him just get annihilated last night, but I think he's a HoF lock.

[The Ignitor]

It was also sad to watch him get annihilated in that joke of a stadium. While he got shelled, to be fair about 5 of those runs resulted from pop-outs in most other stadiums. That Johnny Damon shot was about as cheap a homer as I've ever seen.

[TooLiveBrew]

That's true, and important to keep in perspective. However, I think the fact that he was topping out around 86 mph & that his stuff just didn't look good at all has more to do with why BOS cut him loose than one start.

[endaround]

Thing is his K/BB is still over 3. And his fastball is still averaging 91+. If he wants to be a reliever a gain he is still a major league pitcher.

[yoshii8]

I would take him over Mike Burns and Claudio Vargas if he would be willing to pitch for us.

[sheethead]

Thing is his K/BB is still over 3. And his fastball is still averaging 91+. If he wants to be a reliever a gain he is still a major league pitcher.

He would be an asset in the bullpen, as long as he doesn't see a left-handed hitter.

[jeffy]

Pick him up and maybe he beconmes the 2010 Brewers closer?

[yogallardo43]

I would love to see the Brewers gamble on Smoltz, he still can pitch. It would be a nice transition coming from the AL East to the NL Central. He was an amazing pitcher last season for the Braves, although it was only in 6 starts. He would cost nothing to get (money or talent). Even with how bad he has pitched for BOS, he has a K/BB ratio of 6-1.

[crossface21]

I wouldn't mind seeing the Brewers take a gamble on him if Boston is pretty much paying most of his salary. What do the Brewers have to lose?

[Eileen Wright]

His Boston contract called for him to make an additional $35,000 every DAY he is on the MLB roster. Regardless that he pitched in Yankee Stadium his last start, I watched him pitch (I believe it was his start before that) against Baltimore in Baltimore and I was truly surprised how bad he was.

[Invader3K]

He's just not any good anymore. I'd rather give another minor leaguer a chance if we're just going to throw crap at the wall and see what sticks...although that seems to be the approach with the rotation this year in general.

[Thurston Fluff]

When people are batting .343 against you I don't think the K/BB matters all that much. He's very hittable. Even if he can still make a few over zealous batters miss his stuff he can't do it enough to make up for how many hits he gives up. Especially when you see him give up a homer every 5 innings. He isn't only getting hit but he is getting hit hard.

[AmyintheSouth]

I know I'm sentimental, but for all Smoltz and Glavine did for Atlanta, it would have been nice for them both to get more graceful exits there (even if Glavine went to the Mets). Watching Smoltz in the dugout after the debacle on Thursday was just heartwrenching. It's always hard to watch the end for a great player, but it's even harder when it's one the guys you remember from those first couple seasons you fell in love with baseball.

[dbo]

Yea thats true, but he's been in the national league his whole career and he knows the hitters very well. Based on the Brewers bulpen, he could only help.

[Invader3K]

He couldn't help if he gets hit like he did the other night. He's finished...I'd just like to see him gracefully exit at this point. He gave it one more shot and it didn't work out. There's no shame in that...but it's better to retire with grace than be that guy who held on too long, only to be seen as a shell of his former self.

[yogallardo43]

There's no way that HR pace will keep up. Also, batters are not going to continue to hit over .340 against him. Sure he hasn't looked great, but I'd be willing to give him a look. I remember him dominating the Brewers last season on a Saturday FOX game. What do we have to lose if he doesn't pitch well? He's not going to cost much at all.

[cwolf2012]

Smoltz is better than he has performed this year. He has a sub 2 BB/9, and above a 7 K/9. He also has a 4.93 FIP, but I suspect that will drop with the WAY too high HR/FB ratio he has right now.

 

If he'll sign with the Brewers, we should sign him. The Brewers need to take a chance on a guy like Smoltz.

[Thurston Fluff]

There's no way that HR pace will keep up. Also, batters are not going to continue to hit over .340 against him.

 

Why do you think he won't continue to give up homers and hit at the current pace? At his age it would be more surprising if he didn't get worse. As I'm sure any of the 40 somethings here would attest to things get worse far faster than they do even in the late 30's. What he did last year is not going to be what he is capable of this year. Which is why you don't see that many 45 year old people in pro sports.

[Teatoe993]

If we were a little closer in the race, I could see maybe rolling the dice on a guy like Smoltz. But I just can't see us catching the Cardinals at all this year. Smoltz won't help us in 2010. I say just stay away.

[cwolf2012]

We're only 6 games out and starting the easiest stretch of our schedule with 2 starters still out. If Smoltz is available for a prorated $400k contract, why would you not take the chance?

[sheethead]

Because he has nothing left, that's why.

[Teatoe993]

I'm not saying that it can't be done, but the team hasn't shown me any sign that they're starting to come around. Our schedule was supposed to be "easy" since the all-star break. We've only fallen farther behind in the standings.

[cwolf2012]

Because he has nothing left, that's why.

His peripherals suggest otherwise. If a sample of 8 games is enough to convince you that he doesn't have at least some of his stuff from last year, then so be it.

 

FIP and xFIP totals for this season:

 

Suppan: 5.60 - 5.26

Looper: 5.75 - 4.78

Bush: 5.86 - 4.85

Smoltz: 4.96 - 4.36

Parra: 4.36 - 4.62

 

Do you think that he has no value at all? Stats suggest that even if he continues pitching like he has, he'll be the 2nd or 3rd best pitcher on the staff. Plus, he'll be pitching in the NL central, and not the AL East which is far and away the best division in the MLB.

 

EDIT: Think of it from an economic perspective as well. I can tell you for sure that I would want to see Smoltz pitch for the Brewers. It would get me to buy another ticket this season and I'm certain that I'm not the only one. He will give us more value than the $150k we pay in performance, and he will drive attendance up.

[TooLiveBrew]

But one ugly possibility is that he comes in & stinks, and gets booed by some of our more lovely fans. Then we'd get to be known as the clowns that booed the Hall of Famer.

 

I think there are ways in which adding Smoltz might make sense, but all of them are dependent on him wanting to finish his career as a reliever on a team that's hovering around .500 ... and as mentioned I think there's an ugly potential downside to bringing Smoltz in (if he even wanted to come).