BASEBALL NOTES

John Smoltz will spend today pondering whether he wants to be a starter or closer next year--and where he might be pitching.

The Atlanta Braves are hoping to re-sign Smoltz, who had 10 saves in the regular season after moving to the bullpen, then two more in the playoffs against Houston.

But Smoltz spent the rest of his 14-year career as a starter, and several teams are interested in luring him away from Atlanta for that role.

“The perception by everybody is, ‘Oh, he’ll be the closer because he did it last year,”’ Smoltz said during an appearance for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “I’ve never looked at it that way.”

Smoltz missed the 2000 season following elbow surgery and moved to the bullpen in July when his recovery didn’t go as well as he expected.

“I would entertain closing here, but that’s the only place,” he said. “But it’s not a given that because of what happened last season, I’m going to close.”

Smoltz, 34, thinks his right elbow will be strong enough next season to start.

Smoltz spoke Monday with Arizona managing general partner Jerry Colangelo, who would like to add Smoltz to a rotation that includes Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling.