Proceed With Caution

John Smoltz was designate for assignment by the Red Sox today ending the disastrous experiment. Signing Smoltz was a terrible decision to begin with. I don't understand why teams go after these older veterans at the end of their career who have nothing left. The White Sox signed Griffey, that failed. The Red Sox signed Smoltz, that failed. The Phillies have signed Pedro, and surely that will fail as well. Being a hall of fame pitcher should not guarantee you get a roster spot. It was very naive of the Red Sox to sign Smoltz, as his downfall was obvious. The idea of signing an old wise veteran is very appealing to teams. However, if they have nothing left and can not be effective they should not be signed. Especially, by a contending team like the Sox or the Phillies. The media loved the Smoltz signing. They said he would be a great influence on the younger pitchers and was a great big game pitcher. They ignored the fact that his skills had eroded considerably. If an older player with a big name is floating on the market, teams need to makes sure he can still be effective before going after him.