PHILADELPHIA - Remember way back when John Smoltz was signed, the feeling was that somehow, someway the Red Sox would find a way to get the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer into the rotation?
Well, that time is just about at hand.
As far as we know, there will be no "those things will take care of themselves" scenarios. The Sox may not know what the scenario will be quite yet, but they have told Smoltz not to worry, that they will figure it out.
Smoltz described his status as a holding pattern. Yesterday, after meeting with manager Terry Francona and pitching coach John Farrell, he said he will pitch Thursday, either for the parent club or in Triple A.
If it is with Pawtucket, then that will be it, because Smoltz's 30-day rehab assignment will end Friday. For now, Tim Wakefield, who was available in relief last night, will start Tuesday at Fenway against the Marlins. Brad Penny is scheduled to go Wednesday. And after that? Smoltz could be slotted to pitch Thursday's series finale against Florida.
"We didn't leave there with the definitive game plan," Smoltz said of the meeting in Francona's office. "I've been very open with them and they've been very open with me. I'm giving them the luxury of making the decision to do whatever they feel is best."
Smoltz agreed that he's anxious to get back on a major league mound, but said, "Each time out, I'm feeling a little bit better. Now it's a matter of making sure of the options that are available for this club.
"I couldn't be happier because the team's playing well and everyone is throwing good, and we're going to leave those options open for the next week and see what happens. There are a lot of off days.
"I'm tickled to death to be at this point vs. struggling and having to figure out when I was going to return. When I return is irrelevant for me because I know I'm on the cusp of that."
Smoltz knows the Red Sox aren't going to do what his former team, the Atlanta Braves, did with Tom Glavine - get him to the end of his rehab and then pull the plug. Glavine was incensed at the Braves after he was released following 11 scoreless rehab innings.
Smoltz has his own issues with the Braves, so he continually talked about how much he appreciated the Red Sox' honesty.
"This is clear communication," he said. "This isn't games you see other places play. They string people along and the next thing you know . . .
"I couldn't be more at ease with what's gone on. It's more refreshing this way. You don't know what two and three days and a week will hold, but they're just more prepared than any other club right now to deal with that. Everyone is on the same page.
