John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz, nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke," is an American former baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time All-Star, Smoltz was one of a celebrated trio of starting pitchers, along with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, who propelled Atlanta to perennial pennant contention in the 1990s, highlighted by a championship in the 1995 World Series. He won the National LeagueCy Young Award...
against game head hear high likes played player plays regard respect talk uniform wear
I respect him as a player that I've played against about as much as anybody. That's a high regard when you talk about the likes of who I've played against. He plays the game right, plays with his head and you never hear anything about him bad. I think he's going to wear our uniform about as well as most have.
famous followed ingrained player score
It's just ingrained into a player now. It's more famous here than anyplace else in the world, ... The only thing about it here is it's followed by, 'Let's score some runs!'
deal game gone history incredible joey player
Joey Devine has such an incredible upside. I don't know any player in the history of the game that has gone through what he did. His personality will deal with it.
change coaches credit future game kids nine players playing respecting room seen teach ways
For the most part, we've had change of nine to 10 to 12 players every year, so there's always room to play for the future of the Braves, ... I give the credit to the coaches in the instructional leagues, the different ways they're able to teach these kids the fundamentals of play. Playing the game is one thing. They've done that all their life. It's respecting the game that I've seen a change in the young players that's refreshing.
basically bulk certainly compete depended few great level mistakes overcame past players rely superstars talent undoing work
Certainly we can't rely on past formulas. Basically we depended on superstars to do the bulk of the work, but now that work has to be done by many players or we're not going to be able to compete at the level we're used to. In the past the talent of a few great players overcame our inefficiencies, but those mistakes were our undoing in the postseason.
basically bulk certainly compete depended few great level mistakes overcame past players rely superstars talent undoing work
Certainly we can't rely on past formulas, ... Basically we depended on superstars to do the bulk of the work, but now that work has to be done by many players or we're not going to be able to compete at the level we're used to. In the past the talent of a few great players overcame our inefficiencies, but those mistakes were our undoing in the postseason.
fortunate games guys last three
We're fortunate that more guys in the last three games didn't have (injuries) happen.
certain changing everybody game harder people
When you're used to doing something a certain way, I think changing is a lot harder than people think. Everybody is going to have their opinions, but he's just going to have to go through it. Really, it comes down to him making certain changes. This game is a game of adjustments.
help innings rest seven sustain throw
Ultimately, I did what I wanted to do. If I can throw seven innings the rest of the way and we sustain this lead, it's going to help me a lot.
absolutely bad credit deserve falsely game greatest guy hold lesser onto somebody until words
The only way it?s bad for the game is if a guy is falsely accused. That?s bad. To be thought lesser than your talent, lesser than what you deserve to get credit for because of what somebody wrote, that?s the greatest travesty. That?s why you should hold onto people?s words as long as you can, until you absolutely know the truth.
felt few heads innings mess next room trying
I was trying to mess with their heads a little bit. I felt like if I could get through the first inning doing that, that the next few innings could give me some room for fastballs -- even right down the middle.
beat certainly game hooked last thoughts time
My thoughts are I better be on my game. I think Game 4, the last time we hooked up in the World Series, he certainly was on his, and he beat us.
achieve trying
My whole career, it's never been about trying to achieve something like this, ... It's who I am.
contain fun games latter learned
The anticipation is what kills me, ... I have more fun in these games than I have in any game I pitch. The issue's going to be will I be able to contain that adrenaline. I learned how to do that in my latter years.