Major League Baseball

2010 MLB PLAYOFFS;ALCS NOTEBOOK;Smoltz can relate;Ex-Sox teammate analyzes Buchholz

Published Oct. 20, 2010 10:14 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK - They were two pitchers whose careers were heading in opposite directions. But when aging John Smoltz and young Clay Buchholz met during spring training with the Red Sox in 2009, they realized they had plenty in common.

In particular, the right-handers had to cope with lofty expectations.

Smoltz became an All-Star with the Atlanta Braves and won the Cy Young Award when he went 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 1996. After that, he annually was a trendy preseason pick to cop another Cy, and despite posting six more double-digit win seasons and even notching 144 saves between 2002-04, he never did.

Buchholz, meanwhile, was a highly touted prospect who tossed a no-hitter in his second career start for the Red Sox in 2007. But he struggled to stay in the majors over the next two seasons and was the frequent subject of trade conversations.

''I spent a lot of time with him in spring training from the standpoint of, I was nowhere in his shoes, nowhere as good as he was when he first came up, but I understand what happens when the tag of potential and expectations are put on you,'' Smoltz, who is working the ALCS as a TBS analyst, said recently. ''We were able to talk about that and how you deal with that.''

Buchholz emerged this season as one of the AL's top pitchers. He won 17 games and posted a 2.33 ERA that ranked second in the league behind only the top mark posted by the Seattle Mariners' Felix Hernandez (2.27).

Smoltz attributed the breakthrough to Buchholz being able to harness his five-pitch repertoire.

''That was part of the problem for him (in 2008 and '09),'' Smoltz said. ''When you're reduced to two (pitches), you're trying to do two things really well. Now, try to do five things really well. He was going to, but it's difficult to find that identity as a pitcher. It's also a credit to him for having patience of being in an organization that, he probably felt he should've been up sooner. He could've been traded six times or whatever it was. It's the best trade they never made.''

Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee may well be the top name on the Yankees' free agent wish list, but New York also might have to convince Andy Pettitte to return for another season in New York.

At age 38, and after 16 seasons in the majors, Pettitte has reached the point where he prefers to evaluate his status after each season. It's the reason why he signed only a one-year, $11.75 million contract last winter, and if he returns for 2011, it likely will be on another one-year contract.

After Pettitte tossed seven strong innings in losing his Game 3 start, he received a warm ovation from a Yankee Stadium crowd that can't be certain it will see him again.

''I'll be calling him and begging him this offseason to come back,'' Yankees ace CC Sabathia said. ''He's meant a lot to me in the two years that I've known him. Coming here, from day one in spring training, he just welcomed me with open arms, and any questions I ever had, about the organization, about the city or pitching against these guys in the AL East, he's been more than happy to help me. I think he's been a big reason why I've had success here so far.''

Wilson on pace

When C.J. Wilson was a closer, the Rangers left-hander said he exerted maximum effort for one inning. As a starter, he has learned to pace himself.

''I don't know if rage is a good word, but there's a lot of fuel (as a closer),'' said Wilson, who will make his second ALCS start in Game 5 today. ''You're really burning hot. As a starter, it's really kind of more like a candle or a log in the fire. You warm up and you just kind of stay warm the whole time. So, it's more channeling the big picture into small bursts.'' . . .

Yankees designated hitter Lance Berkman had his home run overturned in the second inning (the ball was foul down the right field line), marking the third video review in two postseasons that replay has been used.

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