"Any anger that John Smoltz feels toward certain Braves officials was put aside for a while Friday at Fenway Park, when the 42-year-old pitcher bounded over during batting practice, in his very red Red Sox cap and sweat top, to yuk it up with former teammates including Chipper Jones, Rafael Soriano and Jeff Francoeur.

Earlier in the afternoon, Smoltz visited the Braves' clubhouse and chatted briefly with manager Bobby Cox and coaches and players.

"I knew this weekend was going to come, and the biggest thing for me is seeing all those guys," Smoltz said. "I talk to enough of them, or try to. You can't erase history. You can't erase friendships, certainly there are many over there.

"I'm doing the best I can. Never been in this situation before. I always gave a lot of the guys grief from other teams, that used to come from other teams, tell them to let it go away, give it up. And I've already heard that."

Smoltz, who recently completed the final stages of his recovery from June shoulder surgery, is scheduled to make his first start for Boston on Thursday against Washington, thereby missing the Braves in both this series and next weekend's series at Turner Field.

A rainout could lead manager Terry Francona to reconsider, in which case Smoltz could end up pitching in Atlanta, something he doesn't seem eager to do so soon after coming back from surgery."