John Smoltz experienced some shoulder problems last year and pitched through them, without having any corrective surgery. Well, his shoulder discomfort is back, as David O'Brien writes, and you cannot underestimate the potential impact of this for the Braves.
In the immediate future, the question of whether Smoltz can stay healthy will linger, and his status will have a significant impact on the Braves' chances for contending in the NL East. And in the big picture, you have to wonder this: If Smoltz is pitching with a serious shoulder problem, will he be willing to have a surgery and go through rehab and try to come back, or will 2008 be the last season of what has been a Hall of Fame career?
The gut call here is that this would be it for Smoltz, who has kids and other interests outside of the game. Standing in front of his locker in spring training, he spoke about how he had begun to think of his baseball future one year at a time.
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Buster Olney
