Should Smoltz go in the Hall of Fame?

[Jake]

Although I love the Yankees, I've always been a big John Smoltz fan, and I was arguing with friends yesterday about whether or not Smoltz belongs in the HoF. I say that he does, because he has been dominant both as a starter and as a reliever in the closer role, a feat few pitchers have accomplished.

I submit these stats to you for consideration:

Lifetime era= 3.29
163 career wins.
154 saves.
14 career postseason wins.
Besides Eckersley, I can't think of any other pitchers with >150 wins + >150 saves.

6-time all star.
His strikeouts per innings pitched at 7.95 places him 19th alltime.
Short of an injury plagued season and the year he first came up, Smoltzie has never had an ERA over 4.

Smoltzie has been dominant in the postseason and won a Cy Young during the 90s.

I believe that his stats merit his induction into the Hall of Fame upon his retirement(after waiting 6 years of course).

[toopier]

It's Possible, but....

He really only has 3 HOF caliber years, 2 as a starter, 1 as a reliever.
Thats's not to say that every HOFer always has a HOF year......but......

He is 236 saves below Eck right now

[Brooklyn]

I'd take Smoltz on my team any day, but I don't think he is there yet. Three more good seasons, and I think he'll have a good case. If he stays as a closer and can string together three more seasons of 40+ saves and wind up around 300, he'd be looking real good.

He's also expressed his disire to start again. If he gets his wish and can string together 3 seasons of 15+ wins and get over the 200 win mark, the combined resume would be impressive. And with a few 4-5 seasons as a started, he might be able to put a scare in the 3,000 K mark, but that would have him pitching well into his early 40's, a tugh feat.

He just doesn't have the longevity as either a starter of reliever to make it as one or the other, and his combiend stats don't quite look good enough yet.

[Honest Blues]

Yeah,I think so...

First pitcher to both lead his team in wins and saves.Most post-season wins of any pitcher.Yeah I think Smoltzie belongs there eventually.

[cws55]

not quite yet...but after 3 or 4 more years...which im sure he's good for...i thik he'll have the numbers and the intangibles

[Kroxquo]

When Smoltz moved to the bullpen, his stats were remarkably similar to Eckersley's when he made the same move (or had it made for him). I argued then that if Smoltz could put together about 5 or 6 years similar to what Eckersley had done, that he should go in. I think at this point, he's on target, but not there yet.

[J W]

I feel pretty much the same way as several others. See if Smoltz gets to 300 saves first, while maintaining his performance as a closer.

Wouldn't it cement the Braves' case for best rotation ever if Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz make it to the HOF though? How many other teams in history had three HOF pitchers going at once, for several years?

[Eddie Collins]

Not yet, but he is well on his way.

[dgarza]

I would like to think not....but in some ways #s tell me he might with time

[MudvilleMike]

Yes, he should be in the HOF, even if he doesn't have some of the superficial numbers like Wins.

Maddux 16989 batters faced .629 OPS
Smoltz 11066 batters faced .641 OPS
Glavine 15725 batters faced .682 OPS

[micsmith]

After 16 seasons:

Smoltz is 163-121, with 154 saves and 2398 Ks in 2699.2 innings pitched.
Eck was 169-140, with 145 saves and 1938 Ks in 2815.8 innings pitched.

At this stage he looks like he's better than last year's first ballot hall of famer.

[J W]

again, the key is at this stage. As of now, he needs to do more. But the guy really does look like Eckersley.

The big difference there is, Eckersley didn't have anyone as dominant as him when he closed. With the closer's role being more and more defined, and with more people being brought up to be closers, Smoltz has more competition.

Funny though that not only Smoltz, but Eric Gagne began as starters, despite all of them.

[Cougar]

His postseason record is extraordinarily good: 13-4, 4 sv, 2.77 ERA, in 195 innings!

Despite this, I concur with the consensus -- he's not quite there yet. On his way, but needs to do more, either as a starter or a reliever. He needs to hit 200 wins or get about 200 more saves, I'd say. 3000K would help too; realistically, he'd need to start again at least one season successfully to come close.

He's 37. Eck pitched until he was 45. Hard to say if Smoltz can do the same -- he has had much more arm trouble than Eck ever did.

It's revealing that there isn't a truly comparable pitcher out there to him at this point.

[Frank Schilling]

Should John Smoltz go in the Hall of Fame

If Smoltzie can put together a few more good seasons as a starter, he would be in the unprecedented position of going from a dominant starter to a dominant closer and possibly to a dominant starter again. John has a terrific work ethic, is in fine shape, seems not to have elbow problems and most of the Braves have acknowledged in the past that he is the best athlete on the Braves. I say he will end up in the HOF when it's all said and done.

[Windy City Fan]

I'm going with the crowd on this one. Smoltz isn't there yet, but he's on his way. His postseason performance may end up being enough for him, even if he doesn't put up another great HOF caliber season. Who can forget John Smoltz dueling Jack Morris in the World Series?