"John Smoltz, the veteran righthander who was designated for assignment Friday after eight underwhelming starts with the Red Sox, has cleared waivers, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney. Smoltz, who won 210 games and saved 154 during his stellar 20-year career with the Atlanta Braves, was just 2-5 with an 8.33 earned-run average for the Sox. He was designated for assignment after allowing nine hits and eight earned runs in 3.1 innings during the Red Sox' 13-6 loss to the Yankees Thursday night.
The Red Sox have until this Sunday to release Smoltz, trade him, or send him to the minors. If he is sent to the minors, it probably would be to prepare him to work out of the bullpen in September. He is due to remainder of the $5.5 million, one-year deal he signed in January. There has been speculation that other clubs would be interested in signing the 42-year-old once he cleared waivers, among them the LA Dodgers and Texas Rangers (Boston.com)."
I said it before and I'll say it again, call me crazy, but I think Smoltz is coming back to the Sox. I know there are other teams out there that he could start for, and trust me it makes sense. Still, i think he has too much pride, and doesn't want to leave the Sox this way. I expect him to take the trip to the minors, and start working out as a reliever, so that in September when the rosters expand he can get another shot to prove the Sox right about signing him. I could be way off, but I truly believe that will happen...
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