Hall of Famer Jon Smoltz in Cooperstown | National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum/Facebook
Hall of Famer Jon Smoltz in Cooperstown | National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum/Facebook
Even after all this time, John Smoltz still holds down the No. 1 spot for biggest deal made in Atlanta Braves’ history.
Atlanta acquired Double AA prospect Smoltz over 30 years ago from Detroit for veteran righthander Doyle Alexander.
Smoltz won the 1996 National League Cy Young Award, earned eight All-Star selections and has the distinction of being the only player who was on the 40-man roster throughout Atlanta's run of 14 consecutive division titles.
"While Detroit gained an American League East title from the deal, Atlanta gained a Hall of Fame pitcher, who produced the seventh-highest Baseball Reference WAR (69.6) in franchise history," the team wrote on its website.
Alexander posted a 1.53 ERA and the Tigers won each of the 11 games he started over the remainder of the season.
“Everyone wants to win the trade, and there are many instances when one side can declare itself the undisputed victor,” the Braves wrote. “But the initial exhilaration or dismay a fan base initially feels with the completion of a trade is often tempered over time. Three decades later, there's no doubt the Braves got the better end of the John Smoltz deal.”
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, Smoltz was both a starting pitcher and closer during his time with the Braves.
“My legacy will be however someone wants to view it,” Smoltz once said. “Certainly I’m proud of it. I don’t even know if I have a word for it. I mean, I literally gave everything I had every single time I went out there.”
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