Smoltz gets a 5 star rating for his career, but he is currently struggling mightily with the Red Sox. I'd give him a 3 star rating right now, but I'll drop him to 2 for turning on the Braves and signing with the oh-so-trendy Red Sox. I don't hate the guy, but the more he struggles in Boston, the happier I'll be.

On a whole, John Smoltz's career gets a 5 but too often in recent memory, he basically gets paid millions to have surgery and make minor league rehab starts for a living. Anyway, I have a lot of respect for the great veteran pitchers who can come back from injury and do good like Randy Johnson but Smoltz should hang it up.

He might be finished, which is too bad, because he still has that burning desire to compete.  A truly great pitcher, a rare combination of power and finesse.  And a real gamer: he didn't have to go to the bullpen years back, but did so for the sake of helping his team the best way he could.  Left his ego and self-centered goals at the door.  I hope he can make it back, because it was always entertaining to watch him pitch.  My rating is based on his likely ability at present.

One of the best pitchers I've ever seen.

Always been one of the best.

GREAT pitcher.

One of the most intense competitors in the game today. He is a good person and does a lot of charity work. He is a very good golfer also. In fact he could be a pro golfer if he wanted to do that but thank goodness he pitches for my Atlanta Braves!!!

UPDATE: 3/12/09 Well...he is no longer a Brave but I'm still one of his biggest fans. He will go to the Hall of Fame as a Brave even though he will pitch for the Red Sox this year...

I think John Smoltz is one of the best pitchers playing right now. I also admire the fact that he's a Christian and he stands up for his beliefs.

After a rough start he's proven he can still throw. He's a team leader, without him in the clubhouse the Braves would be in last place, but then again so would the first place team in the WEST. NL EAST is the toughest division in baseball.

Best big game pitcher alive PERIOD

he's a good pitcher, but he's starting to age.

I don't understand why he wants to become a starter at his age. He was phenomenol when he was converted as a closer. It's gonna be interesting to see how the Braves will do once he starts.

Nice closer, although he struggled at the beginning of the season.

Everyone is so high on Gagne or whatever his name is. But had Smoltz not wanted to do what he could to make sure he was in the right physical condition for the playoffs then Smoltz would have ended the year with a better ERA and number of saves. Causing him to win the Cy Young award. With him healthy once again this year and not so much firepower behind him look for him to set the single season saves record.

Look at this man's intensity. It causes him pain to lose.Great, although nothing like Gagne.

One of the numerous greats in the Hot-Lanta Braves pitching staff, Smoltz has been great for many seasons. Proving his range, he was a closer this year, after being a starter many years before that. He has a good ratio of strike-outs. Even more, he isn't that bad a batter and has been known to hit a home run or two!

Closers in general are overrated. He is only good because he is used to going 6 or 7 innings and has well over enough stamina to go one or two. His stuff is very good, but as a starter he was humbled by the likes of Maddux, Glavine, Johnson, Clemens and others. His fastball is good, and he throws harder now. His splitter is the best I've ever seen, and his slider is good. He has great control but has been outpitched by many others of his era. He's like Mike Mussina. He just won't be remembered. Not as a starting pitcher at least.

Pathetic compared to Eric Gagne.

overated

He has converted 69 of 71 saves opps. Not only can he get k's, and although he wants his SP position back, there is no reason. Save after save and gets the job done.

John Smoltz is way better than any reliever or closer I've ever seen by a large margin ,no questions asked