John Smoltz -- if he's done right now -- is he Cooperstown-bound?
| Yes, and he deserves it |  101 (81.45%) |
| No, but he should be | 13 (10.48%) |
| No, and he doesn't deserve to be | 3 (2.42%) |
| Yes, but he shouldn't be | 7 (5.65%) |
124 votes | 3 featured comments
If he is in fact finished, and Glavine and Maddux call it quits at the end of this year - there is the awesome possibility that they'll be inducted together.
More likely scenario: Smoltz will try to come back and will pitch a least a little in 2009. And so will Maddux, who seems to have so much fun playing the game that he might happily continue as long as he can stay around Replacement Level.
More likely scenario: Smoltz will try to come back and will pitch a least a little in 2009. And so will Maddux, who seems to have so much fun playing the game that he might happily continue as long as he can stay around Replacement Level.
It will be interesting, but I think he deserves it and I think he'll get the votes. I've gone back and forth on both though.
From a "getting the votes" perspective - he doesn't have the sexy counting #s (wins or saves). However, I think getting the 3000th K this year gives him that big shiny number.
From a deserves it perspective - a 127 ERA+ is 50th career. Given his tenure, that's very good. The K/9 and K/BB are excellent for his career.
I think it comes down to who do you see Smoltz like - is he Kevin Brown or Dennis Eckersley ? I've never thought of Brown as a HoF and Eck is already in there. If you think of Kevin Brown as a HOF, then I think you have to see Smoltz in there.
Brown had 211 wins, 3256 IP, 901 BB, 2397 K, and 127 ERA+, 0 saves.
Smoltz had 210 wins, 3395 IP, 992 BB, 3011 K, 127 ERA+, 154 saves.
Eck had 197 wins, 3285 IP, 738 BB, 2401 K, 116 ERA+, 390 saves.
Eck seems to have the best K:BB, BB/9, and saves. Smoltz has the best K/9. Brown and Smoltz have the ERA+. Wins are pretty much a wash across the board.
By the way - I've never analyzed Brown as a Hall of Famer - it's just that hearing Kevin Brown and Hall of Fame in the same sentence just didn't seem to sound right. Looking at this, his case might be a bit better than I thought.
From a "getting the votes" perspective - he doesn't have the sexy counting #s (wins or saves). However, I think getting the 3000th K this year gives him that big shiny number.
From a deserves it perspective - a 127 ERA+ is 50th career. Given his tenure, that's very good. The K/9 and K/BB are excellent for his career.
I think it comes down to who do you see Smoltz like - is he Kevin Brown or Dennis Eckersley ? I've never thought of Brown as a HoF and Eck is already in there. If you think of Kevin Brown as a HOF, then I think you have to see Smoltz in there.
Brown had 211 wins, 3256 IP, 901 BB, 2397 K, and 127 ERA+, 0 saves.
Smoltz had 210 wins, 3395 IP, 992 BB, 3011 K, 127 ERA+, 154 saves.
Eck had 197 wins, 3285 IP, 738 BB, 2401 K, 116 ERA+, 390 saves.
Eck seems to have the best K:BB, BB/9, and saves. Smoltz has the best K/9. Brown and Smoltz have the ERA+. Wins are pretty much a wash across the board.
By the way - I've never analyzed Brown as a Hall of Famer - it's just that hearing Kevin Brown and Hall of Fame in the same sentence just didn't seem to sound right. Looking at this, his case might be a bit better than I thought.
In terms of "getting the votes", I think Smoltz's sparkling postseason record clinches it in the eyes of many writers.