Post by Reddington on Feb 3, 2024 15:38:56 GMT -5
Smoltz’s Last Dance, the Braves Pitching 2010 Preview.
Atlanta Baseball fans, we are coming to a close on Smoltz’s career here in 2010, 26 seasons after he was drafted. It looks like possibly the best Braves team ever assembled is ready to take the field, and charge through the season, with the hopes of like Maddux, winning a ring as a retirement present.
The Braves have a legit 5 possible 20 game winners filling out the SP rotation.
Bud Smith has four consecutive 20 win seasons since joining the Braves. A former Cy Young winner and only 30 yrs old, this guy is going to come out and dominate for the Braves. Bud will likely be the Braves number one starter.
Ryan Rupe will be the Braves number two guy. Since joining the Braves four seasons ago he is 87 and 22, and should easily get another 20 win season. At 34 he still has several seasons to go as a stud for the Braves.
Rich Harden is a new comer to the Braves, but he is only 28 and showing the stuff of Bud Smith. He is a former 20 game winner on a decent Senators team, but with the Braves he should easily climb back into that domain. Rich will be either the #2 or #3 guy in the staff lineup.
RA Dicky. RA won 20 games last season, and every time he is given the chance to pitch the last couple seasons all he does is shut down opposing teams and win. If he is given the chance, he can easily win 20 games.
Johns Smoltz. John is getting long in the tooth, and his Cy Young days are behind him, but he is still a dominant pitcher. John has fourteen 20 win seasons, and ten straight at one point in his career. The last three seasons he has reached 19, teasing the fans with the possibility of 20. John is number one or two in every category in the league that matters. 491 wins so far and 100 complete game shutouts. With his age John will be the 5th starter for the Braves, but each game everyone knows he will give the Braves a chance to win.
If anyone goes down the 6th starter would be Brett Myers. Kid is young and will eventually replace Smoltz in the lineup.
In the bullpen the Braves return with possibly the best three relievers of all time on one team. Strickland remains the early setup guy, but at 33, the Braves went out and grabbed Liberatore in the draft to be his eventual replacement.
Late setup man Hanrahan had another phenomenal year last season, going 9 and 1 and a sub 3 ERA. On any other team but the Braves he would be the closer, but he is stuck behind the best closer since Doug Corbett.
Valverde will again come on to close out games for the Braves. Only the second pitcher ever in HOFFBL history to get 50 or more saves in more than one season. Of course the only other was the great Doug Corbett, though Corbett did it three times, and two of them he set and tied his own record with 56. At age 30 Valverde looks to have numerous season left with the Braves.
Say tuned for the second half of this article about who the batters will be to get Smoltz another Ring.
Atlanta Baseball fans, we are coming to a close on Smoltz’s career here in 2010, 26 seasons after he was drafted. It looks like possibly the best Braves team ever assembled is ready to take the field, and charge through the season, with the hopes of like Maddux, winning a ring as a retirement present.
The Braves have a legit 5 possible 20 game winners filling out the SP rotation.
Bud Smith has four consecutive 20 win seasons since joining the Braves. A former Cy Young winner and only 30 yrs old, this guy is going to come out and dominate for the Braves. Bud will likely be the Braves number one starter.
Ryan Rupe will be the Braves number two guy. Since joining the Braves four seasons ago he is 87 and 22, and should easily get another 20 win season. At 34 he still has several seasons to go as a stud for the Braves.
Rich Harden is a new comer to the Braves, but he is only 28 and showing the stuff of Bud Smith. He is a former 20 game winner on a decent Senators team, but with the Braves he should easily climb back into that domain. Rich will be either the #2 or #3 guy in the staff lineup.
RA Dicky. RA won 20 games last season, and every time he is given the chance to pitch the last couple seasons all he does is shut down opposing teams and win. If he is given the chance, he can easily win 20 games.
Johns Smoltz. John is getting long in the tooth, and his Cy Young days are behind him, but he is still a dominant pitcher. John has fourteen 20 win seasons, and ten straight at one point in his career. The last three seasons he has reached 19, teasing the fans with the possibility of 20. John is number one or two in every category in the league that matters. 491 wins so far and 100 complete game shutouts. With his age John will be the 5th starter for the Braves, but each game everyone knows he will give the Braves a chance to win.
If anyone goes down the 6th starter would be Brett Myers. Kid is young and will eventually replace Smoltz in the lineup.
In the bullpen the Braves return with possibly the best three relievers of all time on one team. Strickland remains the early setup guy, but at 33, the Braves went out and grabbed Liberatore in the draft to be his eventual replacement.
Late setup man Hanrahan had another phenomenal year last season, going 9 and 1 and a sub 3 ERA. On any other team but the Braves he would be the closer, but he is stuck behind the best closer since Doug Corbett.
Valverde will again come on to close out games for the Braves. Only the second pitcher ever in HOFFBL history to get 50 or more saves in more than one season. Of course the only other was the great Doug Corbett, though Corbett did it three times, and two of them he set and tied his own record with 56. At age 30 Valverde looks to have numerous season left with the Braves.
Say tuned for the second half of this article about who the batters will be to get Smoltz another Ring.
