Mazzone Retracts Comments That Smoltz Cheated ... But Not Really

by gondeee on Sep 23, 2011 8:27 AM EDT

At some point Smoltz is going to have to respond to Leo's comments.

On Wednesday, Leo Mazzone seemed to accuse John Smoltz of cheating by rubbing pine tar on baseballs. The comments were unsolicited and came during a radio interview. Now it seems that Mazzone is walking those comments back:

"We were trying to have some fun on the air and in trying to have some fun somebody took a story and ran with it and said that I said that Smoltzy cheated in the game," Mazzone told WNNX-FM in Atlanta on Thursday morning.

Asked point blank whether Smoltz cheated during his pitching career, Mazzone told WNNX, "No, absolutely not."

Mazzone also expressed disappointment that his comments, which he claims were taken out of context, have created such a stir.

"I am so angry about it because somebody took it and ran with it and said 'the Braves pitchers were cheating,' " Mazzone told WNNX. "That's a bunch of bologna."

What is a bunch of bologna is even bringing it up in the first place! And if you do accidentally bring it up, follow it up immediately with an "I'm kidding, I'm kidding." And then Mazzone went right back to his original statement and once again implied that Smoltz used pine tar, but this time he didn't call it cheating:

"With something like pine tar, that's not doctoring a baseball," Mazzone told WNNX. "That's trying to get a grip when it's cold. What's wrong with that?"

So adding something other than rosin to a baseball is NOT doctoring a baseball? No, Leo, that's the definition of doctoring a baseball ... which is cheating ... and it's wrong. Just like spit on a baseball is doctoring a baseball. Just like raising the seams is doctoring a baseball. Leo's apology is worse than his original insult, as it reaffirms his original statement.

Anytime an allegation like cheating is brought up, even if the person bringing it up doesn't think it's cheating (though it clearly is), it's going to get a lot of attention. This type of story won't go away, and folks are going to keep asking Smoltz and the other Braves pitchers from the 90's about it. (I've already asked Smoltz about it, so we'll see where that goes...)

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Comments

Leo always shoots his mouth off on the air without

really considering what he’s saying.

A lot of room in right center, if he hits one there we can dance in the streets, the 2-1....
Twitter: @taymccracken

by ATLBRVS_19 on Sep 23, 2011 8:34 AM EDT reply actions

Phil Niekro is somewhere...smiling

by TBuzz on Sep 23, 2011 8:49 AM EDT reply actions

Why are people talking about this?

It’s news that Leo Mazzone is a moron? Really??

You'd think I was Travis Tritt struttin my FINE ASS on down to Florida

by Fatvirus on Sep 23, 2011 9:02 AM EDT reply actions

Probably news to some people

I mean, he actually has a job on Atlanta radio in the mornings, and on Braves pre-game, so clearly someone thinks he has credential and something significant to say.

My buddy and I just decided that the braves would be set if we could get Matt Kemp, Jose Reyes, and Albert Pujols.

by willlinn on May 17, 2011 2:13 PM EDT

by Bronn on Sep 23, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Have you ever listened to that morning show? It’s dreadful. It’s comprised of: a guy who knows very little about sports, some douchey bag of wind yuppie, a very annoying woman who spends a lot of time talking about the fluff sports stories and then Leo Mazzone. And they really don’t talk about sports. They talk about the shit going on around sports. It should be called the “Atlanta Sports Gossip Hour”
Dreadful. Sports talk radio is generally bad, but that show is unlistenable. .

You'd think I was Travis Tritt struttin my FINE ASS on down to Florida

by Fatvirus on Sep 23, 2011 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

NG Leo NG

by Manning to Heyward on Sep 23, 2011 9:07 AM EDT reply actions

Good lord folks.

The people making the biggest stink about this are on this message board. If he did it and got away with it, so what? There is cheating within the rules of the game (like this, stealing signs by players, etc.) and cheating outside of the game (like roiding, having a guy in the stands stealing signs, etc.) and nobody seems to get this difference. Can we just let this sleeping dog lie?

by cavebird on Sep 23, 2011 9:24 AM EDT reply actions

The problem is if we keep talking about this as if it’s an issue, then it becomes one. It was a dumb thing to say, but there’s no reason in the world for the media to report on it. We’re in a playoff race, for God’s sake. There’s enough going on in the baseball world that the media shouldn’t have to make moutains out of molehills.

You'd think I was Travis Tritt struttin my FINE ASS on down to Florida

by Fatvirus on Sep 23, 2011 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

If he did it and got away with it, so what?

That’s a terrible attitude, imho. Besides, the fact that we’re talking about it kind of means that he didn’t quite get away with it.

However, the main point about this story (as expressed by many other) is that apparently the use of pinetar during the cold weather was secretly common practice? Is this still in practice today?

by LEastCoastBears on Sep 23, 2011 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I think the real point of this story is that Leo is an idiot.

My buddy and I just decided that the braves would be set if we could get Matt Kemp, Jose Reyes, and Albert Pujols.

by willlinn on May 17, 2011 2:13 PM EDT

by Bronn on Sep 23, 2011 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions

2006 Kenny Rogers

says no.

"Jason Heyward was a Greek philosopher reincarnated as a baseball player." - Don Sutton

by UMDBHIK on Sep 23, 2011 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

This whole thing is just strange.

"If you go out to a bar, pick up a chick, take her home, but can't close the deal, we used to call that "Calling Dan Kolb in for relief."-Talking Head

by SCrebel10 on Sep 23, 2011 9:46 AM EDT reply actions

Clearly Leo Mazzone is either senile or just retarded; he doesn’t even seem to know what he is saying when he is given the opportunity to clarify past statements.

by bloodgimp on Sep 23, 2011 9:56 AM EDT reply actions

"I've already asked Smoltz about it, so we'll see where that goes..."

Wait, do you know John Smoltz personally?

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

by Rocketmann on Sep 23, 2011 10:00 AM EDT reply actions

Can we address the real issue?

How do the producers at 680 The Fan still have jobs? Christopher Rude, really? He clearly doesn’t watch sports at all. Braves fans are forced to listen to this garbage because 790 has those 5 cue balls who sound exactly alike and only talk about the Falcons (even in March when nothing is going on). It’s audio abuse. Plain and simple.

by ruxsin on Sep 23, 2011 10:26 AM EDT reply actions

delete this thread

Find a real story — like the Marlins pitcher who was playing under an assumed name and just fled the country.

by JimK on Sep 23, 2011 10:47 AM EDT reply actions

didnt jairo acenscio do the same thing?

by Alex H on Sep 23, 2011 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

if they did cheat obviously they didn’t to it enough since it didn’t get them a title. :)

by nuftjedi on Sep 23, 2011 11:20 AM EDT reply actions

At some point Smoltz is going to have to respond to Leo’s comments

why does he have to? it does him no good to respond IMO.

by nuftjedi on Sep 23, 2011 12:10 PM EDT reply actions

Lt. Kaffee: Did you order the Pine Tar???

Leo Mazzone: YOU’RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!!!

by TBuzz on Sep 23, 2011 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

The guy must be an idiot. Somehow I never knew.

Sgt.: Pointed stick? Oh, oh, oh. We want to learn how to defend ourselves against pointed sticks, do we? Getting all high and mighty, eh? Fresh fruit not good enough for you eh? Well I'll tell you something my lad. When you're walking home tonight and some great homicidal maniac comes after you with a bunch of loganberries, don't come crying to me! Now, the passion fruit.

by GumpBrave on Sep 23, 2011 2:17 PM EDT reply actions

Leo is certainly not a good PR guy for the Bravos

I listen to the morning show often, and Leo never fails to come off like a middle schooler. Must be all those years in the clubhouse. Anyway, this was just waiting to happen, and really, there’s no telling how many times it’s already happened, but the right people just weren’t listening—normally he just says stupid crap on Atlanta radio, and everyone listening already knows to ignore him.

by tbbrown on Sep 23, 2011 3:52 PM EDT reply actions

Would any hyper competitive person use any edge they could if they believed....

a) it would work,
b) it’s worth the risk (chance of getting caught is slim, and the consequences are relatively small)
c) there is a climate that would support such risky behavior?

He whose words outnumber his deeds, know that his death is better than his life.

by KomaGawa on Sep 23, 2011 10:28 PM EDT reply actions