"RHP John Smoltz threw live batting practice to a pair of batters at extended spring training in Florida on Saturday morning, and "did well", according to Sox manager Terry Francona. Smoltz will stay there to throw another live BP session on Thursday. The 41-year-old is continuing to take encouraging steps after undergoing right shoulder surgery this winter, and is working toward a minor league rehab assignment that's expected to begin in May. "He wants to be in midseason form right now," Francona said. "And I don't know that that progression allows that right now. We have to remind him a little bit that when he thinks he's running in place, he's not. His volume has expanded. He's doing a lot more now than he was before. It was nice to see him in spring training, with the ball the way it was coming out of his hand. The workload is getting heavier now, and he's handling that (Sportsline)."
Great news for the Sox as they look to continue to get stronger. Smoltz reminds me a lot of Garnett. His biggest problem is wanting to do too much, but the Sox are very good at conditioning their players (when they let them...Dice-K). Right now it is looking like Smoltz is on target for a late May early June return. It will be very interesting to see what the rotation looks like when he does return. Obviously Masterson will go back to the bullpen, but with Dice-K back someone else has to go. Wakefield right now is pitching like a Cy Young winner, so the odds are it will be Brad Penny. Then again, the Sox love to rest their players, so I am feeling one of those mysterious "tired arms" to flare up around the same time...
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