Fox sports analyst and Braves Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz joined Dukes & Bell to talk about game one of the World Series and why he thinks this Braves team has the “it factor" and how it reminds him of a team he was on during his time on the Braves.
Smoltz talked about the makeup of the team and why it reminds him of the '91 team he was on.
“It might surprise some people, I think it’s similar, although when I make this statement people are going to roll their eyes. 1991 will never be reproduced, but the essence of catching everybody by surprise in 1991 was something that caught this city by storm,” Smoltz said. “I think this similar kind of storyline is if you ask everybody at the all-star break or before, no chance, I mean they lost everybody, they’re not playing good baseball the thought of going to the World Series couldn’t of entered anybody’s mind.”
“So I say that is similar to the same thing when I was speaking at a coming into season ticket luncheon holder at 1991 early thinking you never know get your tickets now. People thought this guy’s lost his mind, there’s no chance the Braves are going to the World Series, I said you never know when we get to the World Series you want to be those people that lock in their tickets and sure enough we go. When I look at and nationally look at the Atlanta Braves I see an organization that’s prideful, that is led by a man who was under a man in Bobby Cox who knows how to lead a club. The Atlanta Braves have the “it” factor, and everyone has tried to explain what is the “it” factor, and as a player you know what that is, you have confidence in people that no one else has in themselves. You believe, you have this brashness, you think it’s going to get done, your organization helps you out and they have the “it” factor.
Will that alone win a Word Series? I don’t know, but it sure helps if you believe it as a player.”