Smoltz to Boston...

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John Smoltz, who accumulated 210 victories and 154 saves for the Atlanta Braves over the 21 seasons, is set to sign an offer sheet with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday afternoon, according to sources -- and he is leaving the Braves organization perturbed, after reading comments made by the team's chief executive officer.

Smoltz

Smoltz will earn a $5.5 million base salary with the Red Sox, and can earn up to $5 million in an incentive clause.

Smoltz went to Turner Field on Thursday morning to clean out his locker.

Thursday, Braves CEO Terry McGuirk told the Atlanta Journal Constitution he was surprised Smoltz is signing with the Red Sox.

"John is a great guy. He follows his own head, and I just don't know what's going on with him right now," McGuirk said, according to the report. "We've offered less of a guarantee, but we've offered a substantial guarantee. Coming off an injury like this, we feel like it's the right thing that we should be doing.

"We've offered him a package that would get him in the $10 million range, if he were to pitch a full season and pitch well," McGuirk said, according to the AJC. "For him to walk away from that and to go to another place, I'm just shocked and surprised.

"I read today in something that his agent said the other set of incentives [from the Red Sox] were 'more attainable,'" McGuirk said, according to the report. "If John Smoltz pitches like John Smoltz pitches, I think [what we offered] is attainable. If he's not healthy, it's not going to happen."

Smoltz responded to that, with a statement released through his agent, Lonnie Cooper. "I was going to withhold comment until the announcement of my signing with a new team," Smoltz said, "but I now feel the need to clear up any misconceptions and inaccuracies about the contract negotiations between myself and the Atlanta Braves.

"There were large discrepancies between the offer from the Braves and offers from other teams.

"I have always loved the city of Atlanta, and it will always be my home. I will cherish my 21 years with Bobby Cox and all my Braves teammates. I continue to wish the Atlanta Braves nothing but success in the future."