John Smiley

Who is John Smiley?

John Smiley is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for four teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians in a twelve-year career from 1986 to 1997.

In Smiley's first full season, he was a relief pitcher, leading the Pirates in appearances with 63 games. Smiley was converted to a starting pitcher in 1988, lowering his Earned Run Average by a full 2.5 runs per game, posting a 3.25 ERA and 13 wins against 11 losses.

Smiley was a two time All-Star: as a Pirate in 1991, a season in which Smiley led the National League with twenty wins and finished third in the Cy Young Award balloting; and in 1995 with the Reds, a season in which he had twelve wins and five losses. In August 1995, Smiley surrendered a home run to Braves pitcher Tom Glavine — the only homer Glavine hit in his major league career. Smiley broke his left humerus while warming up for a start in 1997 shortly after he was traded to the Indians by the Reds with Jeff Branson for Jim Crowell, Danny Graves, Damian Jackson and Scott Winchester. The injury ended his career.