What did you expect? A perfect game the first game off the DL after having not pitched in almost a year? OK, don’t answer that.

Smoltz had a rough first inning, and that might be kind. He looked like the second coming of Dice-K, pitching around the strike zone and having zero command of his fastball. He gave up four runs before Joe could finish reciting Smoltz’s resume. Didn’t the Natinals know that they were supposed to be an easy task for the great and powerful Smoltz? And then he settled down, got over the first inning jitters and pitched a decent next four innings, including striking out the side in the 5th. The only thing worse than Smoltz’s first inning was Ramon Ramirez’s at bat in the 9th. It was maybe the most embarrassing at-bat I’ve ever seen: flinching at two outside fastballs and whiffing at a pitch above his head.

The real problem in this game wasn’t Smoltz (although, he certainly didn’t meet the OMG!!111 IT’S JOHN SMOLTZ!!! hype), it was the offense curling up into a ball as soon as he gave up four runs in the first. Come one guys, you’ve helped out Dice-K this season when he explodes, you’d think you could do the same with your shiny new pitcher.

So long Natstown, it’s been fun. And I’m sure this one game will give you enough highlights to produce more of those “Defining Moments” videos. Nothing better than beating up on a 42 year old pitcher fresh off the DL!