Season over for John Smoltz, career too?

[splitterpfj]

Press conference coming in Atlanta, season-ending shoulder surgery for Smoltz.

 

Given his age, etc, I wonder if this is it?

[RyDogg66]

Its gotta be a career for a press conference. Id love to see him, Glavine and Maddux all retire at the end of the year and go into the Hall together.

[Thurston Fluff]

41 + shoulder surgery = retirement. Sad but not as sad as someone young forced to retire before they got the chance to play at all. He's done everything he could doin baseball and won his fair share. So I'm not going to shed any tears for him other than the pain of having to go through surgery and rehab.

[endaround]

Maddux has no reason to retire though.

[RyDogg66]

I didnt say he did, just that it would be cool to see all three go in together.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

He's hoping to return next year.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3425461

[endaround]

They are actually more likely to go in together if they don't retire at the same time. Maddux is a definite first ballot, not sure Glavine and Smoltz are (yes its a foolish thing, Glavine and Smoltz won't suddenly get better after another year of retirement).

[TooLiveBrew]

That's sad news. Smoltz was always my favorite of those dynamic Atlanta staffs. Here's hoping he can make it back in '09.

[bbrauch2000]

Endaround, what is your reasoning for Tom Glavine not being a first ballot?

[RyDogg66]

300 wins is usually a 1st ballot ticket. Smoltz ha 200+ wins and about 150 saves, he has to be close to first ballot.

[dlk9s]

Endaround, what is your reasoning for Tom Glavine not being a first ballot?

I think he's just saying that sports writers are stupid and won't put him in on the first ballot.

 

[berniebrewer4life]

He's hoping to return next year.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3425461

Excellent to hear. Smoltz is one of my favorite pitchers of all time, glad to see he'll be around for one more year.

[cubfan1126]

Let me pipe in here on the first ballot issue.

 

What happens if Maddux, Smoltz, Glavine, and Randy Johnson all call it quits in the same year?

 

There are sports writers that won't vote for more than 1 or 2.

Some writers will not vote for anybody in first eligible year - that has to be the reason that nobody has ever been a 100% vote.

Some writers send in blank ballots.

None of the reasons put forward are rational but they do exist.

A few years ago Tony Gwynn, George Brett, and Robin Yount were all elected in the same year and Carlton Fisk had to wait a year.

As stated earlier Fisk didn't get any better in that year he had to wait.

Again not rational.

[1992casey]

That would have been Nolan Ryan, George Brett, and Robin Yount. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif I know many felt Robin would have gotten more votes had some writers not been stuck on voting for only two guys. As a matter of fact, that was the first time since the Hall's early years that more than two players were admitted in the "regular" election.

[pretendastronaut]

I've always loved Smoltz as well. It'll be a shame if he has to end it like this.

 

I think all 3 of them are first ballots, and if they all 3 were on at the same time, I believe they'd all make it in together for that very reason.

[Fatter than Joey]

300 wins is usually a 1st ballot ticket.

 

Not always though. I think Glavine is inferior to Maddux and Unit. I think it depends on who is on the ballot with him