The Atlanta Braves right-hander, who had season-ending shoulder surgery on June 10, will be part of the TBS team of broadcasters for the network's postseason coverage.
Smoltz
Smoltz will work as an analyst for TBS after spending time this season in the broadcast booth for Braves games on the TBS-owned Peachtree TV. The network announced its broadcast team for the playoffs on Thursday.Smoltz, an in-studio guest analyst for TBS during the 2007 playoffs, will work at games this postseason. He holds major league records with 15 victories and 194 strikeouts in the postseason.
If there is a dream postseason assignment for Smoltz, he mentioned the possibility of covering his friend and former teammate, Greg Maddux, who is now pitching for the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
"It would be very interesting," Smoltz said before laughing and adding, "I would feel like I'd be adequate to talk about him."
TBS has the rights to the four division series and the American League championship series. Smoltz said he has had discussions with TBS "for a while."
"It's more for the viewers than anything else, trying to give them an inside view," Smoltz said of his role. "Nothing else. I'm just approaching it like it's an ongoing interview. I'm not afraid to make mistakes."
Chip Caray, one of the network's play-by-play announcers, said the challenge for Smoltz will be to separate himself from his clubhouse loyalties.
"He's got a great personality, he knows the game," Caray said. "He's going to be talking about people he's played with and played against. The real challenge for a player is to be open and honest about his contemporaries."
Smoltz, the 1996 NL Cy Young Award winner, is the only pitcher in major league history with 200 wins and 150 saves. He has acknowledged he is not certain he'll be able to return from his fifth arm surgery, including four to his right elbow.
In the meantime, Smoltz says he has enjoyed his work in the broadcast booth.
"It's a great opportunity as a player to do something in a game that I love," he said. "And I love that first do-or-die (division) series. If I weren't doing it, I'd watch it."
If Smoltz returns to the Braves in 2009, he'll get to work with the same coaches.
The team announced Thursday that all six members of manager Bobby Cox's staff will return next year. The staff includes bench coach Chino Cadahia, first base coach Glenn Hubbard, pitching coach Roger McDowell, hitting coach Terry Pendleton, bullpen coach Eddie Perez and third base coach Brian Snitker.
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