Friday, February 24, 2006
Smoltz taking new approach
02/17/2006
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- During each of his 20 previous trips to Spring Training, John Smoltz remembers being the guy who wanted to prove he was ready to throw four innings on the first day of camp.
A little older and a little wiser, he's entering this year's camp with a determination to prolong a newfound sense of patience, one that he hopes will allow him to remain healthy and strong throughout the entire season.
"I'm just looking to have a blast and do the things that come naturally instead of pressuring every single thing," Smoltz said. "I'm a hard whip on myself. I'll still have that drive, but it won't be at the sake of proving something. I really don't have anything else to prove."
As Smoltz threw off the mound during the first workout for Braves' pitchers and catchers on Friday afternoon, he did so without the pressure of having to prove his shoulder is healthy or that he's capable of duplicating last year's success as a starter.
Smoltz's plan is to pace himself as he prepares for his 18th season as a big leaguer. While proving critics wrong during his successful conversion from the closer's role back into the starting rotation last year, he went through a dominant stretch in which his stubborn determination left his right arm dead by the time the postseason had arrived.
Using sheer will power and working with a fatigued right shoulder that had depleted a healthy portion of his arm strength, Smoltz continued his October wonders by notching his postseason-record 15th win in Game 2 against the Astros in the National League Division Series.
It didn't matter that the Braves' postseason run would end three days later. That victorious seven-inning effort signaled the end for Smoltz. He knows he likely wouldn't have been able to throw again the rest of the postseason.
Thus, after notching 14 wins, completing 229 2/3 innings and tossing three complete games, Smoltz was forced to look back on his impressive season and wonder if he'd navigated the course in the most intelligent manner.
"What I'd rather do is have that ability to turn it up at the end of the year," Smoltz said. "Last year, I could only do it one game. That was very frustrating, to the point where I said, 'I can't let this happen again.'"
Had John Thomson, Mike Hampton and Tim Hudson not all been on the disabled list at the same time most of June and July, Smoltz might not pushed himself to the point that he totaled 94 1/3 innings during those two months.
Then again, had that stubborn determination not prevailed, the Braves likely wouldn't have won a record 14th consecutive division title. It's Smoltz's competitive fire and desire to push his body to the limits that has allowed him to win a Cy Young Award, become October's most successful hurler and be dominant both as a starter as a closer.
That intense desire could also be the cause of his many arm ailments. He's had his elbow surgically repaired four times. Fortunately for Smoltz and the Braves, last year's shoulder discomfort was gone after two months of rest.
While Braves general manager John Schuerholz says Smoltz "is still our stud," the veteran right-hander, who celebrates his 39th birthday in May, believes it's time for Hudson to be viewed as the staff ace and the man responsible for carrying the load for the rotation.
"I'm not going to be the guy who leads the team in innings this year unless something crazy happens," Smoltz said. "I've told you guys that Hudson is the anchor in this rotation. He's in a class by himself when you look at his record and his statistics. I just want to give us that presence in the postseason and down the stretch, when our division matters the most."
Hudson, who admits he was disappointed with the 14-win season he provided the Braves last year, welcomes the responsibility.
"I'll gladly do it," Hudson said. "[Smoltz] did it last year. Maybe it will take a little pressure off him, make him feel like he doesn't have to carry the load like he did last year. It would be nice to help him out."
While manager Bobby Cox gave Smoltz several opportunities to take a few extra days of rest or possibly skip a few starts last year, the veteran hurler never allowed himself to take advantage.
Obviously, the Braves are pleased to hear Smoltz say he's entering Spring Training determined to be a little wiser and more cautious this season. But this isn't something they can force on him. They can only hope that he maintains this mindset as long as possible.
"You don't force that on anybody, especially a veteran of his stature and with his success," Schuerholz said. "They have to be the ones that understand what they can and can't do, should and shouldn't do."
During the offseason, Smoltz heard an accomplished veteran golfer say that if you want to play at a slower pace that specific day, you have to begin by getting up slowly, brushing your teeth slowly and taking your time on the way to the course.
The message hit home with the often-excitable Smoltz, and he's applied this approach to his preparation for the season. He didn't throw as much in the offseason as he did in the past and attempted to be much less aggressive during his time on the golf course.
During those instances when he almost always would have attempted to go for the green in two on a Par 5, he found himself laying up and taking a more conservative approach toward the pin. He's hoping that he once again takes the smarter, more conservative approach when he gets the urge to regularly blow 95 mph fastballs by hitters.
"I'm always thinking outside the box to be better," Smoltz said. "Now I just want to do it and enjoy it."
Had Smoltz agreed to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, he knows he wouldn't have been able to harness his aggression. But he's hoping that he can still show this patience when Grapefruit League games begin in March.
Then when the season begins, he plans to once again display his aggression and know when he needs to harness it. Getting a little extra rest or possibly skipping a start will allow him the opportunity to be at his best when the Braves need him the most.
"I'm going to be doing all the things that you have to do," Smoltz said. "But I'm going to take time to enjoy what I am doing, too."
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- During each of his 20 previous trips to Spring Training, John Smoltz remembers being the guy who wanted to prove he was ready to throw four innings on the first day of camp.
A little older and a little wiser, he's entering this year's camp with a determination to prolong a newfound sense of patience, one that he hopes will allow him to remain healthy and strong throughout the entire season.
"I'm just looking to have a blast and do the things that come naturally instead of pressuring every single thing," Smoltz said. "I'm a hard whip on myself. I'll still have that drive, but it won't be at the sake of proving something. I really don't have anything else to prove."
As Smoltz threw off the mound during the first workout for Braves' pitchers and catchers on Friday afternoon, he did so without the pressure of having to prove his shoulder is healthy or that he's capable of duplicating last year's success as a starter.
Smoltz's plan is to pace himself as he prepares for his 18th season as a big leaguer. While proving critics wrong during his successful conversion from the closer's role back into the starting rotation last year, he went through a dominant stretch in which his stubborn determination left his right arm dead by the time the postseason had arrived.
Using sheer will power and working with a fatigued right shoulder that had depleted a healthy portion of his arm strength, Smoltz continued his October wonders by notching his postseason-record 15th win in Game 2 against the Astros in the National League Division Series.
It didn't matter that the Braves' postseason run would end three days later. That victorious seven-inning effort signaled the end for Smoltz. He knows he likely wouldn't have been able to throw again the rest of the postseason.
Thus, after notching 14 wins, completing 229 2/3 innings and tossing three complete games, Smoltz was forced to look back on his impressive season and wonder if he'd navigated the course in the most intelligent manner.
"What I'd rather do is have that ability to turn it up at the end of the year," Smoltz said. "Last year, I could only do it one game. That was very frustrating, to the point where I said, 'I can't let this happen again.'"
Had John Thomson, Mike Hampton and Tim Hudson not all been on the disabled list at the same time most of June and July, Smoltz might not pushed himself to the point that he totaled 94 1/3 innings during those two months.
Then again, had that stubborn determination not prevailed, the Braves likely wouldn't have won a record 14th consecutive division title. It's Smoltz's competitive fire and desire to push his body to the limits that has allowed him to win a Cy Young Award, become October's most successful hurler and be dominant both as a starter as a closer.
That intense desire could also be the cause of his many arm ailments. He's had his elbow surgically repaired four times. Fortunately for Smoltz and the Braves, last year's shoulder discomfort was gone after two months of rest.
While Braves general manager John Schuerholz says Smoltz "is still our stud," the veteran right-hander, who celebrates his 39th birthday in May, believes it's time for Hudson to be viewed as the staff ace and the man responsible for carrying the load for the rotation.
"I'm not going to be the guy who leads the team in innings this year unless something crazy happens," Smoltz said. "I've told you guys that Hudson is the anchor in this rotation. He's in a class by himself when you look at his record and his statistics. I just want to give us that presence in the postseason and down the stretch, when our division matters the most."
Hudson, who admits he was disappointed with the 14-win season he provided the Braves last year, welcomes the responsibility.
"I'll gladly do it," Hudson said. "[Smoltz] did it last year. Maybe it will take a little pressure off him, make him feel like he doesn't have to carry the load like he did last year. It would be nice to help him out."
While manager Bobby Cox gave Smoltz several opportunities to take a few extra days of rest or possibly skip a few starts last year, the veteran hurler never allowed himself to take advantage.
Obviously, the Braves are pleased to hear Smoltz say he's entering Spring Training determined to be a little wiser and more cautious this season. But this isn't something they can force on him. They can only hope that he maintains this mindset as long as possible.
"You don't force that on anybody, especially a veteran of his stature and with his success," Schuerholz said. "They have to be the ones that understand what they can and can't do, should and shouldn't do."
During the offseason, Smoltz heard an accomplished veteran golfer say that if you want to play at a slower pace that specific day, you have to begin by getting up slowly, brushing your teeth slowly and taking your time on the way to the course.
The message hit home with the often-excitable Smoltz, and he's applied this approach to his preparation for the season. He didn't throw as much in the offseason as he did in the past and attempted to be much less aggressive during his time on the golf course.
During those instances when he almost always would have attempted to go for the green in two on a Par 5, he found himself laying up and taking a more conservative approach toward the pin. He's hoping that he once again takes the smarter, more conservative approach when he gets the urge to regularly blow 95 mph fastballs by hitters.
"I'm always thinking outside the box to be better," Smoltz said. "Now I just want to do it and enjoy it."
Had Smoltz agreed to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, he knows he wouldn't have been able to harness his aggression. But he's hoping that he can still show this patience when Grapefruit League games begin in March.
Then when the season begins, he plans to once again display his aggression and know when he needs to harness it. Getting a little extra rest or possibly skipping a start will allow him the opportunity to be at his best when the Braves need him the most.
"I'm going to be doing all the things that you have to do," Smoltz said. "But I'm going to take time to enjoy what I am doing, too."
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
