Smoltz having surgery, season is over

And most likely his career, IMO.

Smoltz to have season-ending shoulder surgery
Surgery could put career of 41-year-old in jeopardy

By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/04/08
John Smoltz will have season-ending shoulder surgery that could also put the
career of the 41-year-old Braves pitcher in doubt.

The Braves have called a media conference at 11:30 a.m. at Turner Field to
be attended by Smoltz, general manager Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox. A
Braves official confirmed surgery for Smoltz will be announced at the media
conference.

Smoltz, the only pitcher in history with at least 200 wins and 150 saves,
notched his 3,000th career strikeout earlier this season.

After spending nearly five weeks on the disabled list with inflammation of
the rotator cuff and biceps tendon in his throwing shoulder, he returned
from the DL Monday night and blew a save against Florida in his first relief
appearance in 44 months.

Smoltz had moved back to the bullpen from his preferred starting role as a
concession to persistent pain in his throwing shoulder. He had hoped he
could get through the season by pitching in one-inning stints and by
altering his pitching delivery and throwing sidearm.

He was charged with two runs, three hits and a blown save in the ninth
inning Monday against Florida, but the Braves came back and won 7-5 on Yunel
Escobar's walk-off homer in the 10th.

Smoltz converted 154 saves in 3 1/2 seasons as a closer through 2004
including a National League-record 55 saves in 2002.

He went 47-26 as a starter since the beginning of the 2005 season, including
3-2 with a 2.00 ERA in five starts this season before shoulder pain forced
him to the DL for the second time since March.

Smoltz has had four right-elbow surgeries and had said in recent years that
he wouldn't endure another arm surgery and long rehabilitation to prolong
his career. But on Monday he backed away from those statements and indicated
he would consider surgery and all other options.

The 1996 Cy Young Award winner has a 210-147 career record with 154 saves
and 3,011 strikeouts in 3,395 innings. Smoltz is also the winningest
postseason pitcher in history (15-4) and owns the record for postseason
strikeouts (194).

The likely future Hall of Famer is eligible for free agency after the 2008
season.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/06/04/smo..._0605.h

On 4 Jun, 11:40, Colin William <colintwill... DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote:
> Stapler wrote:
> > Joe Schmoe wrote:
>
> >>And most likely his career, IMO.
>
> > Yup.
>
> I heard from a friend that he said on the radio today he wants to come
> back in 2009. If true, wow.

Mike Hampton has wanted to come back for the last three years. Smoltz
is 41, is having another surgery and will have a massive recovery
effort just to get back to normal usage, much less throwing a baseball
95 MPH. I'd say 70/30 he's done. I'd say 60/40 Glavine joins him in
retiring next year.

s/