Last modified: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:18 AM EDT Clay Buchholz has a 4-0 record with a 1.75 ERA with Pawtucket. (Staff photo by Tom Maguire) Buchholz, Smoltz playing waiting game BY PETER GOBIS SUN CHRONICLE STAFF PAWTUCKET - Will Clay Buchholz be pitching again for the Pawtucket Red Sox? Will John Smoltz be making another rehabilitation assignment appearance for Boston's AAA-affiliate? Buchholz was scheduled to pitch for the PawSox Monday against Charlotte, the first game of a four-game homestand which was rained out. Now PawSox manager Ron Johnson can't say for sure when the unbeaten right-hander will throw again - or for that matter what plans Boston has for him. And neither has Johnson heard about what the status is for Smoltz. Will he be summoned to the major league roster before week's end? For that matter will Brad Penny and Buchholz be property of the Red Sox by week's end? "We try to go through the major league team, what their needs are," explained Johnson. "I'm guessing right now, but the rotations go through the pitching people." Johnson has not heard a word from Boston on whether Smoltz might be penciled in as the starter for Thursday's final game of the homestand at McCoy Stadium. For sure, though, Johnson will have LHP Kris Johnson (2-6, 7.23 ERA) and Charlie Zink (4-5, 3.96 ERA) as the moundmen tonight when the PawSox and Chicago White Sox farmhands play a doubleheader, a pair of seven-inning games beginning at 5:30 p.m. "Hopefully, over the next couple of weeks or so, in a month, I'll get that chance," said Buchholz of moving to the major leagues. "I feel like I'm more equipped with everything I have right now, the mental aspects and the pitches." Buchholz has a 4-0 record with a 1.75 ERA. In his last eight starts, he has a 1.55 ERA, having walked just eight and struck out 47 in 52.1 innings. "Johnson will go in Game 1, Zink in Game 2 and we'll go from there," added Johnson, unable to project if Buchholz will be the PawSox starter Wednesday and Smoltz on the mound Thursday. "With something like this, I tell the guys what time to be here and Rich (Sauveur, the PawSox pitching coach) gets on the phone (to Boston)," said the PawSox manager. Buchholz knows there is a load of arms in Boston, all with guaranteed major league contracts. But, he'd like to be with Justin Masterson and Daniel Bard right now, a member of the Fenway staff. "It's kind of a logjam there now, there's nowhere to go," said the prize pitcher. "It's frustrating at times." FOUL BALLS - One-time New York Yankee lefty reliever Billy Traber is having a nice season with the PawSox. In his last four outings, he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA through 8.1 innings, walking two. "Numbers are numbers, that's all they are," said Traber, who has pitched in 95 MLB games with the Indians, Nationals and Yankees (a one-hitter for Cleveland against the Yankees in 2003). "The whole goal is to come in and get outs, sometimes, it doesn't always work that way," said the former first round pick by the Mets (the 16th player taken overall) in 2000. "All the teams that I've pitched with, they're all different, with different standards, nothing in particular." The PawSox (32-29) are 16-12 at McCoy The PawSox rank last in the IL in batting with a .244 average and are next to last in hits (474) and runs scored (207) OF Jon VanEvery was played on the 7-day disabled list with a left knee sprain, his spot taken by AA-Portland's Bubba Bell, the 26-year-old having a .275 batting average in 53 games with 20 RBI. Ticket policies Fans holding box seat tickets or general admission tickets for the June 15 game can trade those in for any remaining regular-season game at McCoy, by visiting the McCoy Stadium Box Office or by mail: Pawtucket Red Sox, PO Box 2365, Pawtucket, RI. 02861 Fans holding special tickets from WPMZ Radio, Easter Seals RI and Employee tickets must use those tickets for the doubleheader on Tuesday, June 16 game at 5:30 p.m. vs. Charlotte Student Reward tickets for June 15 are valid for the remaining two games on your ticket, June 16 and June 17 only. These tickets must be exchanged at the Box Office if the ticket has been ripped If your ticket displays a raindate it will be valid for only the raindate listed.