How can John Smoltz possibly help the Red Sox?
Other than, of course, provide the ”veteran leadership” any old fart automatically is rumored to have every time they try to salvage what’s left of their careers.
For 21 seasons, John Smoltz worked for the Atlanta Braves. He started for them, he closed for them and he helped them win a World Series title. Smoltz was as synonymous with the Braves as any player with any major league team.
All that ended when he agreed to terms with the Boston Red Sox. Smoltz thought that he might stay with the Braves for his entire career and do what Tom Glavine, his former teammate, did not.
Instead, at 41, Smoltz switched teams 
and is diving into the passionate world of the Red Sox for the coming 2009 MLB baseball season. If Smoltz passes a physical, he will get a one-year contract for $5.5 million and the chance to earn about $5 million in incentives.
Because Smoltz had major shoulder surgery last June, it is impossible to know how effective he can still be. The Atlanta Braves, who were flooded with pitching injuries last year, did not want to guarantee Smoltz much more than $2 million.
The Red Sox were. Why not? He is after all a former Cy Young Award winner. Of course, they also have to be worried of his age too.
In addition to Smoltz, the Red Sox have signed outfielder Rocco Baldelli as a reserve. The Red Sox hope that Baldelli, whose mitochondrial disorder has been reassessed as channelopathy (which is considered more manageable) will be able to play more than he did with the Tampa Bay Rays last season.
He batted .263 in just 28 games for Tampa Bay. That’s old news to this guy since injuries have limited Baldelli to just 155 games in the last four seasons.
Like Smoltz, Baldelli had spent his entire career with the same team. Baldelli, who is from Rhode Island, acknowledged during the postseason that he did not grow up an ardent Red Sox fan. Now, his new baseball address is Fenway Park.
Smoltz has been a versatile, successful and resilient pitcher the last two decades and will almost certainly join Maddux and Glavine in the Hall of Fame some day. He debuted as a 21-year-old in 1988, helped the Braves win it all in 1995 and went 24-8 with a 2.94 earned run average to win the Cy Young Award in 1996.
Together with Baldelli, the Red Sox are certainly hoping for bigger things this year.
Which team will win the 2009 MLB World Series? SportsBetting.com has the odds.
Tampa Bay Rays 10-1
Boston Red Sox 8-1
New York Yankees 5-2
Want more odds? Visit SportsBetting.com for more baseball betting odds. Want to watch baseball live? Get MLB tickets online now.
NBA Guide