Ooooh boy. What this does is add stability--a
lot of it--to the Braves' bullpen, but it also pulls back a hole in the Braves' rotation.
Smoltz: 'I'm coming back as a reliever'
Right-hander believes he is best suited to come out of the 'pen
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
WASHINGTON -- While others might be currently speculating, there's no doubt in John Smoltz's mind about what he'll be doing when he comes off the disabled list. In fact, the Braves right-hander has even allowed himself to accept the fact that he might never make another Major League start.
"I'm coming back as a reliever first and then we'll see what happens," Smoltz said during a late Wednesday afternoon telephone conversation. "I'm content with this."
While Braves manager Bobby Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell indicated they were going to wait at least a few days before seriously beginning to think about putting Smoltz back in the bullpen, the 40-year-old hurler doesn't believe there is any other option. He simply can't continue to pitch with the tightness that has existed between his shoulder and neck since midway through Spring Training.
"I hear people say that we can't win without me as a starter," said Smoltz, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday with biceps tendinitis. "But we're not going to win with me as a five-inning starter either."
This is big for the NL East. I predict that Smoltz will get 28 saves when he's in the bullpen this year.
Also, this opens up another hole in the Braves' rotation. I'm going to say this today, April 30th: Joe Blanton will be a Brave on August 1st. The Braves won't go to Rich Harden because of the injury history that he has. They'll find a way to get Blanton. The Phillthies will fall by the wayside after that.
