John Smoltz Leaves Braves: Organization To Blame

My morning routine today started in the same way it always has.  I get up, turn the computer on, I check my Facebook, and my favorite sports news websites.

Little did I know, I would receive the jolt of my sports lifetime when I logged onto ESPN's website.

“John Smoltz Agrees To Contract With Boston Red Sox.” I was immediately heartbroken.  I signed onto the Atlanta news website to confirm, and there it was.

January 8, 2009 now holds significance that I never saw coming.  Sure, I heard all the rumors that it was a possibility. However, I fully trusted GM Frank Wren and team president John Schuerholtz to bring the icon back for the 2009 season.

After all, Smoltz is the face of the franchise. He is the longest tenured Brave, and the only link to the beginning of the 15-year division title streak. Many baseball types, myself included, thought that Smoltz’s career was over after the most recent shoulder injury last season.

The early reports of his throwing program indicated he was ready to come back and play ball again.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for the Braves front office to believe that the future Hall of Famer deserved a contract befitting of a legend.

Indications are that the Braves low-balled Smoltz which led him to this decision.

This is just the latest in an offseason full of peril for the Braves.

The problems started with the six-week long trade discussions for Jake Peavy, continued with A.J. Burnett spurning Atlanta for the Yankees, and it got a lot worse with the botched handling of the Rafael Furcal situation.  Now, it has finally reached its' pinnacle with Smoltz leaving for Boston.

For years, the Atlanta Braves organization was the picture of professionalism and a model franchise.  If you put all of 2008's winter gaffes together, you see a clear picture of front office incompetence.

The spin they placed on the broken down Peavy talks was that the Padres kept coming back to the table wanting more.

All indications were that San Diego desired a top prospect in addition to Yunel Escobar. The ultimate reason the deal never got done—yep you guessed it, Frank Wren.

Why would Wren go after the oft-injured Burnett when Derek Lowe, who surpasses Burnett in every facet of the game, was available for less money?

Burnett’s best seasons have been in contract years. The other years were mostly spent on the disabled list. Lowe has never been on the DL.

Rafael Furcal? Why would the Braves need Furcal?

They have Yunel Escobar at short. Unless you are trying to sign Furcal to move Escobar for starting pitching, it doesn’t make sense.

They tried to sign Furcal to play second base, while leaving Escobar at short.

After seeing everything that has transpired this offseason, I’m not so sure that I completely blame Furcal’s agents for the miscommunication that was alleged in those negotiations.

I’m sensing a pattern of ineptitude coming from the Braves front office. I can forgive one misstep. I can understand not getting every free agent or trade you try to acquire.

When there are multiple occasions, such as this, in a single offseason, it makes one wonder what is really going on.

There’s a reason Frank Wren has not been successful at his other stops. The Braves are finding that out first-hand right now.

He needs to redeem himself by giving Lowe whatever he wants. Then, he needs to trade for a right-handed big bat. Wren has spent next to nothing of the $40 million available to him this winter. It’s time to get started.

Had they gotten started two months ago, the Braves would not only have a formidable pitching staff—they’d still have a legend.

Goodbye John Smoltz! It was fun while it lasted. And it ended much too soon.

Much like the relevance of your former employer.