John Smoltz

Smoltz won't be ready to return until May or June after labrum shoulder surgery last June. At age 42, the odds are against him returning to his prior form, but Smoltz defied normal aging patterns with high strikeout rates and good control in his late 30s after two reconstructive elbow surgeries. He signed with Boston in the offseason and playing for the Red Sox will help his win totals if he's a starter, but we wouldn't rule out him being used in relief.

Even at age 40, Smoltz enters 2008 as Atlanta's ace and one of the top pitchers in the NL. He showed no signs of slowing down as he struck out 8.6 batters per nine innings - his most as a starter since 1998 - and has improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio each of the last two seasons. It was only three years ago the Braves seemed to be taking a gamble on moving him back into the rotation from the bullpen over concerns over his elbow (two reconstructive surgeries). While those injury worries have faded, he has a lot of mileage. While the Braves may skip a start here and there to keep him fresh, all the numbers show he can continue to be one of the best starters in the NL for at least another season.

Smoltz defied his age and his injury history to post his second consecutive stellar season since returning to the Atlanta rotation. Smoltz's 2005 season ended with a shoulder injury that put his 2006 somewhat it doubt. But he rehabbed the injury in the offseason and didn't experience any problems during the year. There hasn't been any talk of moving him back to the bullpen to save wear on an elbow that's been through two reconstructive surgeries. Instead, he seems to be as good as ever as a starter as he increased his strikeouts 23 percent per inning over 2005 while lowering his K:BB ratio. The Atlanta bullpen also blew six games in which Smoltz left with the lead. Despite worries about his age (he'll turn 40 in May) and oft-injured elbow, all the numbers say Smoltz will remain one of the best starters in the N.L. for at least another season.

Smoltz's return to the rotation was a success as he avoided problems with his surgically-repaired elbow and pitched 229 innings. Smoltz was as good as his heyday as a starter with an outstanding 169/53 K/BB ratio. However, Smoltz did run out of gas at the end of the season and would not have been able to pitch in the playoffs after his first start due to a sore shoulder had the Braves not been eliminated. Despite the shoulder problem and concern of wear on his 39-year-old body, there's been no talk this offseason of moving him back to the bullpen. There's always an outside chance he could go back to the closer role if he runs into a significant injury, but he'll remain the ace of the rotation. Watch news on his shoulder this spring, but there's every reason to think he can duplicate last season's numbers, with considerable injury risk.

With the acquisition of Danny Kolb, Smoltz will finally move back to the rotation. His fantasy value will take a hit, but he's likely to return to being one of the NL's best starters so long as his surgically-repaired throwing elbow holds up. If Kolb struggles or Smoltz has health issues, it wouldn't surprise if he heads back to the bullpen. Should he return to closing, he's one of the best in the game with dominant strikeout stuff and stamina that allowed him to record 15 saves in which he pitched more than one inning.

While Eric Gagne won the Cy Young award, people forget that Smoltz was matching him save for save before missing the last month of the season due to a sore right elbow. Smoltz proved that he's among the league's best in the closer role with amazing control (8 walks in 64 1/3 innings) and a solid strikeout rate. Smoltz had offseason surgery to clean scar tissue in his right elbow and should be fine by spring training, but his elbow is a worry since he had reconstructive surgery not too long ago. Despite talk that he may want to move back to the rotation, the Braves want to keep him in the closer role and he's a solid bet for 30+ saves.

In his first full season as the Braves closer, Smoltz set the NL record for saves and proved he could be among the best in baseball at the job. After a few struggles with the role early in the season – including an outing where he gave up eight runs in 2/3 of an inning on April 5 - Smoltz settled into the regular work of the closer role and posted a 1.42 ERA after the All-Star break. The only question about Smoltz for 2003 is his desire to move back to the starting rotation. Even though the closer job seems to suit him – and his surgically repaired right elbow – well, Smoltz was quoted several times last season about his preference to be a starter. Given his success it's unlikely he'll move back to the rotation, but it remains a slight risk. Still, he's as good a bet as any for 35+ saves next season.