John Smoltz gets his wittle feelings hurt. Imagine that.
We all but had a stopwatch on it in the press box Wednesday night. How long would it take for John Smoltz to rip the Braves for releasing Tom Glavine? If you had four hours, you won the pool.
After reading Smoltz’s latest rant, I thought, “Par for the course.” (Par. Course. Golf. Smoltz. Funny, huh?) Because that’s what John Smoltz does: He takes every slight, real or imagined, and personalizes it and stews over it and nurtures his resentment. I know.
It was 1997, the year after Smoltz won his Cy Young award, and he was pitching badly by his lofty standards. I wrote as much. The next day he stomped through the clubhouse and glowered but didn’t say a word to me. Because part of being John Smoltz is to smolder from afar.
I told one of the Braves’ announcers — I won’t say who — that Mr. Smoltz appeared to be displeased with my printed appraisal. And the announcer said, “The truth hurts.”
Not long afterward, Smoltz worked a good game — even I would never suggest he’s anything less than a Hall of Fame pitcher — and was surrounded by the usual media throng. Casting his glance across the clubhouse, he saw yours truly interviewing someone else. And he told the throng, “There’s Mark Bradley. If he comes over here I’ll have to stop talking to all of you. Because that guy dogged me out.”
(Dogged? Hmm. In his early days with the Braves, Smoltz’s nickname was Marmaduke. I have no idea if this is apropos of anything.)
Naturally, my colleagues were happy to inform me of Smoltz’s anti-MB stance, and I, not wanting to deprive my brother and sister journalists of the torrent of insight that is Smoltz, simply stopped going near him. And you know who found it all hilarious? Glavine, who dubbed me, “Smoltzie’s favorite journalist.” (Have I mentioned that Glavine is my all-time favorite Brave?)
Never mind that I’d written 10 gushing Smoltz columns over the previous decade. Those were eradicated by my one egregious sin. Since he didn’t want to talk with me, I mostly stopped writing about him. When he did something great, I’d say he did something great — fair’s fair — but I kept my distance.
Loading ...We wouldn’t even say hello when we passed in the hall. (I know, saying hello is a two-way street. But I can be stubborn, too.) I did break my moratorium to shake his hand and say, “Congratulations,” after he won his 200th game. And he did say, “Thanks.” And that, to this day, is the extent of our contact over the past dozen years.
Having been on the end of a Smoltz grudge, I wasn’t surprised by the vitriol he hurled at Frank Wren after negotiations with the Braves broke down. (I’d have been surprised if he’d done anything else.) And for Smoltz to pile on regarding Glavine is simply another chapter in a lengthening tome.
Because that’s John Smoltz, who has apparently convinced himself the team that employed him for two decades, the team that essentially let him decide whether he wanted to start games or close them, was out to get him — and his little pal Tom, too. You might think he has point. I think he’s just being petty.
But I’ve got a history with Marmaduke. I’m the guy who dogged him out back in 1997. And oops, I did it again.
Rip-A-Hall-Of-Famer Friday: In case you missed it, here’s what I thought of Tom Glavine’s appearance on 790 the Zone this morning.
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337 comments Add your comment
Tom Glavine
June 5th, 2009
10:58 am
I hear the Red Sox are hiring…
Atlanta Dead Sox
June 5th, 2009
10:58 am
Hey mark, is “wittle” a word? Leave the slang to the kids my friend. If a grown man ever said “got his wittle feelings hurt” to another man. It’s be on like Donkey Kong….that was a reference to a popular video game in the 80’s, you prolly remember NOT buying one.
Steve Labrin
June 5th, 2009
10:58 am
Mark, You are a sports columnist. Which puts you right below child molester and right above a state legislator as far as stature in the community. Thanks for your input, though.
bigjohnchopfan
June 5th, 2009
10:59 am
lagnamor: you meant Bobby Cox AND Terry Pendleton, right?
o-me
June 5th, 2009
11:00 am
Is this not still the USA? Now you’re told you can’t use the word THUG. What they going tell you next….is this not one of the rights I served in war for?
Former Bradley fan.
June 5th, 2009
11:01 am
This is the worst kind of reporting. To quote a certain hack, “I think he’s just being petty.” Hoisted by your own petard. Shame on you, Mark.
JOE
June 5th, 2009
11:04 am
Am I mistaken or did Smoltz and Glavine both leave because of Money. The organization makes a decision predicated on finances and they are somehow classless and evil. Give me a break. Spoiled brats.
Atlanta Dead Sox
June 5th, 2009
11:05 am
This is reporting? Who did he interview? I guess there’s a REAL high demand for what Mark Bradley has to say to Mark Bradley.
lagnamor
June 5th, 2009
11:05 am
bigjohnchopfan, Right on my friend, I meant everyone except Hubbie and Perez. Cox and staff must go.
Atlanta Dead Sox
June 5th, 2009
11:07 am
First, Smoltz left because he got a basement offer from the Braves to keep him in the parking lot. Second, Tommy had two choices, retire or leave. They didn’t want to pay him that mil they promised. Read something man, maybe something about baseball
Atlanta Dead Sox
June 5th, 2009
11:09 am
Hey Mark, if I post enough maybe your boss will give me your job. That way I can be the nerd spouting off about guys that have dedicated their lives to the religion of baseball.
jetman
June 5th, 2009
11:10 am
Is there nothing eles to write about in the sports world? Why do you have an issue with one friend supporting another? Would anyone come to your defense if AJC decided to cut you loose? I considered the Braves organization was a class act up until the way they handled Glavine’s exit….no class at all. But I appreciate you doing the story on Smoltz and his reaction…..only brings more attention to the Braves appreciation to a player who made a ton of money $$$$ for the Braves organization over the years. So thanks Mark for keeping it in the news,,,,,,you’re AWESOME !!!
Atlanta Dead Sox
June 5th, 2009
11:15 am
Another satisfied reader Mark….
Bill
June 5th, 2009
11:24 am
Mark, I always told my kids, Never act like the kid you’re mad at…you are better than that.
Mark you’re a better man than this.
Mark Bradley
June 5th, 2009
11:25 am
And if you’re interested in my take on Glavine’s appearance on 790 the Zone this morning … well, here you go.
Benjamin
June 5th, 2009
11:29 am
First things first, John is my all-time favorite Atlanta Brave. And I’ve never been a fan of Bradley. (…and that was a sentence fragment, which even English majors sometimes type for effect.)
That said, Mark, I am actually somewhat in agreement with you this morning. Not regarding Smoltzie or his “wittle feelings,” but from the overall assertions that can be drawn from this thread. A lot of people are down right now on what we did with/to Tom, but honestly, baseball is a business, and at the end of the day, we’re going to be better off today and tomorrow with Tommy Hanson than we would’ve been with Tommy Glavine.
Smoltz and Glavine are both legends, and they’ve both played a significant part of a decade and a half of dominance, but as the old saying goes, all great things end badly, because otherwise they wouldn’t end. Both Smoltz and Glavine need to move on from this and go on about their ways as they see fit.
Besides, I would feel a lot worse about this if Glavine hadn’t basically agreed to play with us a few years ago, then bailed on us to head off to our most hated rival. There’s no loyalty in baseball, and it’s a business from both sides. As far as I’m concerned, if karma counted in baseball, we’re now 1-1 with Glav.
BT
June 5th, 2009
11:37 am
Great column as usual. Insightful to know that a premier athlete would be so “hurt” by a single column that he would ostracize the author in the clubhouse for ten years. We question why DOB or MB isn’t “more honest” in their writings or ask the “tough” questions. This is a darn good reason. Sad to hear that some athletes are so petty that they would breakup an interview just because MB walked up. Smoltz owes you an apology.
Tom Glavine does himself a massive disservice | Mark Bradley
June 5th, 2009
12:14 pm
[...] Friday: In case you missed it, here’s what I thought of John Smoltz’s criticism of the Braves for releasing [...]
Sidslid
June 5th, 2009
12:22 pm
Isn’t the real issue that Smoltz has to give half of his money he made during the big bucks days to the wife who raised his children, while he and his current tart have to live off the Red Sox contract.
TC
June 5th, 2009
12:30 pm
Yeah, Sid…THAT’s the “real issue”.
Robbie
June 5th, 2009
12:31 pm
On the spot Mark. Smoltz is still bitter because the Braves didn’t want to dish out the millions on a “maybe he’ll be able to pitch well situation”. Too bad neither Smoltz nor Glavine took the classy road that Maddux took. Glavine shouldn’t complain, he left for the Mets in 2002 for the money anyway.
Chuck
June 5th, 2009
12:44 pm
This is a negative for everyone. John and Tommy are Brave icons, however, are they entitled to special treatment by the organization regardless of how that impacts the the ability of the Braves to put a winning AND affordable product on the field. Are they ENTITLED? Or have the Braves paid them for their performance.
Could the Braves have handled this in a more effective way from a public relations standpoint? They offered Tommy the opportunity to retire as a Brave, and perhaps some public relations position could have followed. I don’t know the content of the discussions. However, both John and Tommy appear to be individuals that feel ENTITLED to special treatment from the Braves, regardless of other considerations.
bravessuck
June 5th, 2009
12:55 pm
MB, I like DB better, and B stands for “bag” in case you are wondering
Paul Lentz
June 5th, 2009
1:01 pm
I consider myself a true Braves fan. I appreciate all that John Smoltz and Tom Glavine did for the Braves. However, the operative word is “DID” (which means, PAST TENSE). The Braves paid the two of them $21 mil combined for a few starts last year. Being 43 years old, both coming off arm surgeries, plus both werent ready to start the season, it would have been highly FOOLISH for the Braves to sign either of them. I’m just thankful that the Braves only had to fork over the $1 mil to Glavine.
It is so NICE to have healthy starting pitching. While the guys we have now arent quite Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux, and Avery…..it is refreshing to see times again where our starters are CONSISTENTLY getting into the 6th-7th innings pretty much every game.
True Braves fans do not want to see the Braves waste payroll dollars and a roster spot on “sentimentalism”. I’ve been a Braves fan since 1982 (I was 10 years old). My high school years were filled with watching the Braves suck. Then from 1991, the play-offs were considered a birthright. So my loyalty is not to be questioned.
With that said, I feel that I have every right to expect the Braves to put the best team out there. If you guys want to see “over the hill, injury prone, past their prime heroes”, then go to an old timers game, buy a play station. However, I would appreciate if you would quit pressuring Braves management to keep players who are not going to help us win.
Getting rid of Franceour (at least benching him and putting Matt Diaz in right field until the Braves can hopefully trade for a power hitting, right handed right fielder) is a must RIGHT NOW!
Mark Bradley
June 5th, 2009
1:01 pm
I’ve never thought Smoltz owed me an apology. Nor do I think I owed one to him.
Burke
June 5th, 2009
1:06 pm
Wow, so there was a disagreement between a future Hall of Fame pitcher, and a (not-Hall of Fame, based on this piece) journalist, and neither side budged for over a decade??? Who was at fault here? One has a job where he is supposed to win ball games, which he did. The other has a job where he is, in part, supposed to interview athletes – yet he wouldn’t even talk to a sure-fire Hall of Famer on the local nine. Hmm, let me think…
I know nothing about Mr. Smoltz as a person, but it doesn’t matter. If you can’t figure out a way to get along with someone who is vital to your job, you just aren’t very good at your job.
Weak, Bradley. Weak.
Paul Lentz
June 5th, 2009
1:08 pm
Sports fans in general need to realize that their “heroes” could really careless about them. Bottom line, this is a business. The players are entities who are looking out for themselves (I see nothing wrong with that)….just like the team is looking out for its own interests. I became a Braves fan, therefore my loyalty is with the Braves. Have I became a fan of certain players over the years? Sure. I have followed both Smoltz and Glavine for most of my baseball following life. The first few years, I rooted for Franceour to do well. However, there is a point where “objectivity” has to override “emotion”. Those guys became liabilities. The Braves struggled to do the right thing in getting to the point where they let both Glavine and Smoltz go. Now it is the time to do the right thing with Jeff Franceour.
Mark Bradley
June 5th, 2009
1:17 pm
Going to step out now for a couple of hours, but I’d like to ask this: If you believe the Braves mishandled things with Glavine and/or Smoltz, how should they have handled it/them?
I’d really like to hear your thoughts. The next thing I write will be on this very topic. So thanks in advance.
A Tribe Called Quest
June 5th, 2009
1:50 pm
About time the truth comes out.
Smoltz & Glavine = old, NEVER healthy. I repeat: These two CANNOT STAY HEALTHY. They had their fun here, winning the world series and a million division titles. This isn’t 1995–it’s 2009. These two guys stink nowadays and we shouldn’t have to waste our moeny in this economy on 45 year old bums.
Smoltz, on the other hand, plays golf all summer and gives cute interviews on teh radio. Then when it’s time to play, he gets hurt.
What class acts.
Gumby
June 5th, 2009
1:57 pm
Great article. Unfortunately Smoltz has become yet another cariciture athlete who acts like they are the king and we are their subjects, ala Gary Sheffield. “We are never to speak or think badly of them, just worship them. From afar”. Now I just wants him to go away, play baseball, golf, whatever and shutup for a change. Once upon a time I thought he was a nice, regular guy. Someone you might want to meet. Now he just seems like a jerk. He left so I want him to BE gone. Are there any athletes left like Dale Murphy that aren’t a*sholes?
Hillbilly Deluxe
June 5th, 2009
1:59 pm
Sooner or later in life we all have to step aside. Sometimes it’s our decision and sometimes it’s not.
Mark N.
June 5th, 2009
2:00 pm
If Atlanta has such a problem with aging stars, why re-sign Glavine in the first place? He showed success in his rehab starts, too. They just want Hanson up in the majors and don’t have space for him. Plus, Bradley, if you won an award for being the best journalist of the year (at the highest professional level) then some guy ripped about how bad you were, wouldn’t you be pissed? Like the rest, this article is junk.
Yogi
June 5th, 2009
2:04 pm
Mark, both pieces are great reads and thanks for pointing out the other side of the story, which should be obvious enough. Some fans are so enamored with star players that they are incapable of separating emotion from business. All the gushing and special treatment sent their way can tend to cause some guys to lose touch with reality (Smoltz perhaps?). The fact is, the Braves are a better team today because of Glavine’s release and because Smoltz was not offered $8 million to maybe pitch half a season. The Smoltz non-deal and Glavine release probably paved the way for the McLouth deal. Hanson does not need to wait any longer. We could have the next Lincecum right here in Atl and the only way to find out is to bring him up. Glavine and Smoltz are both missed and we are grateful for the many great years (which they were well-paid for by the way), but its time to move on.
Gumby
June 5th, 2009
2:05 pm
How should the Braves have handled it? Smoltz left. We offered him a contract that if he did his job would have paid as much money as he got. He wanted to be paid just to be John Smoltz and those days are over. He left us for 30 pieces of silver. Glavine got a million bucks to try. He wasn’t going to work. The Braves offered him retirement. He said no. The Braves did the right thing for the team with both of them. If anyone deserved sympathy if was Maddux and guess what? He is the one who seems grateful to have been able to have one of those few jobs out there of being a star athlete. An actual guy who walked away on top.
SC Ace
June 5th, 2009
2:18 pm
To your question, Mark:
* I think the Braves should never have signed Glavine at all, to be honest.
* Or maybe they should have a tough, man to man talk after he hurt himself hitting in Gwinnett.
I like DOB’s suggestion: Give him a start up here, allow the $1 million to be a nice gold watch, and let him retire with dignity — of course therein lies the difficult part. Does a competitive guy like Glavine know when to call it a career? Often these guys don’t.
I hope that one day the Braves will make nice with these guys, apologize for the way this went down when time has cooled things off. Then they can have a big weekend at the yard to retire their numbers and stuff.
Legend of Len Barker
June 5th, 2009
2:27 pm
It is nearly impossible to reward loyalty in the aging athlete. Neither Smoltz nor Glavine seem to understand that they can’t contribute at a rate that merits their salary. Both could have stuck around if they reduced their paychecks. Neither should be hurting for money. Twenty plus years of big league salary and the retirement plan that goes along with it should have them set for lives. Well, unless they’re Joe Louis, Elvis, or Ed McMahon.
Gentlemen, you want the Braves to be loyal to you? Do something for them. Take a salary cut. Kurt Warner volunteered to renegotiate his contract to free up money to re-sign Anquan Boldin. He realizes that it’s about the team, not about him. George Woodruff coached Georgia football for $1 per year. He wasn’t hurting for money and didn’t want to drain the athletic coffers. When Greg Olson discovered Kerry Ligtenberg and offered him to the Braves, he didn’t demand a king’s ransom. He just wanted some bats and balls for the Minny Stars.
choozer
June 5th, 2009
2:42 pm
From a former journalist, good job. From a Christian, good job pointing out John’s hypocrisy. He needs to be called on it. You didn’t pile on or get ugly. You just pointed out his pettiness, which he has chosen to do in public so it’s only appropriate that he be called on it in public.
Theo
June 5th, 2009
2:45 pm
From ‘the what its worth department’: Braves fans, ENJOY watching the SOX in the 2009 WORLD SERIES this year.
Jenifer
June 5th, 2009
2:48 pm
I love the poem P Rose wrote on page 2! Awesome!
ANT
June 5th, 2009
2:52 pm
Good riddance to them both-Good column.
jake
June 5th, 2009
2:53 pm
Great article Mark. You nailed him. Smoltz has always been a cry-baby. I’m glad the broken down mule is gone from the Braves organization.
Jenifer
June 5th, 2009
2:55 pm
If Glavine is worried about money I am sure he could do some commercials. Smoltzy could help him out in that department. Glavine is just pissed that he wasted his time to train to try to make the roster and he didn’t ditch the Braves again before they ditched him. Boo Hoo. I worked my ass off all last year, got a great review but no raise or bonus because of the economy (which don’t get me wrong I am thankful I have a job!) He is just a cry-baby! He should have stayed up north after making the move to the Mets. He and Smoltz should move aside and let the young guys have a chance to play in the “show” now. The torch has passed.
tbhawksfan
June 5th, 2009
3:08 pm
Please bring the sane world back into perspective and stop paying these guys to play a game. Millions and millions of $’s when a mile away you have to add up the household incomes of about 15 homes to get $100,000.
Look what it does to them. Smoltz is an butt and an idiot and just needs to shut up.
Glavine will be OK when he gets over his temper tantrum. He should be thanking the Braves for giving him a million and allowing his tired self to pitch more.
It was stupid to pay them last year. It would have been insane to pay them this year.
Sports is a kids game. Get a clue.
Ms. Opinionated
June 5th, 2009
3:28 pm
Mark, Thanks for the comments on both Smoltz and Glavine. I agree with both of your summations. These guys were great pitchers for this organization for many, many years. Yes, the Braves do owe them a certain degree of respect and honor for their wonderful performances in the accumulation of all of those banners at Turner Field. However, both of these guys were paid MILLIONS over the last 20 years, so that, in and of itself was certainly an indication of how the Braves valued them over time. A friend of mine and I always joked about Smoltz (since the mid-90’s at least) that his answer for every bad performance was that he had “only thrown one bad pitch”. Forget that the pitch was thrown to a batter with the bases loaded. He has NEVER been able to accept total responsibility for his part in the equation.
So, I wish them both the best, and I sincerely hope that at some point in the future they will once again be a part of the Braves organization.
Until then, go suck on a pacifier, both of you.
braves70
June 5th, 2009
3:33 pm
Mark, your eighth grade junior high paper called and they want you back. Your inane writing is worthy of a pimple faced, pre-pubescent, dimwit of about 13 years old.
rick
June 5th, 2009
3:33 pm
These aging stars just don’t want to “hang ‘em up” and they expected their longtime employer to keep catering to their pleasure. The cold reality that hit John and Tom in the face is that they are not in charge. They are not entitled to special treatment. They had wonderful careers. They’ve been great ballplayers. They are also spoiled babies. And, they do not run the team…
Ms. Opinionated
June 5th, 2009
3:36 pm
And I agree with Gumby above regarding Maddux. really and truly, he is the only one with actual class.
CharlieAlphaBravo
June 5th, 2009
5:03 pm
Mr. Bradley:
I’ve had my grievences with your writing in the past, and God help me if you pick one of my teams to win anything, but I gotta say… I’m really starting to warm up to you.
Thanks for having the balls to tell it like it is. You ain’t scurred of the Marmaduke.
Charlie Lau
June 5th, 2009
5:15 pm
Mark, You are on a roll as someone pointed out. I posted after your article yesterday many of the same sentiments on your blog last night.
Your articles are better, even better, and insightful. As I said we don’t know about coaches and players until someone unbiased writes a book later. I touted you and from your insight I would certainly stand in line for an autographed copy.
Agree wholeheartedly also about your Glavine article and it is indeed credible with your feelings about him. Hope he will become part of the organization, but doubt Wednesday would have been a good day to bring it up.
Thanks
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