ATLANTA -- John Smoltz could have started for another team. He could have made more money.

	John Smoltz Starting Pitcher Atlanta Braves Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM W L Sv K ERA 36 3 3 10 57 3.36

In the end, he decided that closing for the Atlanta Braves was a job he wanted to keep.

Smoltz pulled himself out of the free agent market Sunday, staying with the Braves for a $30 million, three-year contract.

The 1996 NL Cy Young Award winner was courted by several teams, including the New York Yankees, who dangled the potential promise of a starter's role.

The Braves wanted Smoltz to remain a closer, believing it would preserve his fragile elbow while filling a crucial role on the team's pitching staff.

"We think he could be a dominant pitcher in that role for a long, long time," Atlanta general manager John Schuerholz said.

Smoltz has spent his entire 14-year career with the Braves -- nearly all of it as a starter. He went 24-8 in '96 and won at least 11 games nine other times.

He also required three operations on his right elbow, the most serious being the dreaded Tommy John procedure that kept him out for the entire 2000 season.

When Smoltz's elbow continued to bother him last season, requiring two more trips to the disabled list, he finally turned to the bullpen as a last resort.

Pitching one or two innings a night, Smoltz was overpowering. He had 10 saves in 11 chances with a 1.59 ERA, struck out 37 in 34 innings and allowed first batters to hit just .097 (3-for-31).

Smoltz also had two saves against Houston in the playoffs.

"We saw how dominant he could be in that role as closer, how well it sets up our whole pitching staff," Schuerholz said. "He made our entire pitching staff far more effective than it's ever been, I think, from the starters through the relievers."

The 34-year-old Smoltz becomes the highest-paid closer in baseball and surpasses the $8 million he made in 2001, the final season of a five-year deal.

The new contract includes salaries of $10 million in each of the next three seasons, and a $12 million team option for 2005. If Smoltz becomes a starter, he would get a performance bonus of $100,000 per start.

"This is a real important piece for a club that focuses on pitching as its primary asset," Schuerholz said. "To have a closer of his caliber available for three years is very, very comforting."

Smoltz was among 13 Atlanta players who filed for free agency, but clearly the top priority. The agents for catcher Javy Lopez and All-Star pitcher John Burkett have both indicated that their clients could be playing elsewhere next season.

The signing of Smoltz was the second major move of the offseason for the Braves. Gold Glove outfielder Andruw Jones, who could have been a free agent after 2002, signed a $75 million, six-year contract.

Those moves signal that the Braves aren't planning a significant cut to their $90 million payroll, despite a nearly 13 percent drop in attendance last season.

Smoltz's representatives met with the team Friday and Saturday before agreeing to a deal Sunday afternoon by telephone.

"Will I be happy in this role? That's yet to be determined," Smoltz told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "This is a major role change. I take a lot of pride in wanting to do my role well, but at the same time winning will play a part in it, too."

Smoltz left Sunday for a weeklong golf outing in Las Vegas.

"He hit it big without going to the casino," Schuerholz quipped.

Smoltz felt his elbow was strong enough to return to a starting rotation in 2002. The Yankees made a serious run at Smoltz, and several other teams also were interested.

"I'm not surprised. He's a quality pitcher and a quality person," Schuerholz said. "I know there was at least one very serious suitor. There might have been others."

Smoltz said he came "real close" to signing with the Yankees. But the Braves had a home-field advantage in negotiations.

While Smoltz is a Michigan native, he lives year-round in Atlanta and is active in the community. He made it clear all along that he wouldn't move his home even if he changed teams.

"I don't know if he was looking seriously," Schuerholz said. "I never got the impression that John didn't enjoy closing. I thought he enjoyed closing."