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...
doubted everybody people proved rookies transition
This is for everyone who doubted us. People said I couldn't make the transition back to starting. People said we had too many rookies again. But we proved everybody wrong. This is really something to celebrate.
coming dealing dream great hard imagine left possible realize reason rookies seeing spring time training truly
The reason why we're seeing such a great celebration is we realize how hard we've worked, ... This truly is a dream season. I didn't think it was possible in May. I didn't think it was possible from the time we left spring training with all the things we were dealing with. I mean, who could imagine 12 rookies coming up here at different times?
baseball single strange ways
In baseball history, it'll never be done again, ... We did it in such strange ways every single year.
biggest game knew start time waited
I knew the first inning was going to be my biggest inning, ... I waited a long time to start a game of this magnitude. When I got through the first inning, that was the biggest test.
handled himself last liked saw since
I like him a lot. I've liked him ever since I saw the way he handled himself after what he went through last year.
coming knew
I knew coming into this, ... that things like this were possible.
energy hall interested suited ticket
I'm really not interested in this being a ticket to the Hall of Fame, me being a closer, ... My energy is better suited to starting.
concerned five standard
I'm more concerned about the five of us getting it right. We're the momentum. It has nothing to do with the bullpen. We have to be able to set the standard each day.
ball bat eighth erase flew flying ugly
The ball was flying today. Certainly, for us in the ninth, thankfully, it flew with Chipper's bat and Andruw's. That, hopefully, will erase what was an ugly eighth inning.
describe kid prepare word
It's really been amazing, ... That's the only way to describe it. There's no other word to describe what we're doing. They prepare each kid that's come up here in a way that not a lot has to be taught.
fastball good
The fastball is as good as it's ever been with location.
year
I'm going to look back on my year and say, 'There wasn't much I could do in my losses,' ... That's the way it goes.
great might seem
I'm going to have a great year. I really am. I know it might not seem like it after the first two starts, but I will.
accomplish catch pitch team trying win year
I'm going to go into the year not trying to accomplish anything. I'm not trying to win all my games. I'm not trying to do anything other than go out there and play catch and pitch and keep the team in it as long as possible.