John Smoltz more help on or off the field?

by ruktuim on Mar 16, 2009 9:50 AM EDT

Do you think the presance of a guy like Smoltz in the club house will help young pitchers like Clay Buchholz, Michael Bowden, Justin Masterso? Even if Smoltz isn't able to bounce back from his surgery having him around the club house could be a true asset.

Buchholz said he was the most comfident he can remember being in his start agiasn't the Orioles, after a talk with Smoltz.

"I definitely felt good. It was the best outing I've had in a long time," said Buchholz. "I was talking to John Smoltz before the game and he was like, 'Hey, go out there and know what you want to do prior to even warming up and everything.' That's probably the most confident I've been."

Source, Bucholz talks about Smoltz Influence.

So what do you think, if Smoltz doesn't make a come back, will having him in the club house as more of a mentor to the younger pitcher be worth the 5.5 mil?

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probably, depends how many wins that earns! However, Smoltz’s health and work ethic are excellent (besides his injury, which is subsiding), and many expect him to revert to his usual dominance once he takes the mound at Fenway Park.

"We're not going to give up," It doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. It's not like it's the end of the world."

by revigik on Mar 16, 2009 3:10 PM EDT reply actions

Smoltz and Tek are going to balance Youk and DP nicely.

Wise veterans and young, vocal stars.

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by bdalebs on Mar 16, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions

ha, I wouldn’t mind seeing a big “C” on Smoltz’s uni….

by Brad West on Mar 16, 2009 10:13 PM EDT reply actions

He's a good guy, but he doesn't deserve the C

You don’t make a guy a captain when he hasn’t even played a single game for you and quite possibly never will again after this year. And though I wish Tek wasn’t going to be our catcher this year, it would be classless to strip him of the C while he’s still with the team, and doubly so to give it to a newcomer.

No, if you’re going to give the C to another player, you do it after Tek is gone and you give it to somebody who is going to be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come. The most obvious candidate would be Scrappy, but let’s let him get a little more experience before making him captain.

by RSNexile on Mar 17, 2009 9:35 AM EDT up reply actions

I definitely wasn’t being serious with the comment. Just some fun.

by Brad West on Mar 17, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

If working with Smoltz

allows Buchholz and Masterson to flourish to the capability their potential suggests, then he’ll be worth every penny and then some, even if he doesn’t throw a pitch.

by lone1c on Mar 16, 2009 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

I agree, it’s great to have him around the kids, but I’ll reserve judgment on whether he’s worth more on or off the field until after the season.

Manny ain't the only bad man.

by tommy.otm on Mar 17, 2009 9:07 AM EDT reply actions

Definitely on the field

The only guys on the team who are worth more off the field are Francona (bum knees), coaches (age, conditioning), and Lugo and Varitek (momentum-killing)

"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.

by SoxDevil on Mar 17, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

I would say off

I grew up in RI, but have spent the past decade or so in Florida with the Braves as the closest MLB team. I had the chance to meet Smoltz in his rookie year. In more recent years he has run youth baseball clinics in the area as well as a youth wooden bat tourney. The only reason I bring that up is to make a point: The one thing that is crystal clear when you see him interact with people is that he is a natural leader. He has a way of putting everyone at ease while at the same time guiding them in the right direction. He is exactly the kind of guy you want in the clubhouse. It’s like having Tek times two. The fact that they have an Atlanta based connection (Tek’s alma mater, Georgia Tech, is about a mile away from Turner Field) can only make things better.

Sure, I’d love to see Smoltz come out after the break and just mow guys down, but even if he doesn’t, I think we’ve got the right guy at the right time in the right situation to help out the talented but slightly raw young arms on the way up. Tek is great at guiding them along, but to have a full battery, to have two guys like that, one on each side of the plate… I mean, c’mon, that is an ideal tutoring situation. No MLB team has a pitching coach duo like that. And don’t forget about Farrell. Yeah… it’s looking like a pretty good year ahead.

by Solomon1975 on Mar 17, 2009 9:42 PM EDT reply actions

Welcome to OTM

"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.

by SoxDevil on Mar 18, 2009 9:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Welcome.

I hope you’re right, but I just don’t put too much stock in that type of stuff.

by BTLove on Mar 18, 2009 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions

on or off

Clubhouse presence cannot be underestimated (see for example, Manny (the Cancer) Ramirez), but Smoltz will, if healthy, be a magnificant addition on the field. And what about his influence on Pap? This pitching staff that the BoSox have put together is incredible, at least on paper….

by Daddio123 on Mar 19, 2009 6:12 PM EDT reply actions

Is Pap's ego too big to take advice now?

Seems like he has a pretty fat head already.

"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.

by SoxDevil on Mar 20, 2009 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions