| John Smoltz | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Smoltz in 2016 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: May 15, 1967 Warren, Michigan, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 23, 1988, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 2009, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 213–155 |
| Earned run average | 3.33 |
| Strikeouts | 3,084 |
| Saves | 154 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2015 |
| Vote | 82.9% (first ballot) |
John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967), nicknamed "Smoltzie"[1] and "Marmaduke",[2] 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 part 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 League (NL) Cy Young Award in 1996 after posting a record of 24–8, equaling the most victories by an NL pitcher since 1972.
Though predominantly known as a starter, Smoltz was converted to a reliever in 2001 after his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and spent four years as the team's closer before returning to a starting role. In 2002, he set a National League record with 55 saves and became only the second pitcher in history (joining Dennis Eckersley) to record both a 20-win season and a 50-save season. He is the only pitcher in Major League history to record both 200 wins and 150 saves. He is also the only pitcher in Major League history to record 200 wins, 150 saves, and 3,000 strikeouts.
Smoltz was one of the most successful pitchers in playoff history, posting a record of 15–4 with a 2.67 earned run average (ERA) in 41 career postseason games, (and in two of those four losses, he surrendered only unearned runs). He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1992 NL Championship Series; Andy Pettitte later broke his record for career postseason wins. Smoltz led the NL in wins, winning percentage, strikeouts and innings pitched twice each, and his NL total of 3,084 strikeouts ranked fifth in league history when he retired. He also holds the Braves franchise record for career strikeouts (3,011), and the record for the most career games pitched for the Braves (708) since the club's move to Atlanta in 1966; from 2004 to 2014, he held the franchise record for career saves and has the single season record. Smoltz left the Braves after 2008 and split his final season with the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. Since retiring as a player, he has served as a color commentator and analyst for both Fox Sports and MLB Network. Since 2016, he has provided color commentary during baseball's biggest televised events, notably the All-Star Game and World Series. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2015.
- ^ John Smoltz Statistics and History | Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ "John Smoltz inspires Milton youth baseball team". northfulton.com. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2014.