Mercer gets a visit from John Smoltz
John Smoltz has spent most of his life as an Atlanta Braves’ pitcher. The veteran pitcher has been a phenomenal figure in Major League Baseball and recently he paid Mercer a humble visit.
The player visited University Centre as part of the Mercer Baseball Team’s annual first Pitch Classic. The legendary player got the chance to interact with the fans as crowds of ball players lined up to take pictures and autographs from the former Brave.
Smoltz was more than gratified to welcome an opportunity to visit Mercer on behalf of the Atlanta Braves. He was also able to talk lightly about his career and reiterated his stance that he was glad to walk away from baseball when he did.
He joked about spring training woes as he told reporters that he didn’t have to worry about packing up and leaving for training.
"You're only as good as how your body can repair from the season before", Smoltz said. "I can remember going through all the 14 years of postseason, we didn't have any time to recover. So it was always a little slower getting into Spring Training and having
that happen.
But I don't feel any of that right now, and it's actually freeing to know that I don't have to sweat it or know if I have my fastball back or if my slider is like it was last year".
Smoltz has played baseball for well over 21 years and his retirement came in 2009 when he ended his personal campaign for glory with the St. Louis Cardinals. After spending 20 years with the Braves, John left behind a legacy that would likely not be replicated
by any other player in the near future.
John Smoltz was more than just an ordinary pitcher for Atlanta as his tenure at the club saw him pitch at a starter’s position and bullpen member’s role. He played in every pitching department, developing along the way.
His career statistics were amazing in comparison to many other players of today. His wins and losses tally weighed in on 213 and 155, respectfully. His earned runs average peaked at 3.33 and his strikeouts were measured at 3,084.
Smoltz became the second pitcher to bag a 20 wins and 50 saves season, following Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley. His contribution to baseball has portrayed an impressive ball player with a great appetite for challenge and innovation.
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