Comments on: Braves make very difficult decision on Smoltz, and it’s the right call http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/ Daily Atlanta Braves blogs, news, analysis and discussion Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:06:11 +0000 http://www.today.com/version-2.3.1 By: JJ http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3857 JJ Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:24:33 +0000 http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3857 I say you pay Smoltz what is required even if he doesn't throw a pitch this year. He deserves it. Besides, it isn't like you have anybody else to pay that money to. (Come on Frank, prove me wrong and sign somebody between now and spring training. Anybody. Please.) I say you pay Smoltz what is required even if he doesn’t throw a pitch this year. He deserves it. Besides, it isn’t like you have anybody else to pay that money to. (Come on Frank, prove me wrong and sign somebody between now and spring training. Anybody. Please.)

]]> By: Brad http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3856 Brad Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:20:25 +0000 http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3856 I haven't read this entire blog yet - cause I'm at work and don't have the time for the length - but seriously... if you don't put the emotion in to this game, why even be a fan? Its that people don't put emotion in to the game that has dropped what is used to be (America's past-time) to just another of the professional sports that gets watched on tv from time to time... its that people don't put the emotion in to the game that has made it in to "just a business" when it really isn't. It's a game - it's a competition - it's people using their determination and drive to win a game when they shouldn't be able to, either cause they don't have a better team or because they are injured - but those people go out there, put on their uniform, represent their city and their fans, and give it their all so that they can win the game. No one in the history of Atlanta sports has ever exhibited what this game was about so long ago like John Smoltz has. If you don't think emotion should be a part of this decision, you must not think that John Smoltz has put any emotion in to what he does. If John Smoltz didn't put emotion in to what he did and he didn't want to go out there and win every time he took the mound, do you think he would still be playing? Hell no... dude is hurt. Every pitch he has thrown for the last 7 years or so has been through pain. But what does he do? He posts a sub-3 ERA for the Braves in the games he played last season. He had a huge hand in taking the worst team in the league in 1990 to within 1 run of winning the World Series the next year and he kept fighting year after year after year even after he helped the Braves win a championship in 1995. No one has put more in to this team since the early 90's than John Smoltz and he's done it because of emotion. Why can't the fans put some emotion in to it as well? This is going to sting TRUE Braves fans for as long as possible. If it doesn't sting you, you need to give up the Braves name in your URL and give up your blog and never write about them again. How you can attack John Smoltz for not taking the under offer from the Braves is despicable. $5M for a pitcher of Smoltz caliber is not a risk at all... we just paid Mike Hampton $15M the last 2 seasons each and what did he do? He might have won less games in those 2 years than Smoltz won last season in his injury shortened year. The Braves have $40M to spend this offseason and they haven't spent a dime of it... why the heck aren't they going to pony up and pay the respect to the greatest player the team has seen in its years in Atlanta (Hank Aaron doesn't count, he spent too many years in Milwaukee to qualify). Smoltz did what he had to do because they Braves didn't have it in them to pay him the respect he deserved. I'm not attacking Frank Wren and the Braves here, but I am saying that they let me, and all other TRUE Braves fans, down by not giving Smoltz what he deserves. I don't care if it cost the Braves $10M or $15M, Smoltz deserves it because he is everything that is right about professional sports and Major League Baseball in a time where nothing is right - and right at the top of what is not right about professional sports, is not paying a guy like John Smoltz the respect he deserves. On the other hand, your attacks at Smoltz for not staying with the Braves is what I hate about Atlanta sports fans. I grew up in Atlanta and I hate that we don't support our teams better. I haven’t read this entire blog yet - cause I’m at work and don’t have the time for the length - but seriously… if you don’t put the emotion in to this game, why even be a fan? Its that people don’t put emotion in to the game that has dropped what is used to be (America’s past-time) to just another of the professional sports that gets watched on tv from time to time… its that people don’t put the emotion in to the game that has made it in to “just a business” when it really isn’t. It’s a game - it’s a competition - it’s people using their determination and drive to win a game when they shouldn’t be able to, either cause they don’t have a better team or because they are injured - but those people go out there, put on their uniform, represent their city and their fans, and give it their all so that they can win the game. No one in the history of Atlanta sports has ever exhibited what this game was about so long ago like John Smoltz has. If you don’t think emotion should be a part of this decision, you must not think that John Smoltz has put any emotion in to what he does. If John Smoltz didn’t put emotion in to what he did and he didn’t want to go out there and win every time he took the mound, do you think he would still be playing? Hell no… dude is hurt. Every pitch he has thrown for the last 7 years or so has been through pain. But what does he do? He posts a sub-3 ERA for the Braves in the games he played last season. He had a huge hand in taking the worst team in the league in 1990 to within 1 run of winning the World Series the next year and he kept fighting year after year after year even after he helped the Braves win a championship in 1995. No one has put more in to this team since the early 90’s than John Smoltz and he’s done it because of emotion. Why can’t the fans put some emotion in to it as well? This is going to sting TRUE Braves fans for as long as possible. If it doesn’t sting you, you need to give up the Braves name in your URL and give up your blog and never write about them again. How you can attack John Smoltz for not taking the under offer from the Braves is despicable. $5M for a pitcher of Smoltz caliber is not a risk at all… we just paid Mike Hampton $15M the last 2 seasons each and what did he do? He might have won less games in those 2 years than Smoltz won last season in his injury shortened year. The Braves have $40M to spend this offseason and they haven’t spent a dime of it… why the heck aren’t they going to pony up and pay the respect to the greatest player the team has seen in its years in Atlanta (Hank Aaron doesn’t count, he spent too many years in Milwaukee to qualify). Smoltz did what he had to do because they Braves didn’t have it in them to pay him the respect he deserved.

I’m not attacking Frank Wren and the Braves here, but I am saying that they let me, and all other TRUE Braves fans, down by not giving Smoltz what he deserves. I don’t care if it cost the Braves $10M or $15M, Smoltz deserves it because he is everything that is right about professional sports and Major League Baseball in a time where nothing is right - and right at the top of what is not right about professional sports, is not paying a guy like John Smoltz the respect he deserves. On the other hand, your attacks at Smoltz for not staying with the Braves is what I hate about Atlanta sports fans. I grew up in Atlanta and I hate that we don’t support our teams better.

]]> By: kt790 http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3854 kt790 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:38:57 +0000 http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3854 Bud... What do you make of Chippers comments to the AJC? Bud… What do you make of Chippers comments to the AJC?

]]> By: kt790 http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3848 kt790 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:01:51 +0000 http://braves.today.com/2009/01/08/long-winter-of-discontent-drags-on-for-braves-nation/#comment-3848 While this certainly stinks, and Frank Wren is taking some. I am amazed at the people who say just pay smoltz whatever it takes. I mean we don't even know if he can pitch and if so how much. If the Braves are truly rebuilding then 5 million dollars to hold on to a time gone by probably isn't worth it. And at the end of the day Smoltz gets a pass for signing the contract with the Red Sox. Certainly if he wanted to be a brave he could have been. While this certainly stinks, and Frank Wren is taking some. I am amazed at the people who say just pay smoltz whatever it takes. I mean we don’t even know if he can pitch and if so how much. If the Braves are truly rebuilding then 5 million dollars to hold on to a time gone by probably isn’t worth it. And at the end of the day Smoltz gets a pass for signing the contract with the Red Sox. Certainly if he wanted to be a brave he could have been.

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