‘I Was Struggling. I’m Physically Struggling…’: MLB Legend John Smoltz Keeps It Real About Everything at the Tournament of Champions

The former American baseball pitcher, John Smoltz, is playing at the Tournament of Champions as a celebrity. Despite having a good hold on the sport, the MLB legend struggled at the tournament. Smoltz played 22 seasons in baseball; however, the pro lost his physical strength and could not hold up to the expectations of his fans. He knew what went wrong and later acknowledged it during the press conference. Even though he is away from baseball and closer to golf, he never misses the opportunity to share his honest views on the sport. And another testament to his honesty was his recent interview after his round at the TOC.

Despite being among the top players on the leaderboard currently, it displeased Smoltz. According to him, the format keeps players from falling too far behind since you’ll never catch up if you do. Annika Sorenstam was on her course, and he was already six behind her. He admitted, though, that the slow start he had prevented him from posting a powerful score. However, only the scoring system was not the reason that was holding him back. There was something else, and Smoltz revealed it in the interview.

Why was John Smoltz unhappy with his performance?

Smoltz said, comparing himself to a punching bag, “If I was a punching bag, I would have beat myself up. I was struggling. I’m physically struggling, so the front nine was good, and then I tried to hang on the back nine.” It was evident Smoltz was disappointed in his golf swings. And due to his physical struggles, he could not play in his best possible form. He expressed disappointment, “Really disappointed in some of my shots coming down the stretch. I’ve got to hot tub and stretch and try to get my body in shape because it’s no good.”

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If you are an athlete, your body is a temple. Worship it like a devotee and care for it like a mother. That was lacking from the Smoltz schedule; the disappointment followed him. However, he was not the only pitcher playing at TOC this year. The left-handed starting pitcher Mark Mulder and 1997 MLB debut Derek Lowe were also playing. To understand the mentality of pitchers and their similarity with golf, the reporter asked Smoltz about their approach to golf.

Being a former baseball player himself, Smoltz explained that, like baseball, golf also needs eye-hand coordination. According to him, more pitchers get to play golf rather than hitters. He explained the reason and gave the example of a hitter and his speed. “It’s more the opportunity we get to play than the other guys because there’s some hitters, like Josh Donaldson, I think he’s got a ball speed of 202. When he gets it all lined up, he’s 70 yards in front of me.”

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Do you agree with the MLB legend? Does he need to work on his body and make it more flexible?