Smoltz

NEW YORK -- As a starter in the National League Championship Series, Atlanta's John Smoltz plowed through the New York Mets' batting order. As a reliever, he was buried under a pile of runs.Smoltz will return to his more familiar role tonight, taking the ball for Game 4 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. The only time he'll be in the bullpen is to warm up.The Braves -- down 3-0 in the Series -- need Smoltz to be as effective as his Oct. 16 outing at Shea Stadium, when he held the Mets to one run through seven innings before two more scored in the eighth once he had been removed.

NEW YORK -- As a starter in the National League Championship Series, Atlanta's John Smoltz plowed through the New York Mets' batting order. As a reliever, he was buried under a pile of runs.Smoltz will return to his more familiar role tonight, taking the ball for Game 4 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. The only time he'll be in the bullpen is to warm up.The Braves -- down 3-0 in the Series -- need Smoltz to be as effective as his Oct. 16 outing at Shea Stadium, when he held the Mets to one run through seven innings before two more scored in the eighth once he had been removed.

ATLANTA -- From start to finish, Game 1 was an impressive display by the Atlanta Braves. They showed power. They got superb pitching and fielding. When it was over, the Chicago Cubs had been pummeled.With Michael Tucker's two-run home run providing an early lead, and Ryan Klesko's seventh-inning grand slam turning the game into a rout, the Braves opened the playoffs with an easy 7-1 victory over the Cubs yesterday before 45,598 at Turner Field.John Smoltz became the all-time leader in postseason victories (11)

ATLANTA -- Mike Mussina struck another blow yesterday for everyone who despises the designated hitter rule, though he was in no particular hurry.Remember the two singles in spring training, including a scorcher to right field off Montreal ace Pedro Martinez? That was nothing compared with his lengthy third-inning at-bat against Atlanta's John Smoltz.Batting left-handed, Mussina fouled off four straight two-strike offerings by the Cy Young Award winner, worked the count to 3-2, then lined the 10th pitch up the middle, off Smoltz's outstretched glove and behind the mound.

The Orioles intend to pursue free-agent John Smoltz, a source close to the pitcher said yesterday.Smoltz, the probable National League Cy Young Award winner who led the majors with 24 wins last season for the pennant-winning Atlanta Braves, is generally regarded as the top free-agent starter available. Smoltz, who had a 2.94 ERA last season, rose to prominence with the Braves in the early 1990s and has a 114-90 record and 3.45 ERA since joining the club.The source indicated Orioles assistant general manager Kevin Malone soon will speak with representatives for Smoltz.

ATLANTA -- Even before last night, catcher Javy Lopez had secured his place in the rich, recent postseason history of the Atlanta Braves. He had three home runs last year, one bigger than the next, all of which led the Braves to winning their first World Series since coming here from Milwaukee. He had another in the 10th inning of Game 1 of this year's National League Division Series sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.Compared to the others, last night's addition to his big hit list seemed almost minuscule.

Although numerous baseball people say starter John Smoltz still is likely to remain with the Atlanta Braves, the Orioles could get a shot to court the free agent as soon as Friday.Myles Shoda, Smoltz's agent, said their initial meeting with the Braves did not go as well as planned, and it does not appear the sides will have a deal done by midnight tomorrow. That is when free agents are allowed to field offers from other teams.Smoltz, the National League Cy Young Award winner, led the majors with 24 wins this past season and made a base salary of $5.25 million.

The desire for an upgrade is natural. The Orioles came close to playing in the World Series, and if not for a 12-year-old kid sticking out his glove in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series and one pivotal inning in Game 3, the Braves might've been playing the Orioles, not the Yankees.The Orioles want to upgrade their pitching staff, and they want to improve the defense, possibly by moving Cal Ripken to third base and getting a shortstop. Those are worthy goals -- but goals that will be difficult to attain in this off-season.

Orioles general manager Pat Gillick and assistant Kevin Malone will draw up a free-agent wish list sometime in the next few days, like children writing requests for Santa Claus.The list compiled by the Orioles' officials will be a little more complicated than a recitation of toys and video games, however. This list will be molded within financial parameters -- presumably, owner Peter Angelos will establish these -- and full of contingency plans. And it will look something like this:1. Pitcher John SmoltzImagine Smoltz, 29, using his slider to strike out New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams in a big Camden Yards series in September.

General manager Pat Gillick and assistant GM Kevin Malone will meet with owner Peter Angelos this week to complete the Orioles' 40-man roster and free-agent wish list, but it appears certain that signing starting pitchers David Wells and John Smoltz are priorities.The Orioles spoke with representatives for the free-agent pitchers yesterday and remain optimistic they will be in the hunt to sign both.Wells was 11-14 with a 5.14 ERA for the Orioles in 1996, but was a solid playoff performer for a team that needs left-handed starters.

Red Sox sign Baldelli; Smoltz, Penny deals next baseball Pitchers John Smoltz and Brad Penny are on their way to the Boston Red Sox. Outfielder Rocco Baldelli was already in Boston, holding up his new jersey. After missing out on the biggest free-agent prize of the offseason, first baseman Mark Teixeira of Severna Park, to the New York Yankees, the Red Sox were poised to make a series of smaller deals. They announced Baldelli's signing last night. General manager Theo Epstein would not confirm the deals for Smoltz or Penny, but as he spoke, Penny, a two-time All-Star, was on his way out of Boston after completing his physical.

Observations, opinions and musings from last week in Major League Baseball. There have been plenty of big-name players getting injured this year, but last week set the standard. St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols (calf strain) hit the disabled list, and so did Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano (broken hand) and Cleveland Indians catcher Victor Martinez (elbow surgery). Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (shoulder tear) will be out for at least four more weeks, and Indians pitcher Jake Westbrook is done for the year after elbow-ligament surgery.

Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz has not only been one of the most versatile pitchers in major league history, winning a Cy Young Award as a starter in 1996 and Relief Pitcher of the Year honors in 2002, but he has also had to coax two decades out of his right arm with a constant series of medical procedures and pitching approach changes. It was announced yesterday that he's facing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder that might signal the end of his career, although he's not conceding that yet. But Smoltz has already had Tommy John surgery (ligament replacement)

Every rookie experiences it. Stepping into a major league clubhouse, looking around and seeing the players you grew up watching. Within in a few days or weeks, though, the feeling normally wears off. Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann has been a major leaguer for more than a year. And the kid who grew up as a Braves fan in Duluth, Ga., acknowledges that he still occasionally has a flash of awe. "Every time I catch John Smoltz, I still look out there and it's weird every time," McCann said.

Atlanta -- So, the greatest postseason pitching matchup of all time didn't come to fruition. It wasn't John Smoltz's fault. He did his part. Making his first postseason start in the new millennium, the lone remaining player from Atlanta's first of 14 consecutive division championship teams pitched his typical playoff gem last night in a 7-1 win over Houston in Game 2 of the National League Division Series. It was Roger Clemens who couldn't keep the pace. The Braves tied the best-of-five series at a game apiece.

ATLANTA - In the aftermath of Tuesday's surprising Game 1 loss to the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series, it was inevitable the Atlanta Braves would face questions about their postseason ineptitude when they showed up for work yesterday. Atlanta came up short in two of its last three trips to the Division Series, including last season to the San Francisco Giants, so was another collapse on deck? "It won't matter what we do this year," closer John Smoltz said. "The debate is going to be continuously thrown out there.

A rebuilding team, the Orioles today enter baseball's free-agent marketplace offering mixed signals about which aisle they will choose: the one offering bright-light names such as Bonds and Gonzalez or the blue-light selection underscoring the need for patience. This much is certain: The Orioles' two most pressing needs, according to vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift, are a closer and a hitter. Having endured a season in which rookie closer Ryan Kohlmeier fumbled the role, was twice optioned and ultimately lost to the Chicago White Sox on a waiver claim, the Orioles seek someone to stem a perennial bullpen shuffle.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Did arbitrator Shyam Das do the right thing when he sharply reduced the disciplinary measures that were levied against loose-lipped relief pitcher John Rocker? That's a matter of opinion, but Das showed some Solomon-like wisdom when he cut Rocker's 28-day suspension to two weeks, reduced his fine from $20,000 to $500 and allowed him to report to spring training. Rocker probably shouldn't have been subject to any severe institutional discipline for exercising his constitutional right to free speech, but Das obviously recognized that he would be creating a larger problem -- and doing Rocker a disservice -- by entirely striking down the disciplinary measures imposed by baseball commissioner Bud Selig.

NEW YORK -- As a starter in the National League Championship Series, Atlanta's John Smoltz plowed through the New York Mets' batting order. As a reliever, he was buried under a pile of runs.Smoltz will return to his more familiar role tonight, taking the ball for Game 4 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. The only time he'll be in the bullpen is to warm up.The Braves -- down 3-0 in the Series -- need Smoltz to be as effective as his Oct. 16 outing at Shea Stadium, when he held the Mets to one run through seven innings before two more scored in the eighth once he had been removed.

NEW YORK -- As a starter in the National League Championship Series, Atlanta's John Smoltz plowed through the New York Mets' batting order. As a reliever, he was buried under a pile of runs.Smoltz will return to his more familiar role tonight, taking the ball for Game 4 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. The only time he'll be in the bullpen is to warm up.The Braves -- down 3-0 in the Series -- need Smoltz to be as effective as his Oct. 16 outing at Shea Stadium, when he held the Mets to one run through seven innings before two more scored in the eighth once he had been removed.