MLB uses 38 pitchers per season
John Smoltz argued that MLB teams now use approximately 38 pitchers per season, which he called 'insane' and a symptom of the broken pitching development system.
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Lebron James Is A Free Agent Again, World Cup Must Win For USMNT, John Smoltz Talking Baseball Plus Our Dingers Only Fantasy Draft
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Jul 1, 2026
Where this was said
John Smoltz Interview
At 1:26:23 · chapter starts 1:11:45
Big Cat welcomes John Smoltz, who has been attending the American Century Championship for 16-17 years and calls it a marquee week on his calendar — he even warned his six kids not to schedule weddings during it. Smoltz explains the tournament's unique modified Stableford scoring: birdie = 3 points, par = 1, bogey = 0, double bogey = -2. His confession that he once made 29 consecutive pars, scoring no better than 1 point per hole while competitors made birdies and bogeys and flew past him, becomes the defining absurdity. [1] — John Smoltz "Smoltz: 29 consecutive pars at Tahoe: John Smoltz disclosed he once made 29 consecutive pars in a single American Century Championship tour…" 1:16:36 PFT trolls him about having no clutch gene. On the baseball front, Smoltz surveys the NL: the Braves hold a lead in the East but are injury-depleted, the Dodgers remain the prohibitive favorites despite their own injury concerns (no Blake Snell, bullpen gaps), and the Phillies and Brewers are making charges. He identifies the Mets as the most interesting trade deadline watch — a bloated roster that needs to decide whether it's a buyer or seller.
Smoltz: 29 consecutive pars at Tahoe
John Smoltz disclosed he once made 29 consecutive pars in a single American Century Championship tournament, which cost him the lead due to the birdie-heavy scoring format.
John Smoltz: MLB Is Using 38 Pitchers Per Season
Teams now burn through 38 pitchers a season to get through the year — a number Smoltz calls insane. Nobody running baseball has ever played, so nobody cares that careers are being cut to thirds and eighths of what they should be.
Smoltz's Proposed Rule Fix: Tie The Starter To The DH
Want to fix pitcher overuse? Tie the starting pitcher to the DH slot — if your starter comes out early, you lose pinch hit options. That one rule change would kill the opener strategy and force teams to develop pitchers who go deep into games.
Smoltz: can't find 10 must-see pitchers
John Smoltz argued that analytics and overuse have so diluted the starting pitcher's role that he cannot identify 10 pitchers in today's MLB he would buy a ticket specifically to watch.
Greg Maddux: The Brilliant Persona Behind The Professor
Maddux gave deliberately terrible interviews to keep the spotlight off himself and on his teammates. While Smoltz and Glavine were doing press about Maddux, Maddux was living quietly and building every possible competitive advantage — including staying anonymous enough to walk down the street unrecognized.
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