Baseball: BASEBALL: Smoltz keeps going strong

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -- John Smoltz is answering those who doubted he could return to the starting rotation at the age of 37.

Smoltz pitched five shutout innings and Andruw Jones and Ryan Langerhans hit home runs to lead the Atlanta Braves over the St. Louis Cardinals 9-0 Monday.

Smoltz allowed four hits and was helped by three double plays. The Braves' closer the last three seasons has allowed only nine hits in 14 scoreless innings this spring.


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Smoltz is one heck of a pitcher.

My question is, is he durable enough? He's had numerous injuries the past few years and now he's going from pitching one inning a game as the closer to approx 5-8 innings per appearance in the rotation.

That Braves staff looks really strong this year.

T Hudson
J Smoltz
M Hampton
H Ramirez

They got Danny Kolb from the BrewCrew to replace Smoltz in the closer's role.

Does it matter? Atlanta will probably still win the darn division!

He didn't exactly have a great start in comming back as a starting pitcher did he?

No, the Marlins roughed him up pretty well.

Looks like Smoltz is proving a few people wrong.. He has put up decent numbers after a rocky start..