Smoltz Is the Braves’ Mr. Postseason : NL playoffs: The aggressive big-game pitcher is not what the Rockies need facing elimination.

ATLANTA —  Right-hander John Smoltz has recovered nicely from elbow surgery in September of last year.

Pitching in the shadow of Greg Maddux, he was 12-7 with a 3.18 earned-run average for the Atlanta Braves this season. He didn’t give up more than four runs in any of his 29 starts and finished second to Hideo Nomo in the National League in strikeouts.

Smoltz returns to the October stage tonight with a 5-1 postseason record and a chance to wrap up the best-of-five division series with the Colorado Rockies in three games.

He’s not exactly what the Rockies need: a big-game pitcher against whom they are 0-5 looking to put them out of the misery of an 0-2 playoff debut in which they have left 18 runners on base, made six errors, called on the bullpen 10 times and lost both games in the ninth inning.

“Give us an extra out and we’re going to hurt you,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said.

There are differences here beyond significant gaps in pitching and defense. The Braves have been to the playoffs the last four years there have been playoffs. The third-year Rockies have four players with postseason experience--Walt Weiss, Ellis Burks, Joe Girardi and Bret Saberhagen, who will pitch Game 4, if there is one. Bill Swift will try to keep the Rockies alive tonight in Game 3.

“We’re going back to Atlanta with a 2-0 lead,” Tom Glavine said Wednesday night after a seven-inning stint. “Is that our playoff experience talking? Put it this way, it doesn’t hurt.

“Playoff baseball is all about who steps up and wins with the game on the line. There are always going to be a lot of shouldas, couldas and wouldas. God knows, we’ve gone through our share of those in the last four years.”

Now it’s the Rockies’ turn. They should be 2-0 instead of the Braves, but as Curtis Leskanic, the relief pitcher who seems to be running on empty after 78 appearances, said, “Part of this is a learning experience. Hopefully, we’ve got the start of a little dynasty here and can build on this. The guys feel terrible about the two games, but who knows? It’s not over. Anything can happen yet.”

In fact, it brightened some for the Rockies on Thursday. The sun was out when they landed in Atlanta, the last of Hurricane Opal gone. Fulton County Stadium is expected to be dry enough tonight.

The problem for the Rockies now is Smoltz, who said, “The playoffs are all about aggressiveness, and I’m an aggressive pitcher. I approach every game in the postseason as if it’s my last start. I don’t think I could get through 30 or so starts with that mind-set, but what I’m trying to do during the season is position myself for September and October.

“I look at the playoffs as an opportunity to raise my game to another level. I go in with the attitude that they have to beat me. I’m not afraid to fail.”

Although a victim of self-doubt at times, Smoltz’s work with sports psychologist Jack Llewellyn over the years--Llewellyn often sits behind the plate in a red shirt and transmits hand signals--has bred a confidence apparent in his comments and performance.

Smoltz has won 12 or more games in each of the last eight seasons except strike-shortened 1994, when he was 6-10 before undergoing surgery.

“Coming back from the surgery I didn’t know what role I’d be in or if I’d be able to make every start,” Smoltz said. “I mean, if you’d told me then I’d be starting Game 3 in the playoffs, I’d have been ecstatic, although on any other staff I’d be the No. 1 pitcher in the playoffs, considering my postseason credentials.”

Despite those credentials, Smoltz has sometimes been a controversial figure regarding his postseason assignments. He constantly feels the need, he said, to prove people wrong. He understands, however, all of the attention and status accorded Maddux.

“I’m super happy for him,” Smoltz said. “He’s a tremendous pitcher. All you can do is learn from him.

“Quite frankly, it can take a little pressure off the rest of the guys. He has to bear it all. He’s the one who’s constantly being asked why he gave up two runs. The rest of us can be a little more normal.”