Jun 4, 2008 - 2:19 PM
0 shoutsBy Phil Foley PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz needs season-ending shoulder surgery.
Smoltz announced the injury during a news conference held prior to Wednesday's afternoon game against the Florida Marlins.
Smoltz will visit renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews next Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama, where he will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.
The procedure likely will sideline the 41-year-old Smoltz for the rest of the season.
The news is devastating to the Braves, who were counting on the former Cy Young Award winner to stabilize their pitching staff this season. Unfortunately for Atlanta, Smoltz's barking right shoulder had other plans.
"You'll never replace a Hall of Famer," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "You can't do it. But we can put some youngsters in there to help us to win."
A 21-year veteran, Smoltz tried just about everything he could to combat the injury, developing his own pitching regiment in spring training before starting the season on the disabled list.
The righthander returned to make five starts and set another milestone in his outstanding career, becoming the 16th pitcher in baseball history to record his 3,000th strikeout on April 22 against Washington.
However, Smoltz was pulled after four ineffective frames in his next start in New York before beginning another stint on the disabled list. Smoltz said that he didn't return just to reach his strikeout milestone.
"(Getting) 3,000 strikeouts wasn't even in my mind during the first of the year," Smoltz said. "It wasn't the reason I pitched. I got four starts in (and got 3,000). It just happened."
Despite the injury, Smoltz tried to play through the pain, reworking his throwing motion over the next month to change his release point to three-quarters.
Smoltz returned to the Braves as a closer on Monday, allowing two runs to blow a save opportunity against the Marlins. He reportedly woke up the next morning complaining of shoulder pain, which finally won out.
"I battled up to a point where I could make a decision," Smoltz said. "I dealt with enough pain. I have a high tolerance for pain. (Monday when I woke up in pain, it) was an answer to my prayers. At about 6:00, I made up my mind."
The 1996 National League Cy Young winner, Smoltz went 3-2 with a 2.57 ERA this season.
Smoltz will go under the knife to determine the extent of the injury. From there, a plan will be developed, which may sideline the righthander until next spring or beyond.
"If everything were to go good, the reality is that it's going to be spring, early April or early May (of 2009)," Smoltz said. "That will all be determined by my rehab and what (the doctors) say."
The surgery will be the fourth one performed on Smoltz, who missed the 2000 season after undergoing "Tommy John" surgery on his right elbow.
He overcame that injury and moved to the bullpen over the next three seasons to become the Braves' all-time saves leader with 154 saves.
Three years later, a 37-year-old Smoltz defied critics to return to the Atlanta rotation. He led the majors with 50 quality starts over the past two seasons.
Smoltz battled shoulder discomfort last season, "twinging" his shoulder while throwing in the bullpen session before his May 29 start at Milwaukee. He was skipped over in his next turn through the rotation and was placed on the disabled list after his July 3 appearance, but returned 15 days later.
But there will be no such return for Smoltz this season.
"This is a sad day for us in many ways," said Braves general manager Frank Wren, who sat next to Smoltz at the conference. "We don't know the outcome of the surgery, whether it will allow him to come back and pitch, or just allow him to go on with his life."
Smoltz was only 32 when he underwent the ligament replacement procedure in the spring of 2000. Eight-plus years later, the long-time Brave knows that he's facing quite different odds.
"The easy answer would be if I'm 10 years younger and have 10 more years (left in my career)," Smoltz said. "What we're talking about now is not 10 more years. It's more like a year longer."
However, if anyone can overcome the odds, a determined Smoltz will. The righthander formed the nucleus of what will be a Hall of Fame rotation of Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, helping the Braves to 14 consecutive division titles and the 1995 World Series.
Along the way, Smoltz altered baseball's record book. His 15 postseason wins and his 194 strikeouts are the most in baseball history. The eight-time All-Star is the only pitcher in major league history with at least 200 wins and 150 saves.
The most remarkable thing about Smoltz's numbers is that he did it all with one team in an era where players move around chasing the highest dollar.
"My legacy will be however someone wants to view it," said Smoltz, who is 210-147 with a 3.26 ERA and 154 saves. "I'm proud of (playing with the same team my whole career). I gave everything I had every time out there. This has been the time of my life."
