Back in 1995, when he was a rookie just tugging on his red socks for the first time, righthander Jeff Suppan found himself sitting out in the bullpen, beside the veteran who had relieved him in his second major-league start. Suppan, new to the majors and Fenway Park and all things Red Sox, wasn’t sure want to expect, and then Mike Maddux started talking.
What Suppan heard then shaped his career for years.
“And not just at Fenway, but the conversations happened at County Stadium, at Jacobs Field, all over the league, and here’s this full-blown veteran – he was the first pitcher who really taught me the game,” said Suppan, the former Cardinals starter.