"Smoltz, sensing impending doom, speculated how "talk radio" in New York would be buzzing Wednesday. As Don Kelly stepped in, Smoltz offered Burnett an escape from the mess he was in.
'Here's what he (Burnett) needs. He's tipped his hand. You don't want to tip your hand. You need an atom ball,' Smoltz said. 'And what that atom ball is you don't know where it goes - line drive, robbing a home run - you've got to get an out. You just need to get the ball over the plate and say, 'OK, I've forgotten it. The jitters are gone.'
Almost on cue, Burnett got that 'atom ball.' He grooved a pitch. Kelly lined a wicked shot to center that Curtis Granderson, after taking a step in, retreated in time to make a leaping catch to end the inning.
After that, Burnett settled in, giving up just one run, until Joe Girardi came to get him in the sixth.
Credit Smoltz with some simple but brilliant analysis.
It also marked the first time someone issued an atomic theory from a baseball broadcast booth."
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