BASEBALL DAILY REPORT

Should John Smoltz get in a jam tonight, he will step off the mound and look for a red shirt in the crowd.

“He will glimpse at the shirt and then, hopefully, everything we have worked on will kicked in,” said Dr. Jack Llewellyn, a sports psychologist. “He will get his focus back. He will get his concentration back.”

Llewellyn has been working with temperamental Smoltz since the All-Star break, when Smoltz was 2-11. He went 12-2 with a 2.62 ERA in the second half, 8-1 in his final 13 starts.

“When we talk, we don’t talk about baseball matters, per se,” Smoltz said. “We talk about life and the things Jack brings up always have a dual meaning so I can put them into effect on the mound. He’s taught me how to recover and stay focused.

“Having him behind home plate is not like having a rattle, or like Linus’ towel. He is no magic potion. It’s not like he turned a minor league pitcher into a major leaguer.”

“He has just helped me get to my potential quicker, and recover from my mistakes faster.”

Smoltz added, “I like to pitch with him in the stands like I like to pitch with my family in the stands. It’s just good to know he’s there.”