OFFICIAL Braves to World Series thread (for real this time)

Steebo · #1 02-16-2008, 01:27 PM

Glavine back where it all started for him

Good to have him back.

Steebo · #2 02-26-2008, 03:55 PM

Rumor has it that Mike Hampton is actually throwing a baseball these days.

Steebo · #3 03-07-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steebo

Rumor has it that Mike Hampton is actually throwing a baseball these days.

Rumor confirmed.

Hampton hoping to make triumphant return to mound

Scooby · #4 03-25-2008, 03:49 PM

Steebo · #5 04-23-2008, 02:21 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3361593

Starter, reliever, All-Star, likely Hall of Famer. John Smoltz can likely add that last description to his resume after the Atlanta Braves pitcher picked up his 3,000th career strikeout on Tuesday night.

Smoltz whiffed Washington Nationals leadoff man Felipe Lopez for the second out in the top of the third inning to reach the milestone. He needed four strikeouts coming into the game to make history.

Smoltz, 40, received a standing ovation after Lopez swung and missed on a 2-2 pitch.

Nick Johnson and Austin Kearns looked at called third strikes in the second. Nationals pitcher John Lannan struck out swinging to begin the third.

Smoltz ended the night with 10 strike outs, exiting after seven innings with the Braves down 1-0. A five-run ninth inning, however, sent the Nationals to a 6-0 win and Smoltz to his first loss of the season.

Among the 15 pitchers ahead of him on the 3,000 strikeout list, Smoltz reached the mark faster than all but Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan, Curt Schilling and Roger Clemens.

Smoltz's former teammate, San Diego pitcher Greg Maddux, is the only other active pitcher with more strikeouts (3,287).

Martinez, currently on the disabled list for the New York Mets, is in 15th place with 3,031.

The only pitcher in history with 200 victories and 150 saves in his career, Smoltz was attempting to improve to 4-0. The Elias Sports Bureau reported that his 3-0 mark made Smoltz just the fifth 40-year-old over the last 50 years to win his first three appearances.

The others were Kenny Rogers last year, Clemens in 2004, Ryan in 1990 and Phil Niekro in 1984.

Ryan is baseball's career strikeouts leader with 5,714.

Steebo · #6 06-04-2008, 04:33 PM

Braves' Smoltz to have season-ending shoulder surgery

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz will have season-ending shoulder surgery, but he hopes to return in 2009.

Smoltz and general manager Frank Wren declined comment until the briefing, but the pitcher said on his radio show that he will miss the rest of the season.

"I'm having surgery with the hopes of pitching beyond this year," Smoltz told 790 The Zone. "We're only kidding ourselves if we try to mess around any longer."

Still, the decision to have surgery raises serious questions about Smoltz's future. He turned 41 last month, and it would be highly improbable for a pitcher to come back from a major operation at his age.

Smoltz had only returned from the disabled list on Monday, hoping to make it through the rest of the season as a closer after starting five games this season.

His loss was a huge blow to an Atlanta team already dealing with a rash of injuries to its pitching staff. The Braves went into Wednesday's game 3½ games behind Philadelphia in the NL East.

"Not having him at all for the rest of the season is devastating, flat out devastating," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "Going into this season, I said there's one guy on this club we cannot do without. That's John Smoltz."

The right-hander is the only pitcher in baseball history with 200 wins and 150 saves, and he reached another milestone this season with his 3,000th strikeout.

While on the disabled list, Smoltz changed his pitching motion, going to a three-quarters motion to ease the pain in his shoulder. He came on in the ninth inning of Monday night's game against Florida with a 4-3 lead but gave up three hits and two runs, blowing his first save chance since 2004.

Manager Bobby Cox said the pitcher was "pretty sore" the following day, and Smoltz apparently decided that it was futile to continue his comeback even though he's long indicated another surgery would probably end his career. He's already had four operations on his right elbow, including Tommy John surgery that kept him out for all of 2000.

"I've always said that if it gets to that point, I don't know the value of coming back," Smoltz said Monday. "At the same time ... the right choice will be made. It won't be made emotionally."