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Smoltz’s Season Ends With Surgery

Braves pitcher John Smoltz will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. He and the Braves called an 11:30 a.m. news conference and rumors grew of a retirement announcement, but that talk remains up in the air.

Still, one must think this surgery could spell the end of Smoltz’s career. A great pitcher for sure, talk of him going into Cooperstown has him pegged as a definite. Here are Smoltz’s career statistics:

3395 IP / 3.26 ERA / 1.170 WHIP / 210-147 / 154 SV / 3011 K / 992 BB

You’d have to think during those four years as closer, Smoltz would’ve racked up approximately another 60 wins, giving him 270 for his career. He would’ve then eclipsed 3,000 strikeouts much earlier. He’s a Cy Young winner (1996), a one-time 20-game winner (’96) and a five-time 15-game winner. He’s an eight-time All-Star.

So is Smoltz in the Hall? Absolutely.

Of course, this injury and surgery is a big blow for the Braves, who were going to try to convert Smoltz back to the bullpen after three seasons as starter. Smoltz leaves a huge hole in the Atlanta staff.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.