John Smoltz must have missed the memo

After more than 20 years with the Atlanta Braves, future Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz is almost set to sign with the Boston Red Sox to cap his illustrious career.

The signing will likely put an end to the idea of three of the baseball's best pitchers to walk into Cooperstown at the same time.

Greg Maddux retired earlier in the offseason at the Winter Meetings in his home town of Las Vegas and Tom Glavine will likely retire if he is not healthy to start the 2009 season.

It would have been the greatest spectacle the Hall of Fame would have ever seen. All three will likely join the Hall as members of the Braves after one World Series title and a billion National League East (and one NL West) title.

As for the Smoltz signing, it shocks me because I thought he was at the end of his tether after an early season-ending arm injury. Instead, the BoSox have made their big splash of the offseason after seeing the New York Yankees spend more than $240 million on two-fifths of a starting rotation and the defending AL champion Tampa Bay Rays add Pat Burrell as a power-hitting right-handed stick to be the team's designated hitter.

Slot Smoltzy in with Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka and the balance of power in the AL East is even again.

If he is healthy, of course.