Pitchin' Ain't Easy: Why I Love The MLB Playoffs

The Major League Baseball playoffs began Wednesday, and there was one common feature found in each of the three games.

Damn. Good. Pitching.

A Message To Jim Hendry

Ryan Dempster sucks. Kevin Gregg sucks. Aaron Heilman sucks.

Carlos Zambrano is on the DL. Rich Harden is behind schedule in joining him. Randy Wells is approaching the innings pitched danger zone as a rookie.


The Cubs have holes in the rotation and in the bullpen. Yet, there is apparently no interest from the Chicago Cubs in free-agent John Smoltz. But the Cardinals do.

All they would have to do is pay the pro-rated minimum.

That's it.

If they can't do that done because of "impending ownership change" then let's fold the tents over at Clark & Addison and contract the damn team.

Jim Hendry, you suck harder than all of the losers I mentioned in line one. If I was Tom Ricketts, I'd have a nice message waiting on your voicemail for you....

Doing Jim Hendry's Dirty Work Part II: Does John Smoltz Interest Anyone?

John Smoltz could be the cure to what ails the Cubs' bullpen

I'm pretty sure I found the cure to the Chicago Cubs' bullpen woes. Problem is, they'd have to get it via the a waiver trade.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wonders aloud:

"On Monday, the Red Sox put John Smoltz, Brad Penny, Manny Delcarmen, and Ramon Ramirez, in addition to (Jason) Bay, on trade waivers. Of the players on the list, who would not be pulled back? The guess is all of them would be pulled back, but the issue is not black-and-white with Smoltz and Lowell. Smoltz has had limited success so far. You wonder whether a National League team would figure Smoltz could give it five or six decent innings as a starter in a less-demanding league for pitchers."

The Ludameister wonders aloud:

"What would it take for the Cubs to get John Smoltz, who converted 154 saves from 2001-2004, from Boston."

Smoltz hasn't closed since 2004 and posted 44 wins from 2005-2007 while making at least 32 starts. But since joining the Red Sox, Smoltz has been hit and hit hard as he is 2-4 with a 7.12 earned run average and a 1.500 WHIP.

As a reliever, Smoltz's K/BB ratio jumps from 2.92 to 5.60. His batting average against drops from .238 to .215. Opponents OBP dips from .296 to .254. Slugging percentages fall to .318 from .363. The WHIP slips from 1.189 to .976 while the K/9 ratio jumps to 9.6 from 7.8.

All of these are tell-tale signs to yours truly that Smoltz needs to return to the 'pen and to the National League.

Jim Hendry, I've done the dirty research work. You make it happen.

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.