 |
 |
|
| | Friday, March 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Just when everything was starting to
settle down for the Atlanta Braves, a spring training jolt: John
Smoltz is out for the season.
The longtime ace has a torn ligament in his right elbow, an
injury that will shake up the Braves' Big Three rotation and
jeopardize Atlanta's chances for a return trip to the World Series.
The diagnosis of a torn medial collateral ligament came Tuesday night after an MRI exam. Smoltz joined Ligtenberg, Odalis Perez and two minor leaguers as Braves pitchers with the same injury in recent times. "I've been through so much that in a weird way, this was a relief. I need to get the surgery in order to be able to pitch another good, solid, three to four years," Smoltz said. "I still enjoy pitching," he added. "If I didn't, this would be a retirement speech. And it definitely is not." Smoltz was 11-8 with a 3.19 ERA in 29 starts last season. He is 157-113 in his career and has been the Braves' most effective postseason pitcher, going 12-3. One of those October defeats came last season, when the New York Yankees beat him to finish a World Series sweep. Smoltz helped Atlanta win its only Series championship in 1995, then won the 1996 Cy Young by going 24-8. "There's nothing that's going to replace having No. 29 on the mound in a big game," said third baseman Chipper Jones, the NL MVP. Smoltz felt pain in his right elbow Sunday when he allowed three runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay. He threw about 20 knuckleballs, hoping to reduce the stress on his arm. Prior to the 1998 season, Smoltz had arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove bone chips. He also had arthroscopic elbow surgery in September 1994 to remove a bone spur and chips, and was only 6-10 with a 4.14 ERA in 21 starts. "He's pitched in a lot of pain for the last couple of years," Maddux said. "When your arm hurts more than it should, it's no fun. You hate your job." Added Glavine: "Hopefully, it will be just for this year." Combined, the Big Three has won seven Cy Young Awards: Smoltz (1996), Glavine (1991 and 1998) and Maddux (1992-95). Kevin Millwood joined the rotation last year on a full-time basis and won 18 games. The Braves went 103-59 last season and won their eighth straight division title despite missing Galarraga and Ligtenberg for the year. Also, All-Star catcher Javy Lopez was sidelined for several months. "It's going to hurt us, but this club is used to dealing with adversity and injuries," Jones said. Smoltz will get his salary of $8.5 million this season, with insurance covering almost all of it for the Braves. The team has an option on him for $8 million in 2001. "I'm going to miss standing in front of my locker, and working out and doing the things I've done for 13 years," he said. "But at the same time, I believe it's going to lengthen my career." Ligtenberg, whose comeback is progressing nicely, talked with Smoltz about his recovery. "I told him it's going to be a tough rehabilitation," the reliever said. "There are going to be days when you don't want to do it." But Smoltz and his teammates were sure they'd be OK. "I think last year has given us a sense that we know we can do it without our big guns," Millwood said. "I think that gives us a little confidence. Maybe there's a sense that we did it once, we can do it again." | ALSO SEE  NL: Down but not outSmoltz's career postseason starts AUDIO/VIDEO   ESPN's Rich Eisen reports from Braves camp on John Smoltz's injury.RealVideo: | 28.8   John Smoltz is relieved to know what lies ahead for him.wav: 76 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Bobby Cox looks forward to getting a healthy John Smoltz back next year.wav: 72 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Leo Mazzone knows Smoltz has a history of pitching with pain.wav: 59 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Tom Glavine says it will be tough not having Smoltz around.wav: 46 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 John Smoltz says he is focused on getting healthy.wav: 84 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Leo Mazzone says he would like to see Steve Avery challenge for Smoltz's spot.wav: 91 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Chipper Jones knows that pitching is the foundation of the Atlanta Braves.wav: 56 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
