In an era where steroids & HGH are rampant around Major League Baseball, the Atlanta Braves' John Smoltz is the only pitcher to win 200 games as a starting pitcher, save 150 games as a closer, and is one of 16 pitchers to at least strike out 3,000 batters in his career. While his 2008 season is over due to season-ending right shoulder surgery, he is 41 years old. While he's not planning to retire, I think he's actually a first ballot MLB Hall of Famer when his name comes up. I believe John's body of work speaks for itself, fans.

Yep. He's a HOFer.

Even if some think he's boarder line you have to take into account his amazing post season numbers. He's been in the playoffs 14 times and has been awesome.

He is a Hall of Famer without a doubt. I am not sure he will be a first ballot guy, but he will be in.

There's nothing borderline about Smoltz. Besides being in the MLB Playoffs 14 times in Atlanta, he also has a World Series ring to boot, circa 1995. I think he'll get in on the first ballot, especially with all the scumbags who were on the "juice", such as a certain someone in San Francisco that ESPN shamelessly shoved down America's throat chasing the home run record, Barry Bonds.

First Ballot.

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You know me like that.

no brainer.

Bigger question to me - what do you think, Steve Avery, first ballot?

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You know me like that.

210 wins, 154 saves, 3000 K's 3.26 ERA

He's a no brainer.

Well one thing you have realize is that the essence of what the Hall of Fame is can only be determined by people who have already been voted into the Hall of Fame, or are voters. I am both, and my perspective on either side of the spectrum comes from the idea that when you have something added in baseball, you have to count what it is as it as, as we talk about "saves".

Now, with John Smoltz, he has a lot of career saves, but what I do is look back on my time with the Machine, and wonder--how many games did I save? I most likely saved over a hundred games as well. You also look at the wins that John Smoltz had. He had over two hundred. I most likely accounted for about the same amount of games, maybe more. So in that regard, yes, he is a Hall of Famer.

But to be on a first ballot, you can't just win and save games to be voted in that easily. You have to have done all the small things, and John Smoltz was never counted on for that. That is unfortunate for him because he was a great pitcher. But he is not a first ballot Hall of Famer.

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Second is better than first when speaking in terms of basemen, and more specifically, me.

If Smoltz is a HOF'er, then so is Burt Blyleven.
What do you think of that Joe, ya prick, ya.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer