Braves' legend John Smoltz is open to the idea of pitching elsewhere if he most recent rehab works out, according to ESPN.com. "My shoulder is as bad as people told me it was going to be," Smoltz said recently. "Based on that gauge, it's outstanding. I can say this without reservation -- I'd have two more Tommy John [elbow surgeries] before I'd have another shoulder operation. It's a nasty deal ? but I've worked my butt off and will work my butt off to see if I can pitch again." Then he entertained the idea of leaving Atlanta, where he has played twenty seasons. "I say this for the first time, without reservation, if I'm going to bust my butt and if I feel like I'm good enough and it doesn't work out here, I will be pitching somewhere else," he added. "My dream scenario would be to pitch in the playoffs again, and that's coming from a guy who's been in 13 of them. To me, that's what I'm about. So if the door gets closed here, it'll have to be explored somewhere else." "Make no mistake, I am absolutely, 100 percent committed to playing the rest of my career for the Atlanta Braves," he continued. "But this can't be my only option. ? I may not be in the [Braves'] plans. It's no given right, where I've spent 21 years here and [so] they owe me whatever I want."