Smoltzie. You lost. Ya big baby...
So, it seems that John Smoltz and the Cardinals are blaming his loss yesterday...not on his suck, but on the unrubbed balls he was given for the game.
I'll admit it...I openly am annoyed by John Smoltz and everything he does. I was SO excited when he signed with the team. On his first outing with the Red Sox...I jumped around proclaiming it John Smoltz Day. Since then, Smoltz has done nothing but disappoint me. He didn't pitch well with us...and seemingly was not ready for the challenge, especially in the AL East. He seemed arrogant in his post game interviews. Then, he left...went to the Cards and seemed to pitch "lights out." Maybe that shouldn't annoy me...but it does. If he was going to be pitching lights out, it should be for us.
But, I digress. So, last night...Smoltz walks an uncharacterist 5 people. He says it is because he was given "unrubbed balls." (Insert your own joke here...they write themselves!) Fine. It seems like classic not taking responsibility for your own suck, but fine. I can't see Joshie Beckett ever blaming one of his losses on something else. That's just not how he rolls...
The next part is what really annoys me. Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan goes on to say that the reason Bronson Arroyo didn't have that same hard time was because he was using pine tar that he had on his ball cap.
Duncan, who said the umpires told him the baseballs indeed were rubbed up, said Arroyo was able to deal with the issue because "I'm sure he had pine tar on his cap. He didn't have any problem getting a grip. Balls like that can generate a lot more movement than a slick ball that hasn't been rubbed up."
Asked if he had seen Arroyo go to his cap, Duncan said, "Just every pitch."
So, not only is Smoltzie not responsible for his loss, but Arroyo and the Reds are cheaters. Umm. No. Ridiculous. It's like that immature 7th grade response..."I lost, but it's because you all CHEATED." My response. Grow up. Read more...
