DEL.ICIO.USSmoltz enjoys trip home with Red Sox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Friday, June 26, 2009
John Smoltz got to kick back and enjoy being at home in Atlanta on Friday, without dealing with the swirling emotions and amped-up atmosphere that would have been there if the former Braves pitching icon’s first start for the Boston Red Sox had been against his old team.
“I feel great today,” said Smoltz, who made his Red Sox debut Thursday night against the Nationals in Washington, the first game he has pitched in the majors since leaving in January after two decades with the Braves. “It’s good to be home.”
Curtis Compton / ccompton@ajc.com
Braves fans snap photos of John Smoltz as he warms up with the Boston Red Sox.
Smoltz, 42, lost Thursday in his first start since June shoulder surgery and was charged with five runs, seven hits and one walk in five innings, with five strikeouts. Four runs were in the first inning.
The team and Smoltz planned his return so that it would fall between series against the Braves last weekend in Boston and this weekend at Turner Field, knowing the fiery veteran might push too much so soon in a start against his old team.
“All the things that surrounded my first start would have been that much worse here,” said Smoltz, who had 210 wins, 154 saves, 3,011 strikeouts and five arm surgeries in 21 seasons with the Braves.
His final season with them ended with shoulder surgery, and he signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox worth $5.5 million guaranteed, more than double the guarantee in the Braves’ offer.
“People say, they hate it that I left,” Smoltz said. “I don’t view it that way. I didn’t leave.”
He was critical of comments by Braves officials after he signed with the Red Sox, saying they misrepresented the gulf between offers by the two teams. Smoltz criticized the Braves again after they released Tom Glavine, insinuating that they did so for financial reasons when they said otherwise.
Friday at Turner Field, he said he had moved past the bitterness and wouldn’t dwell on it anymore. He said his only regret about not pitching in this weekend’s series was that he wouldn’t have the opportunity to show the fans of Atlanta how much he appreciated them.
Smoltz also said he would pull for the Braves to win every game after this three-game series.
A scout from an American League team had a report on Smoltz’s performance Thursday, and he said radar-gun readings on his fastball were consistently 91-93 mph, a few ticks below pre-injury velocity.
Smoltz got to Atlanta after midnight and spent the night at home in Alpharetta, with his four children. “It’s great to wake up in the morning and them to give me a hug and say, ‘You did great,’ he said.
He had hoped to hop on his industrial golf-course lawn tractor and mow his 20 acres of grass, including his private golf holes. Alas, the worker he pays to groom the grounds while he’s away was already on the job before Smoltz got out of bed Friday.
“I made pancakes, went swimming in the pool, played with my dogs — all those things that don’t exist in Boston,” said Smoltz, who got divorced two years ago and recently remarried.
He hasn’t been able to play golf in chilly, rainy Boston so far this year, and relished a chance to hit 75-80 balls Friday in his backyard.
Kawakami encouraging by session
Kenshin Kawakami said he felt “pretty good” when he did some light throwing Friday, two days after being forced from a start against the Yankees when he was hit by a line drive near the base of his neck.
The Braves haven’t decided whether Kawakami will make his next scheduled start Tuesday or will be pushed to the back of the rotation to have more time to heal. The Braves are off Monday, and skipping Kawakami’s turn would not force any of the other starters to work on short rest.
Pitching coach Roger McDowell said Kawakami would throw a bullpen Saturday. The Braves probably won’t make a decision on rotation plans until after they see how he does in that session.
Heyward in Futures Game
Top Braves outfield prospect Jason Heyward has been selected to play for the United States team in the annual All-Star Futures Game to be played July 12 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
Heyward, 19, was batting .294 with 10 doubles, 10 homers, 24 RBIs and a .370 on-base percentage in 42 games for high Class A Myrtle Beach. He recently returned to the lineup after missing time with a strained oblique muscle.
Class AAA Gwinnett pitching coach Derek Botelho was also selected to serve in that role for the U.S. team in the annual Futures Game, which is held in conjunction with the major league All-Star Game. The All-Star Game is July 14 in St. Louis.
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