Out for year, Smoltz puts on brave face

John Smoltz knew the pain was too intense to keep pitching this season. Now, the Atlanta Braves righthander hopes to add one more comeback to his remarkable career. Smoltz will undergo season-ending surgery on his ailing right shoulder next week, but the 41-year-old is not ready to concede his next move is retirement. "I've pulled off a lot of miracles," Smoltz said yesterday. "I probably shouldn't have played this long. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can extend it." The only pitcher in baseball history with 200 wins and 150 saves already has returned from four operations on his elbow . . . Esteban Loaiza, a 21-game winner for the Chicago White Sox five years ago, returned to the team as a free agent. Cut last month by the Dodgers, the 36-year-old righty signed a one-year deal to be a long reliever and spot starter . . . San Francisco Giants lefthander Noah Lowry, who hasn't pitched this year, had another MRI on his surgically repaired throwing forearm and might be out for the season . . . St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols (calf) and outfielder Rick Ankiel (infected right knee) were out of the starting lineup for a game at Washington that was rained out . . . Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday (strained hamstring) will begin a rehabilitation assignment with Triple A Colorado Springs today.

Former Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin visited the Houston Texans. The free agent, who was released by New England in February, underwent a physical and met with Texans officials. A foot injury sidelined Colvin for the last five games of this past regular season and the playoffs. Despite questions about his health, the Texans are interested in the 30-year-old because of his pass-rushing ability . . . Adam "Pacman" Jones, who missed the 2007 season while suspended from the NFL following an accumulation of arrests and legal problems, went through his second day of offseason workouts with the Dallas Cowboys. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell hasn't announced whether Jones will get to play in the regular season. "I've learned a great deal," Jones said . . . Two weeks after announcing Jason Taylor won't practice with the team through training camp, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said he told the six-time Pro Bowl defensive end that he and the organization want him back.

Red Bulls striker Jozy Altidore appeared headed for Villarreal, with the Spanish first-division club agreeing to a transfer deal with Major League Soccer for New York's teenage forward. Altidore, 18, perhaps the United States' best soccer prospect, must negotiate a contract with Villarreal before he can join the club, the Red Bulls said. No transfer terms were released but a person with knowledge of the deal said it was worth a minimum of just under $10 million. The previous record paid for an MLS player was the $4 million Fulham paid for the Revolution's Clint Dempsey after the 2006 MLS season . . . The United States ended a two-game European trip with its second straight loss, giving up a 79th-minute goal to Xavi Hernandez in a 1-0 defeat against host Spain in Santander . . . The D.C. United-Houston Dynamo MLS match in Washington was rained out. Play began in a downpour after a 31-minute delay. With the score 0-0 in the 16th minute, referee Ricardo Salazar deemed the field at RFK Stadium unplayable. A makeup date will be announced today.

Chicago was one of four cities selected as 2016 Summer Olympics bid finalists, along with Tokyo, Madrid, and Rio de Janeiro. Failing to make the International Olympic Committee short list were Doha, Qatar; Prague; and Baku, Azerbaijan. The finalists advance to a 16-month race that will culminate Oct. 2, 2009, with a secret ballot by the full IOC at its session in Copenhagen . . . The IOC provisionally suspended Iraq's national Olympic committee for "political interference" by the government, a decision that leaves Iraqi athletes in danger of missing the Beijing Games. The Iraqi government recently dissolved the national Olympic body and appointed an interim group presided over by the minister of sport.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed former Boston College right wing Patrick Eaves to a three-year deal worth about $1.4 million annually. Eaves was traded to Carolina from Ottawa in February . . . Sebastien Laplante, who scored 61 goals for Northeastern from 1989-93, rejoined the Huskies as an assistant coach . . . The Anaheim Ducks dropped their affiliation with the Portland (Maine) Pirates. The Buffalo Sabres are expected to become the Pirates' new NHL parent, the Portland Press Herald reported . . . Byron Scott, who recently agreed in principle to a two-year contract to continue coaching the New Orleans Hornets, finalized the deal . . . Utah Jazz forward Kyle Korver was to undergo surgery to remove a bone spur on his left foot . . . Michael Jordan's lawyers asked a judge to bar a western Pennsylvania woman from having contact with him. Lisa Miceli claims Jordan fathered her 4-year-old son . . . In WNBA play, Katie Smith scored 33 points to lead the host Detroit Shock over the Seattle Storm, 77-67.