MLB legend John Smoltz is a Hall-of-Fame pitcher who spent the majority of his career with the Atlanta Braves. Smoltz also pitched for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, but is remembered for his time in Atlanta. Smoltz is currently set to compete in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.
The event brings together professional women golfers from the LPGA Tour and celebrities/athletes to compete in the golf tournament. Smoltz took some time before the event to discuss the tournament. The Hall-of-Famer and I also talked some baseball, with Smoltz commenting on Shohei Ohtani's lucrative contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Braves' outlook for the 2024 season, Morgan Wallen's '98 Braves song, and more.
John Smoltz exclusive interview
Joey Mistretta: Let's start by talking about this tournament… What made you decide to want to do this tournament and just tell me what it means to you?
John Smoltz: Well this tournament is an absolute blast. First of all, any kind of competition when you played your whole life in competition is fun. But to be around the best, the LPGA, they're basically kicking off the year, Tournament of Champions. I'm blown away by how fundamentally sound, how incredibly gifted they are. For us, we have our own tournament so there's a lot of pride, there's a lot of trash talking among celebrities but it's definitely something that if they're going to keep score, I want to be on the leaderboard. I want to win.
The competition… this time of the year you just can't find, most of the country is shivering so this time of the year, a perfect venue. Great golf course and great cause.
Braves' 2024 outlook, pitcher's innings in today's game, and MLB free agency
Joey Mistretta: Let's talk a little baseball. Obviously you're an Atlanta Braves legend. The Braves fell a little short last year, just wanted to get your thoughts on this Braves team and see if you think they can go all the way this year?
John Smoltz: Well last year was the perfect storm. I mean, they had one of the greatest offensive seasons in the history of the organization. New format, five days off and the offense was really rusty coming back. Credit Philadelphia for being able to expose them, and take advantage of a team that had a historic season. They came up short. Same thing for the Dodgers.
The Braves are in a great position to represent the (National League) East again. They just have to be healthier than they were at the end of the year. That's always the key. And the team that's healthiest usually goes on to win. I think they are a dynamic team with a lot of young talented players. Offensively, the sky's the limit.
Joey Mistretta: One subject that's been kind of controversial in baseball has been pitcher's innings limits, that kind of thing. Obviously you were a legendary pitcher, we all know that. I wanted to get your thoughts on some pitchers maybe not wanting to work as deep into games, coming out around 90 pitches. Did you have thoughts on that?
John Smoltz: It's not the pitcher's fault. It's an industry problem. These pitchers and these players are playing under the reward system that is being guided by the people who make those decisions. They're not asking them to train differently, they're asking them to max effort and then we will get the next guy in. So it's an industry issue, it's not a player issue. Players don't even have sometimes the ability to demand something like that. My philosophy has always been I think it's flawed in its entirety but that's just the way it is. That's the way they want it.
They think this is the best way to maximize the roster that they have and the arsenals that these guys possess. Obviously this is just an increased way of having more injuries. That's my opinion, but, you know… I don't blame the players at all. It's just what they're being brought up in. It's what their expectation is being given to them based on the information and the analytics that are in the game right now.
Joey Mistretta: MLB free agency has had its ups and downs. When Ohtani signed, everyone was paying attention and then we've been waiting on some other guys to sign. Something that's been brought up is potentially going to a similar structure to the NBA where it's like a week or two where free agency happens. Do you think that's even something that MLB would consider, or is that out of the question?
John Smoltz: That's an interesting concept… I think baseball in the way that it goes about its business has always flushed itself out. Whatever adjustments need to be made they'll make them. But the system that's in play right now, you would think would create dominance for one or two teams and that has not happened in baseball. No mater what a team spends, no matter what free agents, the money or the contract they get, it doesn't guarantee anything. That's the beauty of baseball. Some might like it, some might not… Other sports, there's probably a limited scope of teams in the NBA that could win.
Major League Baseball has proven that over a 25 year period, you get, what, 15 different winners? Maybe more? You rarely get repeat champions. So baseball's unique in the sense that 162 games and a 26 man roster is a little different than in basketball. I don't know the two could equate in the same way.
Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers contract, Mike Trout's future with Angels
Joey Mistretta: Speaking of free agency, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask you about Shohei Ohtani and his massive contract with the Dodgers. Just give me your thoughts on Ohtani's deal out in LA?
John Smoltz: Very unique. I've never seen anything like it. I don't know if we will see anything like it again. People think that might be the new way of trying to do contracts, I don't think so. I think he's a unique player with his ability do this contract for the Dodgers, gave them the ability to go out and get more players. Because Ohtani himself, greatest player in the game, next year is not living up to the ability of him being the greatest player. You know what I mean? He can't pitch next year.
So the following year and the rest of the contract, it will be interesting to see how it plays out. How many years he can pitch and hit. So the Dodgers signed Ohtani and the others they made moves for not to win one championship in my mind. Multiple championships will kind of define what this contract and the value it has to the Dodgers. There's a business side of it of course. There's a marketing side, but he's the greatest player in our generation, probably ever. Time will tell on how long he can do both… What makes him special is obviously he can do both.
Joey Mistretta: Speaking of Ohtani, his former teammate, Mike Trout, is with an Angels team that just can't seem to figure it out. Do you think that… I don't know that the Angels would ever consider trading Trout, but do you think that's something Trout should consider, maybe asking for a trade?
John Smoltz: Personalities are different reasons for different players and what their aspirations are in the game. I think pundits like myself or people who have been in the game always felt like there's a timing issue that makes your organization drastically change if you're able to get a tremendous package for Mike Trout. Not that he's losing value, he's still a great player. But the essence of his contract and the years that a team would get him, maybe that window is expiring.
I don't know if Mike Trout will finish with the Angels or not. I'm sure the Angels have tried to figure that out in a way that he was the drawing card until Shohei Ohtani got there. But the two greatest players in the game could not really get to the postseason so it just goes again to show you how much more you have to be able to do and how many more components you need for baseball in a 162 game schedule.
John Smoltz's favorite players in MLB right now
Joey Mistretta: Who is your favorite hitter in the game right now, and who is your favorite pitcher in the game right now?
John Smoltz: Yeah, there's so many to choose from… I mean, favorite pitcher, there's so many choices. Obviously when Jacob deGrom is healthy it's jaw-dropping to watch him navigate with that kind of stuff. But that's a whole other subject on him being healthy… I think Gerrit Cole is going to be an outlier with his ability to stay healthy and dominate. Justin Verlander has always been one of my favorites along with Clayton Kershaw on the opposite side because of the way that they navigate a game and have sustained 15 years of excellence. I think every pitcher should model their career around Justin Verlander if they have the capability. He's never been a max effort guy and he's sustained his body type, just all that. So I'll say Justin Verlander.
As far as hitters go, I've always been enamored with the beauty of an Aaron Judge and a Jose Altuve. How different sizes and different ways of playing the game can get the same results in so many ways. Ronald Acuna is probably the most incredible talent in the game with what he can do offensively and defensively. He's made strides to navigate to be one of the most, I don't know, entertaining I guess, flashy, incredible, gifted players. There's so many people to choose from. I would say Justin Verlander if I had to land the plane. Taking Ohtani out because he's a special player, I'd say Acuna on the offensive side.
Morgan Wallen's '98 Braves
Joey Mistretta: My last question is, I was watching a Morgan Wallen music video (via Morgan Wallen on YouTube) the other day and I saw you at the concert… What is it like to have a guy like Morgan Wallen talk about the '98 Braves (in his song)?
John Smoltz: Yeah, I'll be honest I didn't know anything about the song or anything about it until it was presented to me… 1998 was a raw and tough year for us because there's parallels to that song for obvious reasons. That was pretty cool. I'm not a big music guy for the sense of following anybody or knowing the words to any song. So I had a first hand exposure to learning the words on the fly and knowing that song for the first time.
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