Former Braves pitching coach clarifies comments about Smoltz

UPDATE: 5:50 p.m.. ET: Former Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone returned to SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio with Evan Cohen and Steve Phillips Thursday to clarify his comments on John Smoltz using pine tar while he pitched:

" There wasn't no cheating going on as far as that's concerned," Mazzone said. "Somebody tried to run with the story when there ain't no story. ... John Smoltz and I are very close, very close friends. And to have him read something like that that really angers me. ... I can tell you right now. If a pitcher came to me and if you were on astro turf and you were freezing your butt off. 'Leo, I'm having a tough time grabbing the ball. Well grab a bat, there's some pine tar on it. It will get your fingers a little sticky.' It's not defacing the ball. It doesn't help you make a pitch. What it does is help you keep it in your hand."

WEDNESDAY: Former Atlanta Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone may have inadvertantly let one slip by the catcher.

John Smoltz won 210 games with the Braves from 1988 to 2008.CAPTIONBy Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

In an interview with SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio with Evan Cohen and former Mets general manager Steve Phillips, Mazzone said former great Braves pitcher John Smoltz used to put pine tar on baseballs while he pitched.

"One time Smoltzy had it on his shoes and I said, 'John, you can't keep bending over and touching your shoes all the time. Let's put it someplace else!' (he laughs)."

Smoltz blossomed under Mazzone, winning the 1996 NL Cy Young Award when he went 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA. The likely Hall of Famer won 210 games over 20 years (1988-2008) with the Braves.

The Braves pitching staff won six Cy Young Awards in the 1990s on its way to 14 consecutive playoff appearances.

The subject of gamesmanship developed as they were discussing whether the New York Giants faked injuries on Monday Night Football.

Mazzone said: "I know that in my little ball bag I had firm grip and all kinds of goodies to take care of a baseball to get a little more movement on it. (laughs)."

Mazzone served as the coach under manager Bobby Cox from 1990 to 2005. He earned the reputation of developing perennial All-Star pitchers. In the 1990s, he coached one of the best rotations of all-time -- Smoltz, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and, at various points, Steve Avery, Denny Neagle and others.