Boston Red Sox starting pitcher John Smoltz sits alone in the dugout after being removed from the game during the fourth inning of their MLB American League baseball game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York August 6, 2009. Smoltz allowed eight runs on nine hits in the game.    REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES SPORT BASEBALL)

It appears as though the big league career of John Smoltz is over after 21 seasons as the Boston Red Sox announced this afternoon that pitcher John Smoltz has been designated for assignment.

Smoltz has struggled for the most part since being activated by the Red Sox in June. In 8 starts with the club, he was 2-5 with an 8.32 ERA and had given up 5 or more earned runs in his last 4 starts.

Smoltz spent the first 20 years of his career with the Atlanta Braves before signing with the Red Sox during the offseason.

If this is the end of the road for Smoltz, it’s been a heck of a career. He has 212 career wins, 154 saves, a career ERA of  3.32 and 3044 strikeouts.

It’s a shame that didn’t work out for him here in Boston. We were all rooting for him to do well but it just wasn’t meant to be.  There’s no doubt in my mind or the mind of other baseball fans that Smoltz will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Plus with Smoltz being a scratch golfer, there’s a chance we could be seeing him on the PGA Tour or Seniors Tour down the road.