Braves' Smoltz Out For Season

Just when everything was starting to settle down for the Atlanta Braves, a spring training jolt: John Smoltz is out for the season.

The longtime ace has a torn ligament in his right elbow, an injury that will shake up the Braves' Big Three rotation and jeopardize Atlanta's chances for a return trip to the World Series.

"It was pretty painful," Smoltz said Wednesday, three days after lasting only 1 2-3 innings in his lone exhibition outing. "The last few days have been the worst for me. I knew what I had to do."

It was another startling spring setback for the NL champions, who last year lost slugger Andres Galarraga to cancer and closer Kerry Ligtenberg to an elbow injury before opening day.

"We felt we had all the pieces falling nicely into place," general manager John Schuerholz said.

Now, the Braves must figure out how to fill the spot the 32-year-old former Cy Young winner has held since 1988 and hold off the New York Mets in the NL East.

Bruce Chen and Terry Mulholland had been competing for the No. 5 job in the rotation, and this might give both of them the chance to start. Steve Avery also is back on the team, hoping his shoulder heals.

"We think we have the arms in this camp to do it," Schuerholz said. "I think we have enough to win. But if an opportunity presents itself in terms of trade, we'll listen."

Added manager Bobby Cox after an 11-7 loss to Toronto: "Our guys already have it figured out. The other pitchers, they know what they have to do."

Smoltz, on the disabled twice in 1998 and twice again in 1999 because of elbow trouble, will have surgery March 23 by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. Andrews performed the same "Tommy John" transplant surgery on Ligtenberg last year.

The diagnosis of a torn medial collateral ligament came Tuesday night after an MRI exam. Smoltz joined Ligtenberg, Odalis Perez and two minor leaguers as Braves pitchers with the same injury in recent times.

"I've been through so much that in a weird way, this was a relief. I need to get the surgery in order to be able to pitch another good, solid, three to four years," Smoltz said.

"I still enjoy pitching," he added. "If I didn't, this would be a retirement speech. And it definitely is not."

Smoltz was 11-8 with a 3.19 ERA in 29 starts last season. He is 157-113 in his career and has been the Braves' most effective postseason pitcher, going 12-3.

One of those October defeats came last season, when the New York Yankees beat him to finish a World Series sweep. Smoltz helped Atlanta win its only Series championship in 1995, then won the 1996 Cy Young by going 24-8.

"There's nothing that's going to replace having No. 29 on the mound in a big game," said third baseman Chipper Jones, the NL MVP.

Smoltz felt pain in his right elbow Sunday when he allowed three runs and five hits in 1 2-3 innings against Tampa Bay. He threw about 20 knuckleballs, hoping to reduce the stress on his arm.

Prior to the 1998 season, Smoltz had arthroscopic elbow surgery to remove bone chips. He also had arthroscopic elbow surgery in September 1994 to remove a bone spur and chips, and was only 6-10 with a 4.14 ERA in 21 starts.

"He's pitched in a lot of pain for the last couple of years," Maddux said. "When your arm hurts more than it should, it's no fun. You hate your job."

Added Glavine: "Hopefully, it will be just for this year."

Combined, the Big Three has won seven Cy Young Awards: Smoltz (1996), Glavine (1991 and 1998) and Maddux (1992-95). Kevin Millwood joined the rotation last year on a full-time basis and won 18 games.

The Braves went 103-59 last season and won their eighth straight division title despite missing Galarraga and Ligtenberg for the year. Also, All-Star catcher Javy Lopez was sidelined for several months.

"It's going to hurt us, but this club is used to dealing with adversity and injuries," Jones said.

Smoltz will get his salary of $8.5 million this season, with insurance covering almost all of it for the Braves. The team has an option on him for $8 million in 2001.

"I'm going to miss standing in front of my locker, and working out and doing the things I've done for 13 years," he said. "But at the same time, I believe it's going to lengthen my career."

Ligtenberg, whose comeback is progressing nicely, talked with Smoltz about his recovery.

"I told him it's going to be a tough rehabilitation," the reliever said. "There are going to be days when you don't want to do it."

But Smoltz and his teammates were sure they'd be OK.

"I think last year has given us a sense that we know we can do it without our big guns," Millwood said. "I think that gives us a little confidence. Maybe there's a sense that we did it once, we can do it again."

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