Greg Maddux is nothing but a big phony, I tell you!
Why give him a plaque? He'll just toss it in the car. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
A slew of words have been tossed around these past few days in order to characterize Greg Maddux, and I’d like to add a new one:
Phony.
The man, I’m telling you, was a total fraud. He tried to come off as just another guy trying “to make pitches” and “get guys out,” and there’s a Fox Sports interview from the ’90s — it’s available from YouTube and can be viewed below — in which he discusses what a lousy student he was in high school.
Lousy student. Yeah, right.
Smartest ballplayer ever.
Three hundred fifty-five wins with a fastball that wouldn’t get clocked for speeding on the Downtown Connector. Seventeen consecutive 15-win seasons with pitches that shouldn’t have fooled anybody but bumfuzzled everybody.
The Swiss philosopher Henri-Frederic Amiel (who had a lousy fastball himself) famously said: “Doing easily what others find difficult is talent; doing what is impossible for talent is genius.” That was Mad Dog. He saw everything. He knew everything.
Mark Lemke: “He’d call me over and say, ‘Move to your left two pitches from now.’ Not on the next pitch, but the pitch after that. He said, ‘I’m going to throw something he’ll foul off, and then I’m going to throw him a slider he’ll ground into the hole.’ ”
Terry Pendleton: “We were in Cincinnati one night and Bret Boone kept fouling off fastballs, and I went to the mound and said, ‘You could get him with a slider.’ And Doggie said, ‘Yeah, but I want to save that for when runners are in scoring position.’ ”
Leo Mazzone: “We were having our pitchers’ meeting before the 1996 World Series and we were going over the scouting report. It said to pitch Bernie Williams a certain way. Maddux said, ‘That’s not right. I’ve watched every game they’ve played the last two weeks and he’s killing that pitch.’ And I said, ‘We’ll go with Doggie on this one.’ ”
(Postscript: Bernie Williams faced Maddux three times in Game 2. He went 0-for-3.)
He saw everything. He knew everything. He remembered everything. Bobby Cox tells this Doggie tale:
Andy Benes was pitching for Arizona and plunked a Braves’ hitter. Cox told his men after the game, “Next time we play them, Benes better go down!” Well, the Braves didn’t play Arizona again that season or in the first weeks of the next. And one day Maddux walks into Cox’s office and said, “Still stand?”
Said Cox: “What are you talking about?”
Said Maddux: “That thing with Benes. Still stand?”
Said Cox, who’d forgotten such a edict was ever levied: “Damn right!”
First at-bat that night, Andy Benes ate dirt.
Smartest ballplayer ever. Biggest phony ever. Tried to make it seem as if he was unarmed — of Randy Johnson, Maddux once said: “His slider is faster than my fastball” — but in truth was possessed of the greatest weapon in the game. The Maddux brain.
One thing more about our Einstein: He was also a raging slob.
Lemke: “When we trained in West Palm, I’d take a look in Maddux’s car the last week and the thing would be a disaster. He’d hit Burger King every morning and he’d just turn around and — whoosh — toss [the cups and wrappers] into the back seat.”
On Friday the Braves inducted this con artist into their Hall of Famer and retired the Sultan of Sloth’s number. Even Maddux, who’s never fazed, seemed moved by the ovation he received at Turner Field. And then he gave an unmemorable speech that concluded with, “Let’s go beat the Mets.” The man always could focus.
Smartest ballplayer ever. Greatest pitcher I’ve ever seen. Greatest pitcher I’ll ever see.
Another Maddux story, this from Pete Van Wieren: “In Montreal they used to have a big bowl of jellybeans in the clubhouse, and Gerald Williams would come in every day and pick out the red ones. One day got to the ballpark two hours early and dumped the whole bowl and took out all the red ones. Took him a couple of hours, but he just wanted to sit in the corner and snicker when Gerald came in and started looking for the red jellybeans.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
154 comments Add your comment
Paddy
July 17th, 2009
9:17 pm
MB, with that beautiful column, it tells me newspapers should never go out of business. We have all forgotten how good reporting can make us feel. Heck bring back the afternoon newspapers.
Ken Stallings
July 17th, 2009
9:21 pm
Mark, I bet there are more than a few great ball players you wouldn’t want to say that to for fear they’d feel insulted and black ball you for years to come!
With Maddux, you could easily anticipate the result, genuine chuckle followed by another self-deprecating quip.
Bill
July 17th, 2009
9:22 pm
Great job Mark. Maddux was #1 and would make a great Manager. Super person.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
9:24 pm
Thanks, Bill. Thanks, Paddy. And Ken, you’re right. Most professional athletes take themselves seriously. Maddux, never.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
9:26 pm
As far as beating the Mets: I’d say mission accomplished. It’s 9-0. The Braves have three doubles in the fifth — Chipper, Anderson, Escobar — plus a McCann bloop single. Braves have 10 hits. McCann has more hits than the Mets.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
9:31 pm
Ten-nil now. Even Kotchman is driving in runs. Slaughter rule in effect.
Thomas
July 17th, 2009
9:35 pm
Outstanding column! I was laughing out loud while reading and my wife in the same room was in amazement. Thanks Maddux for the many memories added to the Braves collection.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
9:38 pm
Thanks, Thomas. And tell your wife I meant no harm.
CALPA
July 17th, 2009
9:53 pm
Mark,why don’t you get with greg and do an autobiography! I could read stories about ‘ol ball player’s nonstop! Truly greg was one of a kind, once in a life time kind of player! Kudo’s to you for a mighty fine story!! Keep up the good work!! ( I’m serious about that book thing)!!!
Scrap Iron
July 17th, 2009
10:00 pm
The think that sticks out to me the most is that you would swear (and he sure did) that if you lived next door to him, he’d be the car salesman down the block, or the neighborhood guy in charge of getting up the weekly poker game – things like that. Never acted like he was any big deal.
Almost as if on the days he wasn’t pitching, they’d show him in the dugout on occation joking with teammates, then getting serious and pointing something out to a fellow pitcher – just sure seems like somebody that was enjoyable to be around whether he be the Hall Of Famer he surely will be, or the corner grocer.
Thanks for the memories “Mad Dog”
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
10:00 pm
Thanks, CALPA. And the book I’d like to read (if not write) is not a Maddux autobiography but of guys talking about Maddux. As you can imagine, everybody has a tale to tell about Mad Dog.
CALPA
July 17th, 2009
10:07 pm
DITTO MARK !! THAT’S WHAT I MENT TO CONVEY!! NO DOUBT IT WOULD BE HIT AROUND THESE PART’S FOR SURE!! I HOPE YOU’LL(IN THE NEAR FUTURE) CONSIDER & LOOK INTO IT!!
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
10:08 pm
Thanks for the suggestion. But I’ve never been sure I had a book in me. Maybe a pamphlet.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
10:12 pm
Attendance is 50,704. Nice to see.
And the game has gone nicely for the home club, too. It’s 11-0 and the jayvee team is in. Valdez pitching, Ross catching, Prado moving to third, Conrad at second, Diaz in for Anderson in left. And Jurrjens is long gone, having yielded two hits.
jon
July 17th, 2009
10:14 pm
My old brain is crowded with information so I don’t remember details of sporting events very well, but my boss and I went to an afternoon playoff game in the mid 90’s that Maddux pitched. The Braves won 2 or 3 to nothing. The game was over before I finished my first beer. Mad Dog was on!
Now, WTF did the Cubs retire #31? What a loser organization that would retire the number of a pitcher that they wouldn’t keep in his prime. Cubs are losers.
DC Braves Fan
July 17th, 2009
10:19 pm
Great article but you’re just dead wrong about a couple of things. First, his pitches should have fooled a lot of players because they had movement. Movement is more important than velocity, and at his peak, no one’s fastball moved more than Greg Maddux. That is why left handed hitters were always ducking away from his tailing fastball. Same thing with his changeup. It would drop off the face of the earth. It’s a myth that he didn’t have great stuff. He had phenomenal stuff, save the curveball, which was very average. Second, he was no soft-tosser early in his career. He wasn’t throwing mid-90s, but he’d throw 89-90 and that type of speed with movement is incredibly hard to hit.
You’re right about his superior mental approach, but the man’s stuff is never given enough credit.
Chris
July 17th, 2009
10:22 pm
I take it back. I’m an idiot. I re-read the 1994 piece. He was a great interview in print. I just seem to remember him doing the coachspeak thing on TV and was about as stirring as Matt Stafford.
When, oh when, will someone say they’re looking forward to playing the next two games at the same time?
The guy who wrote about bringing back the afternoon paper? Paddy? He’s dead nuts spot on. Would have loved to have had the paper in my hand reading this article but then we’d miss these exchanges which are rich.
Thanks
SA
July 17th, 2009
10:25 pm
Can’t wait to see Maddux go to Cooperstown. Hope the vote is unanimous!
WarrDawg
July 17th, 2009
10:29 pm
My favorite player of all time…Love ya Dog!
Supes
July 17th, 2009
10:29 pm
Mark, a 2 hit SO fired by JJ and the pen tonight. Fitting for Greg Maddux night, don’t you think?
Steven
July 17th, 2009
10:29 pm
Mark,
Excellent article! Greg Maddux was and forever will be my favorite pitcher of all time. I doubt anyone will come along that can match how he analyzed a game and picked it apart. In today’s age where pitchers and scouts use advanced technology Mad Dog used his brain. His memory set him apart from everyone else. I hope the BBWA inducts him unanimously it’s only fitting.
Zell Miller
July 17th, 2009
10:51 pm
Greg Maddux is…overrated.
mark
July 17th, 2009
11:02 pm
great stuff. He was truly amazing. watched him for years wondering ho win the hell the best hitters in the game could not hit this guy who could not break a plane of glass with his fastball.
Always made a point of looking ahead in the schedule to try and pick the games he was pitching from the company tickets
SCBravesFan
July 17th, 2009
11:05 pm
Zell…if you think Maddux is overrated, grab a bat and get in the box….
eric
July 17th, 2009
11:09 pm
Just my favorite pitcher of all time. Back in ‘93-’94 (being just 14 at the time) I used to go out and pitch a tennis ball against a wall in my backyard after every Maddux game. Never could quite get that movement on MY cutter! Anyway, its really fun to sit here now and read all of these great Maddux stories. I’d love to hear some more…
35YearBravesFan
July 17th, 2009
11:09 pm
Greatest pitcher of our generation. What a joy he was to watch.
Thanks Greg.
GO BRAVES!!!
Zell Miller
July 17th, 2009
11:18 pm
I should really go play in traffic.
jon
July 17th, 2009
11:21 pm
Maddux could throw the ball wherever he wanted to, but what made him The Greatest, was that he was just smarter than the hitters. “Here’s one _you_ will pop up to right.”
Max Maximus
July 17th, 2009
11:22 pm
On Maddux…. The man was simply the greatest pitcher of all time. He was like a surgeon when on the mound. He would outhink every hitter and owned most power hitter. Had the ability to disect the hitter and also the game. In my opinion he was the greatest, what a competitor. Mad Dog you are and will be missed.
Mark Bradley
July 17th, 2009
11:24 pm
Supes, the Braves are playing well again. And they’ve got a chance to put the Mets away this weekend. That’s a sad-looking ballclub.
Braves326
July 17th, 2009
11:48 pm
4.5 out of the Wild Card…
Nice article, BTW.
Mitch C
July 17th, 2009
11:56 pm
I’ve been a Braves fan for twenty six years. Greg Maddux is my favorite player, ever. I used to idolize Dale Murphy when I was younger, but to watch Greg pitch a game, was a thing of beauty.
I dont live in the Atlanta area, but I did get to watch Glavine, Smoltz, Millwood, and Denny Neagle, not to mention Avery in his prime, pitch in person. Greg was the one pitcher that I never got to see in person. I remember one year the Braves were coming into Philadelphia after the All Star Break. It was at first announced that Greg would be pitching on the day I went to the game in Philly. Then, on the day before the break, I turned on TBS, and there was Greg, pitching on only three days rest. After the game, I read Bobby’s comments, and he said “Greg asked me to pitch him on three days rest, and when it’s Greg, I had to say yes”. Due to that switch in the rotation, someone else pitched on the day I went to the game, and I was really disappointed. I used to love to watch Greg pitch on TV. It was like watching Michaelangelo create a work of art.
I think it’s awesome that Greg had his number retired by two teams in the same season. No one is more deserving. I can’t wait until he gets into the Hall of Fame.
Mitch
carober
July 18th, 2009
12:02 am
This is a great piece, MB. As an aside, here’s my Maddux story (I’ve never met him). About two years ago my friend told me that Maddux was a better pitcher than Roger Clemens. This was pre-roids allegations. I told my friend that I disagreed: Look at the numbers, the guy has a billion cy youngs, a billion strikeouts, a billion everything’s. I was naive, and ignorant. I compared the stats–all of them–and there is a great argument that this guy is the best pitcher in the 90’s, probably of this era. And that is pre Clemens roids allegations. Considering them, there is no question. So, I emailed my friend and conceded, happily.
Skeezix
July 18th, 2009
12:10 am
A master of the art of pitching. Almost never pitched a batter the same way in a game. Did not believe in wasting a single pitch. Based on my review of the stats, one of the 10 best pitchers ever and the best of his era. My late father and I loved to watch him pitch and we would count the number of pitches (we were in awe of his efficiency). I am grateful I got to witness his great talent.
Joseph killeen
July 18th, 2009
12:17 am
MR. bradley once again sir we disagree MADDUX IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BRAVES EVER AND YOU NO IT HOW DO YOU THINK WE WON THE 95 SERIES GREG WE LOVE YOU AND THE BRAVES WILL WIN THE DIVISION AND BRADLY UR NUTS AND A MORON
NO MORE BOBBY
July 18th, 2009
12:34 am
Look at the excitement Maddux brought to Turner tonight. Imagine him as our manager…
Crowds will come. New energy will fire up the players as I think Maddux did to them tonight by just saying lets go beat the mets like old times. For a moment the current players had a connection to that winning feeling of the great Braves teams.
Yes Smoltz has been my choice as manager for the past two years but there was something about Maddux tonight. I have not heard the chop sound that strong since the 90’s and enjoyed seeing the players play lights out as if it was not enough to impress Maddux. Wren… you had to notice all of this as well.
Sadtoseeitthisway
July 18th, 2009
12:34 am
Hey! Nobody`s mentioned Maddog`s great control. The guy had a very low BB ratio throughout most of his career, especially in his prime. In one game, our announcers mentioned in the pre-game that Maddox had not allowed a walk in 20 something innings. In about the middle of the game, Braves have the game well in hand. The lead is about 6-0, Maddox somehow walks a guy on a bad call, the low and outside pitch that he always seemed to get. Boy did he explode. That was what really got him upset. I think that`s where George H. Bush got famous for his saying “Read My Lips”. Thank`s for coming tonight Greg, it was great to see you and share the stories.
Homer
July 18th, 2009
12:35 am
FIRE BRADLEY!!!
NO MORE BOBBY
July 18th, 2009
12:37 am
My point in all of my first post is CHANGE IS GOOD and CHANGE IS NEEDED on this team. It was a complete different vibe at the park tonight and I loved it.
chilidog75
July 18th, 2009
12:40 am
I can never tell on these things if people (like the esteemed Joseph Killeen above) are joking or if they’re being serious. Frustrating.
Anyway — I agree with one of the posters above. The idea that Maddux couldn’t throw hard is a long-perpetuated myth. I remember when they first started putting radar readings on tv for an entire game (mid 90s maybe?), that Maddux would routinely hit 90 and 91. Sometimes get to 92.
No, that’s not Randy Johnson. But it’s not Jamie Moyer either.
Guy could throw pretty hard. He wasn’t a rag arm.
Still, very, very nice column Mark. Maddux was one of a kind. And incredibly fun to watch.
Coach (2010 or Bust)
July 18th, 2009
12:50 am
Greg Maddux shows up and we win 11-0. No surprise here folks.
JASon
July 18th, 2009
1:05 am
Consider that the top 3 pitchers in the live ball era (Gibson, Koufax, Seaver) all had dominating fastballs as part of their repertoire. This is what is so amazing about Greg. We were very fortunate to have had him here in Atlanta, and he could well be consider the greatest pitcher of all time.
dawg3fan4
July 18th, 2009
1:14 am
I cheer for the Braves but baseball is far from my favorite sport so I don’t watch tons of their games. Mostly late season and playoffs but whenever Maddux would pitch I would always turn to the game just to see him pitch and then usually turn to something else when the Braves were hitting. His mastery of command and being able to stay two pitches ahead of the batter was amazing and a joy to watch.
DirtyDawg
July 18th, 2009
1:29 am
It was indeed a great tribute tonight and it was a pleasure to see the man pitch over the years. For the life of me there was one game my wife and I attended where he shut out whatever the team was in what seemed no more than an hour with something like eighty-someodd pitches (I simply can’t recall the team, the year or the specifics but it was the greatest pitching performance I had ever seen…even my wife was impressed and she doesn’t know baseball from shinola. I just wish the Braves had made their minds up to keep him forever.
Don’t know if anyone picked up on some comments made when Greg was being interviewed during tonight’s ballgame. He said, in response to a question from Simpson or Carey – not sure which one – that ’stuff’ was more important than command in getting batters out…and he specifically said ‘late movement’ when he was referring to ’stuff’. Later the two announcers seemed to take exception to Maddux’s statement since all they were thinking when it came to ’stuff’ was speed which Greg didn’t really possess. DC Braves fan said it right, it was the movement, certainly combined with location (command) that made Greg Maddux the genius he was and will remain.
Billy
July 18th, 2009
1:53 am
I knew when I was watching Maddox I would never see that again…His ball would move 12 inches 2 feet before the plate. Gold Glove, 350 wins, and lost 40 games 1-0 or 2-1… Unbelievable..
Billy
July 18th, 2009
1:55 am
Sorry, Gold GloveSSSSS
Tommy Skrak
July 18th, 2009
2:08 am
I’m 49 and over the years, two pitchers I always wanted to see when they took the mound were Nolan Ryan and Greg Maddox. It was so fascinating to see “The Professor” dissect a hitter. Maddox, truly was the epitome of the game.
Hawks Fan In New Orleans
July 18th, 2009
3:10 am
Great Article MB – nice to see the Braves showing love to its greats.
THWG
July 18th, 2009
3:24 am
I’ve got a Mad Dog story of my own. I’d say it was about 1999 (I was 11 years old) and my mom took my brothers and me to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. While we were leaving, I was holding the door open for my family as we left (mamma raised me right), and while I’m holding the door open, I look up and see none other than the Dog himself walking in. He gave me a pat on the head and a gracious “thanks.” At 11 years old, that was the coolest thing in the world.
maddogette
July 18th, 2009
3:32 am
I’m gonna miss greg so much…my favorite player ever!! despite living 2 1/2 from ATL, I still managed to come down for at least 15-20 games per season while greg was with the braves. even went on the road after he left atlanta…I am officially offering my 12 year old sign to go with him to cooperstown…I cherish the few times I had a close encounter with him…he was always most gracious. I thought the Braves did it up right for him tonight…his tearful eyes said it all…Note: turner field was rockin tonight…felt like the old days.