Smoltz Hungry Heading Into First '09 Start

by Andrew JohnsonFiled under: Red Sox, MLB Injuries, MLB TransactionsWASHINGTON -- "We have too many Johns on this team," cracked a heard, but not seen, Red Sox player as a horde of media crowded around John Smoltz's locker the day before his first major league start of 2009.There is (Jon) Lester, the once and future ace. There is (Jonathan) Papelbon, one of the best closers in the game. And Thursday evening in the nation's capital, for the first time there will be (John) Smoltz, the future Hall of Famer trying to reinvent himself one more time as he makes his 2009 debut."This is not the old, or the new, or the done," Smoltz said of his return to a major league pitching mound. "This is just a new chapter of which when I have a baseball in my hand, I feel like I can make a pitch and ... take the sting out of the bat."Smoltz Hungry Heading Into First '09 Start originally appeared on Fanhouse MLB Blog on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EDT . Please ...