Former Braves left-hander Steve Avery is in camp for his first ever stint as a special pitching instructor for the Braves. The veteran of 11 major league seasons and four World Series trips with the Braves in the 1990s, spoke with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about his impressions of the Braves’ young pitchers, the upcoming Hall of Fame inductions of former teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, his life since retiring from baseball with a shoulder injury and his legacy as a Brave.
Avery, 43, the 1991 National League Championship Series MVP, makes his home in Dearborn, Mich., where he is full-time father to sons Evan, 19, daughter Emma, 16, and son Owen, 9.
Here are excerpts from that conversation. The full interview is available at myajc.com
Q. What has it been like to see major league pitching again?
A. It's funny because I've been out for so long I almost forget that I pitched. I was down in the bullpen watching the guys throw and the plate seems so far away. I throw (batting practice) to the kids now and stuff, but to watch these guys throw you're like 'Man, there's so much talent.' The ball just seems like it's coming out of their hand so fast. They have a lot of talent here, a lot of young guys that are trying to build a reputation. It kind of reminds me when I was coming up.
Q. Alex Wood said he got a kick out of your watching his last bullpen session. Can you relate to him, as a young left-hander making an impact so early?
A. I do, yeah he's so young. He's just got great stuff and a world of talent. I like the way he's got something different about him too. His windup is different, and that's always an advantage if he can keep that under control. Hitters don't like to see that. When you watch him throw, his fastball just gets on them a little bit quicker because of that differentness, that funkiness. He's got a great breaking ball, a good demeanor. I've heard he already got kicked out of a game (for arguing with umpire C.B. Bucknor), which you got to like that, in some ways and not in others. I always liked that. I was always an intense guy out there and I think that kind of competitiveness is going to take him a long way.
Q. How excited were you to see Maddux and Glavine get into the Hall of Fame?
A. It's great. I'm so happy for those guys. Obviously they were no-brainers to go in. Their numbers speak for themselves. They were great teammates, great friends, and I'm taking my boys up there. I've actually never been to Cooperstown which will be cool to experience that. I know the Braves are putting something together, so I'm really looking forward to watching them go in.
Q. Does it make you proud to have been part of such a special rotation with those two and John Smoltz?
A. Yeah, we pushed each other. I think we went a couple years where we didn't even miss a start, which is unheard of. It's great to see a friend of yours be able to experience something like that and in a small way feel a part of it.
Q. Safe to say you were the best hitter of the four?
A. There's no doubt about that. I mean if I would have tried to hit singles I could have, but I always tried to hit the bombs. I could have done like Glavine and slapped it to left field all the time. But I wanted the glory.
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