If you're from the Atlanta area and a fan, this is a huge deal...
By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Say it ain?t so, Smoltzy.
John Smoltz?s career with the Braves is ending. The iconic Atlanta pitcher, who?s recovering from June shoulder surgery, has agreed to a contract to pitch for the Boston Red Sox and will likely inform the Braves of his decision today, a person familiar with the situation confirmed.
Smoltz, a free agent, will get a one-year $5.5 million guaranteed contract from the Red Sox, with additional incentives worth up to $5 million. The Braves offered a $2.5 million guarantee and multiple incentives that could have pushed it to just above $10 million if Smoltz had stayed healthy all season.
?I have always loved the city of Atlanta, and it will always be my home,? Smoltz said in a statement Thursday. ?I will cherish my 21 years with Bobby Cox and all my Braves? teammates. I continue to wish the Atlanta Braves nothing but success in the future.?
Braves general manager Frank Wren declined to comment Thursday morning.
Smoltz, who will be 42 in May, has spent his entire 21-year major league career with the Braves, pitching in over 700 games and recording 210 wins and 154 saves — the only pitcher in history to win at least 200 games and save at least 150.
Smoltz, who contacted Braves players Wednesday night to inform them of his decision, has said many times in the past year that he wanted to finish his career with the Braves. However, the team had not offered a major league contract to Smoltz that was anywhere near the amount that the Red Sox have reportedly guaranteed him. The Braves were expected to go no higher than $3 million guaranteed, regardless of other offers he got.
?John is a great guy. He follows his own head, and I just don?t know what?s going on with him right now,? Braves Chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk said today. ?We?ve offered less of a guarantee, but we?ve offered a substantial guarantee. Coming off an injury like this, we feel like it?s the right thing that we should be doing (in regards to our offer).
?We?ve offered him a package that would get him in the $10 million range, if he were to pitch a full season and pitch well. For him to walk away from that and to go to another place, I?m just shocked and surprised.
?I read today in something that his agent said the other set of incentives (from the Red Sox) were ?more attainable.? If John Smoltz pitches like John Smoltz pitches, I think (what we offered) is attainable. If he?s not healthy, it?s not going to happen.?
According to a person familiar with the situation, Smoltz would have been required to pitch 200 innings next season to reach the maximum incentives in the Braves? offer. Incentives in the Red Sox proposal are more easily attainable.
?I was going to withhold comment until the announcement of my signing with a new team, but I now feel the need to clear up any misconceptions and inaccuracies about the contract negotiations between myself and the Atlanta Braves,? Smoltz added in his statement. ?There were large discrepancies between the offer from the Braves and offers from other teams.?
Smoltz made $14 million last season and had a 2.00 ERA in five starts before throbbing pain in his shoulder forced him to the disabled list.
He tried to come back as a closer, but after one painful appearance he went back to the DL and announced he would have shoulder surgery. The procedure on his rotator cuff and labrum was considered career-threatening, and wear and tear to Smoltz?s labrum was extensive.
But the stalwart pitcher, who?d already come back from four career elbow surgeries, came back from this one quicker than expected.
Smoltz was back throwing off a mound the first week of December, greatly impressing observers including Braves manager Bobby Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell.
Still, Braves general manager Frank Wren wanted to wait longer before committing to a 2009 contract for Smoltz.
The pitcher, who has declined interview requests most of the winter, apparently tired of waiting for the Braves to increase their offer and found the Red Sox proposal too good to pass up.
At least six teams were known to have expressed interest in Smoltz, even though he might not be ready to pitch until May. He will join a deep and talented Boston rotation, and the Red Sox hope the winningest postseason pitcher in history will be ready to help them in the second half and the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in what?s already been a troublesome offseason for the Braves, they could now take the biggest public-relations hit in recent years. Smoltz is a hugely popular figure in Atlanta, one of the city?s all-time favorite athletes.
He turned down more money to remain with the Braves in the past. Now, it appears he’s leaving in part because Atlanta, the only team he ever pitched for in the majors, wasn’t ready or willing to offer anything close to the guaranteed money offered by a team with no previous connection to Smoltz.
By DAVID O'BRIEN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Say it ain?t so, Smoltzy.
John Smoltz?s career with the Braves is ending. The iconic Atlanta pitcher, who?s recovering from June shoulder surgery, has agreed to a contract to pitch for the Boston Red Sox and will likely inform the Braves of his decision today, a person familiar with the situation confirmed.
Smoltz, a free agent, will get a one-year $5.5 million guaranteed contract from the Red Sox, with additional incentives worth up to $5 million. The Braves offered a $2.5 million guarantee and multiple incentives that could have pushed it to just above $10 million if Smoltz had stayed healthy all season.
?I have always loved the city of Atlanta, and it will always be my home,? Smoltz said in a statement Thursday. ?I will cherish my 21 years with Bobby Cox and all my Braves? teammates. I continue to wish the Atlanta Braves nothing but success in the future.?
Braves general manager Frank Wren declined to comment Thursday morning.
Smoltz, who will be 42 in May, has spent his entire 21-year major league career with the Braves, pitching in over 700 games and recording 210 wins and 154 saves — the only pitcher in history to win at least 200 games and save at least 150.
Smoltz, who contacted Braves players Wednesday night to inform them of his decision, has said many times in the past year that he wanted to finish his career with the Braves. However, the team had not offered a major league contract to Smoltz that was anywhere near the amount that the Red Sox have reportedly guaranteed him. The Braves were expected to go no higher than $3 million guaranteed, regardless of other offers he got.
?John is a great guy. He follows his own head, and I just don?t know what?s going on with him right now,? Braves Chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk said today. ?We?ve offered less of a guarantee, but we?ve offered a substantial guarantee. Coming off an injury like this, we feel like it?s the right thing that we should be doing (in regards to our offer).
?We?ve offered him a package that would get him in the $10 million range, if he were to pitch a full season and pitch well. For him to walk away from that and to go to another place, I?m just shocked and surprised.
?I read today in something that his agent said the other set of incentives (from the Red Sox) were ?more attainable.? If John Smoltz pitches like John Smoltz pitches, I think (what we offered) is attainable. If he?s not healthy, it?s not going to happen.?
According to a person familiar with the situation, Smoltz would have been required to pitch 200 innings next season to reach the maximum incentives in the Braves? offer. Incentives in the Red Sox proposal are more easily attainable.
?I was going to withhold comment until the announcement of my signing with a new team, but I now feel the need to clear up any misconceptions and inaccuracies about the contract negotiations between myself and the Atlanta Braves,? Smoltz added in his statement. ?There were large discrepancies between the offer from the Braves and offers from other teams.?
Smoltz made $14 million last season and had a 2.00 ERA in five starts before throbbing pain in his shoulder forced him to the disabled list.
He tried to come back as a closer, but after one painful appearance he went back to the DL and announced he would have shoulder surgery. The procedure on his rotator cuff and labrum was considered career-threatening, and wear and tear to Smoltz?s labrum was extensive.
But the stalwart pitcher, who?d already come back from four career elbow surgeries, came back from this one quicker than expected.
Smoltz was back throwing off a mound the first week of December, greatly impressing observers including Braves manager Bobby Cox and pitching coach Roger McDowell.
Still, Braves general manager Frank Wren wanted to wait longer before committing to a 2009 contract for Smoltz.
The pitcher, who has declined interview requests most of the winter, apparently tired of waiting for the Braves to increase their offer and found the Red Sox proposal too good to pass up.
At least six teams were known to have expressed interest in Smoltz, even though he might not be ready to pitch until May. He will join a deep and talented Boston rotation, and the Red Sox hope the winningest postseason pitcher in history will be ready to help them in the second half and the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in what?s already been a troublesome offseason for the Braves, they could now take the biggest public-relations hit in recent years. Smoltz is a hugely popular figure in Atlanta, one of the city?s all-time favorite athletes.
He turned down more money to remain with the Braves in the past. Now, it appears he’s leaving in part because Atlanta, the only team he ever pitched for in the majors, wasn’t ready or willing to offer anything close to the guaranteed money offered by a team with no previous connection to Smoltz.
