John Smoltz

John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967 in Detroit, Michigan) is a Major League Baseball player. While he is predominantly known as a starter and former Cy Young Award winner, in 2001 he became a closer. In 2002 he became only the second pitcher in history to have both a season with 20 wins and a season with 50 saves in his career (the other was Dennis Eckersley). Smoltz is also one of only two pitchers with 150 wins and 150 saves (again, the other is Dennis Eckersley)). Smoltz throws a four-seam fastball that tops out in the low- to mid-90s, a 91MPH slider that has long been considered one of the best in the league, and a 92MPH split-finger fastball that he uses as a strikeout pitch. He mixes in a curveball on occasion as well.

Best years

In 1989, Smoltz gave the first of what would be many exceptional seasons at the Major League level. In 29 starts, he recorded a 12–11 record and 2.94 ERA while pitching 208 innings. Together with teammate Tom Glavine, who also pitched a break-out year in 1989, there was plenty of reason for optimism about the future of Atlanta's pitching staff.

Related Topics:
1989 - Tom Glavine

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Smoltz made his first of many postseason appearances in 1991, pitching well in a losing cause. Over his postseason career, he has a 12-4 record and 2.72 ERA as a starter (14-4 overall). He has more postseason career wins than any other player in history. The Braves won the World Series in 1995 – but with little help from Smoltz, who had the worst postseason of his career.

Related Topics:
1991 - World Series - 1995

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Before the 1993 season the Braves signed renowned control pitcher Greg Maddux, completing what many consider to be the most accomplished starting trio ever assembled on a single Major League team. During the period of 1991 to 1998, Smoltz, Maddux and Glavine won 7 National League Cy Young Awards (6 with Atlanta – Maddux won in 1992 with the Chicago Cubs). All three are strong possibilities for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Maddux being a near certainty.

Related Topics:
1993 - Greg Maddux - 1991 - 1998 - Cy Young Award - 1992 - Chicago Cubs - Baseball Hall of Fame

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Smoltz's best personal year came in 1996, when he went 24–8 with a 2.94 ERA and 276 strikeouts. He won the National League Cy Young with 26 of the 28 first-place votes.

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Adjustments to convert Smoltz from a starter to a closer began in 2001 after several seasons of increased fatigue and fewer innings pitched, culminating in Tommy John surgery after the 1999 season. In his first full season as a closer, in 2002, Smoltz broke the National League saves record with 55 saves (the previous record was 53; Eric Gagne would equal Smoltz's new record the next year). While he posted fewer saves in a season abbreviated by injury in 2003 with 45, Smoltz posted a minuscule 1.12 ERA – 8 ERs in 64.3 innings pitched.

Related Topics:
2001 - Tommy John surgery - 1999 - 2002 - Eric Gagne - 2003 - ER

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In 2005, Smoltz returned to the starting rotation. The change in roles came as a result of the Atlanta Braves losing starting pitchers Paul Byrd to the Anaheim Angels, Russ Ortiz to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jaret Wright to the New York Yankees, and the acquisition of reliever Danny Kolb, who was the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2003 to 2004 -- even though Kolb has been ineffective and has since lost the closer role to Chris Reitsma. Smoltz had also lobbied for a return to the rotation since his conversion to closer, citing evidence by his doctors that starting games would be less stressful on his pitching arm.

Related Topics:
2005 - Atlanta Braves - Paul Byrd - Anaheim Angels - Russ Ortiz - Arizona Diamondbacks - Jaret Wright - New York Yankees - Danny Kolb - Milwaukee Brewers - 2003 - 2004 - Chris Reitsma

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Smoltz's revived career as a starter began inauspiciously. He allowed six earned runs in only 1 2/3 innings--matching the shortest starts of his career--as the Braves were blown out on Opening Day by the Florida Marlins. Because of poor run support, Smoltz would lose his next two decisions despite pitching well. After these initial difficulties, things would fall into place. At the All-Star break, Smoltz was 9-5 with an ERA of 2.68, better than his career average. As a result, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa selected Smoltz as a member of the 2005 NL All-Star team. Smoltz gave up a solo home run to Miguel Tejada in the second inning of the American League's 7-5 victory and received the loss. He is 1-2 in All-Star games, putting him in a tie for the most losses.

Related Topics:
Florida Marlins - St. Louis Cardinals - Tony La Russa - Miguel Tejada

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