Smoltz back to the Pen?

John Smoltz was just placed on the 15 DL with his nagging shoulder injury something that flared up last season and forced him to miss the All-Star game and has continued to bother him. During spring training, Smoltz started to concentrate on a new way of pitching that would would make him more efficient. And while he was sporting a below 1.00 ERA prior to Sunday's lashing by the Mets, he was still unable to make it passed the fifth inning. So with Smoltz's prior experience in the pen (3 1/2 years) it made sense that when he is activated from the DL he'd head back to the pen. An idea that sounds ok to the soon to be 41 year old right hander.

Sending Smoltz to the pen may not be a bad idea, solving the Braves continued closer question (seriously what's up with Soriano), but what about his open spot in the rotation? Who knows what's up with Mike Hampton, Tom Glavine just came back from his first ever trip to the DL, Tim Hudson is giving me heart palpatations (he pitched 3 innings on Saturday after losing his velocity two starts prior) and I don't trust Chuck James to make him a permanent fixture in the Braves rotation. However, Smoltz's shoulder may make his decision a hell of a lot easier if it continues to flame up after five or less innings.

(Photo: REUTERS)

It's been fun blogging with you,
Kate