Atlanta Braves great John Smoltz is heading to Cooperstown as one of four inductees into the 2015 class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Along side Randy Johnson (97.3%), Pedro Martinez (91.1%) and Craig Biggio (82.7%), Smoltz received 82.9% of the votes. 75% is needed to become eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. By far the most difficult to get-in, and most prestigious of all of the four major sports halls of fame.
This is quite a class, but John Smoltz will be looking for an encore after a huge Atlanta following during the induction last summer. Three of his old Braves mates were inducted last year (Manager Bobby Cox, SP Tom Glavine and SP Greg Maddux). Smoltz completes the Atlanta starting pitching big three, with third baseman Chipper Jones likely on his way to Cooperstown after he becomes eligible in 2017.
All of those great years that produced 14 division titles and a 1995 World Series championship in Atlanta, are all being celebrated as their heroes pass into baseball’s immortality. But, of all of those great players that donned the tomahawks across their chests in the 1990s, it was John Smoltz that was the biggest and baddest of all. Smoltz went 15-4 (only second to Andy Pettite’s 19 wins) with a 2.67 era and a 1.14 whip.
John Smoltz had 213 wins and 154 saves. The only pitcher in MLB history with 200+ wins and 150+ saves. He also finished with over 3,000 strikeouts, 53 complete games, 16 shutouts, 3.33 era and a 1.17 whip. He’s also a scratch golfer to boot.
When baseball historians remember John Smoltz, it will be as a part of one of the greatest pitching staffs ever (with Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux). His legacy, and theirs, will always be linked together as one of the greatest runs of all time in any sport, despite just the one championship.
We’ll never see a consecutive division title streak like that again. We’ll never see a rotation like that again. And we’ll never see a pitcher loyal enough to volunteer to go to the bullpen again for the good of the team.
His legacy and career could have been compromised by the fact that he easily could have obtained another 50 or more wins. Thankfully the Hall-of-Fame voters did not punish him for his team first attitude. They rewarded him and his legion of fans by electing John Smoltz on the first ballot.
The best compliment a starting pitcher can be given, is what most use to describe the great John Smoltz. When the chips are down, and it is all on the line, Smoltz is who most would want on the mound. Plain and simple: John Smoltz was one of the greatest post-season pitchers ever.
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