TORONTO -- Following the Red Sox' 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays, Saturday afternoon. Brad Penny had most of his mind on what transpired at the Rogers Centre Saturday afternoon. Why not? For the fourth time in his last six starts Penny turned in a quality start, giving  up three runs (two earned) over six innings, completing a months-worth of appearances that encompassed a 4.17 ERA. 
 
All of it was close to what Penny had planned on delivering when signing with Red Sox.
 
Yet, while much of his approach toward the 2009 season has gone as planned, Penny also acknowledges there is still plenty of the unknown potentially looming in his not-so-distant future. That's what happens when you're in the heart of the summer's first wave of trade rumors.
 
"I can't control it. I just have to prepare for every fifth day," said Penny of the whispers regarding a possible deal. "Trade rumors are what they are. Since Day 1 I've been a part of trade rumors. That's just part of the game. It's a business."
 
While Penny knows the reality that comes with talk of deals -- or no deals -- he also admits any transaction he is involved in would be bittersweet because of how fruitful his stay with the Red Sox has already been.
 
By all accounts, Penny has embraced both the strength and conditioning philosophy of the Sox, while also seeing the benefits of a shoulder program which he had identified as one of the biggest reasons for his arrival in Boston. And now he is getting to reap in some of the benefits.
 
"Absolutely. It's been great," said Penny when asked if the experience has been what he had hoped when agreeing to his $5 million, incentive-laden, one-year deal with the Sox. "It's up to them, not me. But I would love to stay here.
 
"If I was to get traded I would just look at it as a time that really helped me get back. I'm not wanting to get traded. They can't for a little while anyway."
 
Any deal made prior to June 16 would have to have Penny's consent because he signed as a free agent heading into this season. The 31-year-old is slated for two more starts before the deadline, which is approximately the same time the rehabbing John Smoltz is expected to join the major league team.
 
It is a scenario Penny fully understands, and will take advantage of if he sees fit.
 
"It depends on the situation," said Penny regarding whether or not he is open to waiving his no-trade rights. "I don't want to be with somebody who doesn't want me."
 
While Saturday afternoon's 102-pitch, 10-hit performance wasn't Penny's best outing, the results were good enough to keep the starter moving in the right direction.
 
Penny lost his chance for a sixth win in the sixth inning when Toronto DH Adam Lind hit a 92 mph fastball over the left field wall for a leadoff homer that knotted the game at 3-3.
 
"It was a horrible pitch," Penny said of the offering to Lind. "I had thrown him that pitch last series in Boston and he missed it. I'm going to keep throwing it until he made an adjustment and he did.
 
"The were wall bad pitches," he later added regarding the 10 hits surrendered. "I don't remember a guy hitting a great pitch today. My ball was just leaking back over the plate."
 
Red Sox manager Terry Francona, however, was much more upbeat regarding his starter's outing, pointing out such positives as Penny's control, which has translated into just six walks in six May starts.
 
"I thought he threw the ball downhill, strikes, very well," Francona said. "He gave up some hits, but again, no walks. I thought he pitched great. The pitch that got hit out by Lind, I actually thought he threw that same pitch... and got it by him most of the day. Maybe it catches a little too much of the plate. I thought he was pretty good."