Cafardo notes: Smoltz, Kelly
by Randy Booth on Dec 14, 2008 9:21 PM EST
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PrintA couple of interesting tidbits coming our way from the Globe's Nick Cafardo on Boston's interest in free agent John Smoltz:
It's surprising he is considering teams other than Atlanta for the final year or two of his career. One of the major reasons Smoltz would love Boston is pitching coach John Farrell. Smoltz knows Farrell's reputation, and also loves the atmosphere of Fenway. As a fifth starter, Smoltz could also be a strong influence on Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. The Sox are looking at his medical reports and studying the side session video distributed to teams late last week.
The more I think about it, the more I like the Sox signing Smoltz. Yes, he's old (42 next season) but he is still capable of being very good. He hasn't had an ERA over 3.50 since 1994. That was 15 years ago! He's not going to win 20 games, but he'll probably get us at least 13 and be one of the best 4 or 5 starters in the American League. Plus he'd be a fantastic mentor for all the pitchers on the team.
Cafardo also touches on Red Sox prospect Casey Kelly:
Casey KellyLots of talk by scouts and agents who watched him play at Sarasota (Fla.) High. Said one former major league player turned agent, "This kid is a phenomenal athlete. He can make it as a shortstop and he could make it as a pitcher. What I would do is have him play the infield for three years to see how he does. If he doesn't take to it, then convert him to pitcher." However, the Sox are making him a pitcher for now. According to his agent, Joe Sambito, the Sox' plan is to have him pitch 100 innings and then let him play shortstop. Asked about Kelly's stuff, Sambito, who was a reliever on Boston's 1986 World Series team, said, "He throws 92-94 with tremendous control, an excellent 12-6 curveball."
Kelly has to be good if the Sox dared to take him in the first round straight out of high school. Personally, I didn't think too much of him because I like to see what a prospect can do for a full season before making any judgements -- first round pick or not. However, I haven't heard a bad review yet about him. The jury is still out on whether he'll be a shortsop or pitcher down the road...
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I would love Smoltz at our #5
If he is healthy.
If this was a perfect world, for me, I would want to see the Sox sign Smoltz and Kawakami for the 5th spot. Trade Lugo for Brynes and then see what happens with Teixeira and a catcher.
Have Kawakami be the #5 starter and have Smoltz fill in for guys who are injured or need breaks, then stick Smoltz in the pen for the playoffs.
For your proposed scenario,
I would switch the roles of Smoltz and Kawakami. The guy deserves to go out in a good way- not to mention he’d be productive. Also, I’d have more confidence in him than in Kawakami right out of the gate. There is often an adjustment period for foreign players, as we saw with Dice-K. Give Smoltz the rotation spot, and then let Kawakami have it in 2010 when Smoltz is retired.
Only reason I suggested Kawakami
is bc Smoltz will most likely get starts bc of injuries and he has experience in the pen, but either is fine with me.
I've got to think Lugo for Byrnes is dead.
The Felipe Lopez signing killed it.
I’ll take Smoltz. I doubt we’d sign both SMotlz and Kawakami.
Manny ain't the only bad man.
The questions with Smoltz are
How much does he want, and how good is he still?
I don’t think his performance will be as strong in the AL East. I trust the Front Office to make the right decision on him, but I doubt they’d sign Smoltz.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
Sambito!
Remember Joe Sambito? Hell of a pitcher when he was on Houston (too bad he stunk with the Sox).
I think it'd be interesting to have Kelly pitch and play SS instead of getting pulled from the game entirely.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
They're kind of doing that, in a season-wide perspective.
He’ll pitch until he hits his innings threshold (which is ?) and then play SS the rest of the season.
If they do this, I hope everyone is prepared for reports of him seeming a little weak on his throws at SS.
"Are you a real doctor, or a doctor like Dr. Pepper is a doctor?"
Reportedly 100 innings
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
I mean within a game though.
That would be as weird as the ambidextrous pitcher.
Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/
Smoltz is a winner
and a prideful guy who wouldn’t play with the Sox if he wasn’t convinced he could do the job. If he says, “I can pitch,” believe it and sign him!
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