Smoltz may be facing shoulder surgery  —  Braves expected to discuss veteran's future at news conference  —  ATLANTA — John Smoltz has said that he'll be content if he never throws another pitch.  Now, just two days after he attempted to alleviate stress on his shoulder with a move to the bullpen …

JOBA IS STOPPED FOR JAY-WALKING  —  CHAMBERLAIN'S STARTING DEBUT BRIEF; YANKS FALL FLAT  —  It wasn't very pretty for Joba Chamberlain.  It was simply disappointing.  —  With back-page hype and a sellout Bronx crowd on hand, Chamberlain's starting debut was far from a huge success last night.

Newest Yankee Just Tries to Blend In  —  Dan Giese had never been to Yankee Stadium before Tuesday, when he showed up five and a half hours before game time.  Giese wanted to see the sights, and he noticed a group taking a tour of the ballpark.  He tagged along a few feet behind, careful not to step out of line.

Early miscues doom Perez, Nats in loss  —  Lefty leaves with tendinitis in twice rain-delayed game  —  WASHINGTON — By the 16th pitch of Tuesday's game with the Cardinals, starter Odalis Perez and the Nationals were in big trouble.  —  Perez hit one batter and gave up a three-run homer and an RBI double …

Sorry, Mac, but it's time for Mariners to release Sexson  —  LISTENING TO JOHN McLaren dutifully protect Richie Sexson, I wished I had the Mariners manager on my side in the principal's office after I broke a school window.  Not only would the episode shift from intentional to accidental …

Marlins option Tankersley to reduce 'pen  —  Reliever was 0-1 with a 7.16 ERA in 23 appearances this season  —  ATLANTA — The Marlins on Tuesday night optioned left-handed reliever Taylor Tankersley to Triple-A Albuquerque.  —  The team has been carrying 13 pitchers …

Crystal ball: Projecting first 30 picks  —  Much remains uncertain with the Draft only a day away  —  On the final day before the Draft, teams are working fervently to line up their boards.  The rumors are flying, calls are being made to and from organizations and to and from advisers as things slowly start to take shape.

Soriano, DeRosa homer in Cubs' 9-6 win over Padres  —  SAN DIEGO (AP)—Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run homer and Mark DeRosa added a two-run shot to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 9-6 win over the San Diego Padres for their ninth straight win Tuesday night.  —  The Cubs also got a solo homer …

Pedro a success in return  —  Right-hander goes six strong innings, collects two hits  —  SAN FRANCISCO — He was neither dominating nor precise.  He wasn't thorough, either.  Pedro Martinez was just all right — in terms of results and physical condition, too.

Zell on Cubs, Leno in last leg of tour  —  Tribune Co. expects to retain a minority interest in the Chicago Cubs when it sells control of the major league ballclub.  It also wants to talk to top-rated late-night comedian Jay Leno, whom NBC plans to replace next year as host of “The Tonight Show.”

Marlins hoping for repeat vs. Glavine  —  Florida (31-26) at Atlanta (31-28), Wednesday, 1 p.m. ET  —  ATLANTA — A part of Cody Ross can't help but wonder how things would have turned out if both teams had something on the line.  —  Instead, the Marlins played the role of spoiler in the 2007 season finale.

Kemp, Torrealba ejected in brawl  —  LOS ANGELES (TICKER) —Following a strikeout to end the eighth inning on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp and Colorado Rockies' Yorvit Torrealba were ejected for their roles in a bench-clearing brawl.  —  After Kemp struck out to end the eighth …

Dos and don'ts of Joba's transition … It's not as if Joba Chamberlain doesn't know what the first inning feels like.  —  It's not as if the Yankees have asked him to hit cleanup, right?  It's not as if they're trying to convert him to a catcher or something.