April 06, 2005 at 01:25AM View BBCode
Back to the bullpen?April 06, 2005 at 01:29AM View BBCode
"Smoltz said he threw only two bad pitches, one of them a high fastball to Encarnacion. But he'll go into his second start Sunday with an ERA of 32.40."April 06, 2005 at 02:47AM View formatted
April 06, 2005 at 03:34AM View BBCode
I think he was over throwing. I mean, his fastballs weren't near the glove that often, and kept drifting towards the middle of the plate. No worries. ;)April 06, 2005 at 03:36AM View BBCode
Worries. He looked terrible to me. His pitches were mostly going where he wanted them to, but they were getting drilled--that's never a good sign. That usually means there's not much on them.April 06, 2005 at 03:47AM View BBCode
His spring training was good. I know, its spring training, but still. Plus, he was effective last year. People don't pitch as good as him and then just suck... that can't happen...April 06, 2005 at 03:50AM View BBCode
He has the exact same ERA as Javier Vasquez (7 runs in 1.2 innings).April 06, 2005 at 03:52AM View BBCode
Vasquez got jacked... arizona, rough place to pitch.April 06, 2005 at 03:56AM View BBCode
Well, yeah--a single game does not a season make, but it was still a pretty ugly performance for the "triumphant" return of Smoltz to the rotation.April 06, 2005 at 04:03AM View BBCode
So confused, isn't that Mark Wholers. Where the heck did he come from. Well... He does like to blow games.April 06, 2005 at 04:05AM View BBCode
Originally posted by ChillyWilly
People don't pitch as good as him and then just suck... that can't happen...
April 06, 2005 at 04:06AM View BBCode
Though, Wholers was never as good as Smoltz, but you get the point.April 06, 2005 at 04:41AM View BBCode
The quality of relievers can be misleading, simply because they pitch relatively few innings and are more susceptible to big swings in luck. The difference between a 2.00 ERA and a 4.00 ERA for a closer can be one five-run outing.April 06, 2005 at 10:50AM View BBCode
I don't think Smoltz will struggle that much this season but I don't think that he will be the John Smoltz of old either. It has to be tough going from a role where you pitched just one inning a game to having to pitch 6+. Sure he's been a starter before but he has been a closer for the last few years. Also he was originally moved to closer because of his arm problems and limited stamina. He is also much older now than he was when he was leading that rotaton with Maddux and Glavine. I think that he will begin to tire in the 4th and 5th innings pretty regularly and will start to get smacked around when he is tired and pitching.April 09, 2005 at 03:50PM View BBCode
I think Smoltz will be fine.Pages: 1