The Sports Idiot

I just raked my own eyes out. Billy Wagner, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, is set to become a Brave. Apparently they have agreed on a one year deal, pending a physical. Wagner is set to make $7million for the 2010 season, with a $6.5million vesting option if dude finishes 50 games.

The move will make it hurt less if either Mike Gonzalez or Rafael Soriano leave via free agency. Like Wagner, who was offered arbitration on Tuesday by the Red Sox, both players have been offered arbitration and are Type-A free agents. K-Ros explains some of what that means in his column, and we will try to give a full breakdown when time permits.

John Smoltz will make his debut for the Boston Red Sox tonight against the Nationals in Washington, D.C.  Get him in your lineup, because there is no reason to believe that he will have trouble with the Nationals.

Go here to read a nice piece by MLB.com’s Ian Browne about Smoltzie.

This weekend the Atlanta Braves were in Boston taking on the Red Sox, and showing that they can compete with the AL’s top teams.  Sure they may have lost two of three to the Sox, but consider that they won 8-2 on Friday, lost a pitcher’s duel in which Josh Beckett threw a complete game shutout on Saturday, and then battled to a 6-5 loss on Sunday.  Now consider the events of the seventh inning in yesterday’s game.

Apparently J.D. Drew struck out to end the inning, only homeplate umpire Bill Hohn decided to extend the at-bat.  After getting ahead in the count 0-2, Braves reliever Eric O’Flaherty laced a fastball threw the zone for what should have been strike three.  Hohn called it low and inside, and then Drew laced the next pitch off the Green Monster plating a run and giving the Sox the lead.  How an umpire can miss a call like that is beyond me.

What happened next is what made me smile, though.  Not only does O’Flaherty get tossed for asking where the pitch was, after being taken out of the game by Bobby Cox, but then Cox gets the business as well.  Add in Chipper Jones, who just went ballistic, and we finally see some fire from the Braves.  This will hopefully carry over into today’s game with the Chicago Cubs, and then the series with the Yankees this week.

The much anticipated debut of John Smoltz in a Red Sox uniform will come next Thursday, June 25th, in Washington, DC against the Nationals.  Of course, that is provided nothing goes drastically wrong during his final rehab start today in Pawtucket.  To make room for Smoltz, the Red Sox will be jettisioning, well, we do not know who they will be demoting from the Bigs to make room for him.  Terry Francona, the Red Sox manager, says that if they need to use a six man rotation then they certanly will.  Problem is, the Major League roster is only 25 men deep, so someone is going to have to disappear for Smoltz to get the nod.

The speculation has been that Brad Penny will be traded to make room for Smoltz, and with some recent developments across baseball (Jake Peavy’s injury, Astros playing too well to move Roy Oswalt to name a few) Penny might just be the best pitcher on the market right now.  Either way, Smoltz will get to make his first start against the worst team in the entire Major Leagues, and should be able to rack up some strikeouts on his way to a solid outing.  Those of us who have had him stashed away should not hesitate to activate and start Smoltz from the get-go.

Hopefully you did not draft John Smoltz this year in your fantasy league.  You were probably like me, and picked him up to stash in one of your Prior List slots.  So now you are beginning to wonder if you have been wasting that spot for a good reason (okay, it is not really wasting it, especially if you have not needed it yet), and when the Great One will be taking the hill for you.  We will soon begin to get those answers, as Smoltz threw three rehab innings yesterday in Augusta, GA.

In those three innings of work, Smoltz have up one hit while striking out two for A Greenville.  As far as we can tell, he is on track for a June return, it is just unclear how early in June that return will be.  The upside with Smoltz crushes any risk in stashing him for a few months, so continue to be patient.  The good news is now that he is actually on the hill pitching, we should start to get some good, solid information on when to expect him back in the Majors.  With the Braves scheduled to visit Fenway for a three game set beginning on June 19th, you can trust that Smoltz will do all in his power to be ready for that series.

I turned on last nights Yankees/Red Sox game just in time to see Jacoby Ellsbury steal home with the bases loaded in the fifth inning.  MLB.com has a nice write up and video of it.  Check.  It.  Out.

Other than an in the park homer run, is there any single play more exciting in baseball than someone stealing home?

Several people were placed on the Prior List yesterday, so here is a quick rundown of a few and the fantasy impact for you:

Daisuke Matsuzaka.  The Red Sox put him on the 15 Day Prior List due to what is being labeled as “arm fatigue”.  This could mean a few spot starts for Clay Buchholz, the top pitching prospect in the Boston system, or it could mean it’s Justin Masterson time as well.  Do not be fooled by them calling up Hunter Jones, and proceed with caution until you know who will get the nod.  Depending on the matchup, either Buchholz or Masterson could be good plays.  It should be noted that Masterson is already in the Majors.

John Smoltz’ Boston Red Sox squared off against the Braves yesterday.  Smoltz, who spent the afternoon golfing with Tiger, stopped by the Braves’ clubhouse to visit.  As expected, there were no fireworks and Smoltz was welcomed by his old teammates with open arms.

Now that it is official, and the dust has somewhat settled, it is time to look at what went down with John Smoltz.  Hit the jump for more. Continue reading ‘The John Smoltz Rundown’