Gregory Alan Maddux is the first pitcher to win four consecutive Cy Young Awards and the second pitcher to win four in a career. Nobody has won more than two consecutively. He is the first pitcher since Walter Johnson (1918-1919) to post consecutive seasons with an earned run average under 1.70 (1.63 and 1.56). 1996 Season How good is Greg Maddux? He's so good that last year, he won 15 games for the ninth consecutive season, allowed 17 unintentional walks while fanning 172 batters, and finished second in the league in ERA, but the only thing anyone seemed to ask was, "What's wrong with Greg Maddux?" It must have been one of the most remarkable "off years" in history. Pitching Maddux's pitches defy classification. His hardest fastball approaches the high-80s, and he can cut it and run it in and out. He's constantly taking something off it--a little, then a lot--and when he wants to hit the brakes completely, he uses his circle change. He also throws a curse, a slider, and a million breaking balls that fall somewhere in-between. His exceptional movement and pinpoint control enables him to paint the corners and make the batter pound the ball into the ground early in the count. As a result, he's the master of efficiency, finishing second in the league in innings pitched last year without ever throwing 120 pitches in a single contest. Hitting & Defense Maddux, who won his seventh straight Gold Glove last year, is generally regarded as the game's best-fielding pitcher. He can hit, too, rarely striking out, and laying a bunt when needed. Holding runners is his only weakness, since he doesn't waste time throwing to first. 1997 Outlook Despite all the head-scratching, the answer to everyone's question is simple: there was nothing "wrong" with Greg Maddux last year. He threw only one less quality start than John Smoltz did, but poor run support left Maddux with a far inferior won-loss record. That likely won't keep up next year, so Maddux is an excellent bet to recapture his crown as "King of the Hill." Midway 1997 The best pitcher in baseball - he's the best-prepared, has the best control and has one of the best repertoires. The four-time Cy Young Award winner's best game of the season probably was a three-hit shutout of the Yankees on July 2. He needed only 86 pitches, including 63 strikes, and struck out 8 with no walks. Maddux did not walk a batter in his last 36 innings prior to the All-Star break. In his last outing prior to the break, Maddux held Philadelphia to six hits and one run in a 90-pitch performance. Starting pitcher for the 1997 National League team. Contract 1997 On August 10 before the game, Greg Maddux and the Atlanta Braves announced that Maddux had resigned with Atlanta. The contract is worth more than $57.5 million. Maddux will now be in Atlanta through 2002. News - Maddux Resigns with Atlanta! Audio - Press Conference

"If you are content with yourself, you'll stop taking those little steps forward and begin taking big steps backward." -- Greg Maddux