Should the Atlanta Braves consider using John Smoltz as the teams closer?
That would be a difficult decision to make. The question is whether or not he would be better off as a starter throwing 130 pitches a game or a closer throwing 15 pitches every day or every other day. A very good starting pitcher, which Smoltz was, is more valuable to a team than a closer. If he is unable to be the Smoltz of old, he may be more help to the Braves in the closer’s role. But no one knows if being a closer would have more or less wear and tear on his arm. A closer may have to pitch three days in a row, or three out of four days, or four out of five days. Would that cause more fatigue than throwing 130 pitches every fifth day? It may not bother a normal closer to pitch frequently. However, a longtime starter like Smoltz who moves into a closer’s role may not adjust so easily. When was the last time you saw a better 1-2 combination of power pitchers than Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling? When Nolan Ryan and J.R. Richard pitched together briefly in Houston in 1980, they were
