"If you happen to be among those fans who doubt John Smoltz can regain a measure of his old self and help the Red Sox during the second half of the season, be aware that the veteran right-hander has heard you.

Leastways, he has heard different versions of what you are saying.

But here's the rub: He doesn't seem all that worried about it.

"I love when people - and I've already heard some of it - say, 'Ummmmm, I don't know. I don't think he can do it,' " Smoltz said yesterday. "And it's OK. I'm amused by it, because it happens all the time. I can tell you thousands of cases where I've started off a little slow and people have said, 'He's getting older,' and at the end of the year they're saying, 'Well, he did it again.' This is no different.

"If you're going to be a major league pitcher, you have to have a little bit of that chip on your shoulder. At the same time, there are about 10 variables that are brand new to me, including the catcher and including the league. It's going to take some time."

The future Hall of Famer has made three starts since the Red Sox activated him off the disabled list last month and is 0-2 with a 6.60 ERA.

Smoltz' best outing came against the Orioles on June 30, when he allowed one run in four innings in Baltimore. He had a 9-1 lead when the game was halted by rain but didn't return to the mound when it resumed about 30 minutes later.

"I'm really encouraged by the progress I've been able to make," he said. "This may not make sense now, but I can see down the road, if the opportunity for some pretty big games exists, what I'm going to be able to do. But you still have to go out and do it. You have to be able to contribute in that fashion.

"But I have to laugh when people say, 'Well, his velocity is down.' Gee, do you think so? What did you think it would be? Yet, it's higher than most people thought it would be.""