Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Braves fans are sounding alarms about the team's top two relievers being sidelined with sore elbows, but the parties involved would like for everyone to relax.

Easier said than done, of course, as the thought of the team having to make do for any significant period without closer Rafael Soriano and setup man Peter Moylan is enough to make some fans cringe at the thought of possible replacements. Now closing ... Tyler Yates?

Well, here's potential good news: Soriano threw a bullpen session with only slight soreness Friday, and Moylan, set to throw a bullpen session Saturday, said he characterized his discomfort as an "annoyance" and not an injury.

OK, so that's not exactly the clean bill of health.

Still, team officials believe Soriano and Moylan are experiencing nothing more than typical soreness, as so many others around the majors experience in the opening weeks of camp after not throwing much over the winter.

Soriano signed a two-year, $9 million contract in January and is the only pitcher with any significant closer experience on the roster. He hasn't pitched in a game yet this spring. Until he does there will be plenty who fear the worst; Soriano had "Tommy John" ligament-transplant surgery in August 2004.

Moylan, the Aussie sidearmer who had one of the best seasons of any major-league reliever in 2007, has pitched in one game this spring and was scratched from a scheduled appearance Thursday.

"It's been an annoyance for about two weeks," he said of the soreness he has had since the second week of workouts. "Rather than keep throwing with it, we're trying to knock it out early."

So it's just typical early spring soreness and not an injury? "I think so," Moylan said.

He said it was a positive sign that the soreness or discomfort "moves" in the area around his elbow, rather than being isolated in one spot. Presumably he has been told that the movement indicates that there's only inflammation, rather than a tissue tear that might require surgery.

Moylan also said he had similar discomfort last season at times. He was one of baseball's most durable and effective relievers, posting a 1.80 ERA in 90 innings over 80 appearances.

Chipper hitting well

Chipper Jones showed no sign of rust at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a walk in three plate appearances Friday after missing four games with a strained right hamstring.

"Chipper had a great day," manager Bobby Cox said of the veteran third baseman, who's 4-for-7 with three Grapefruit League games. "He hit two balls on the button and got a walk his other time up."

Jones said he had no problems with his hamstring, and both he and Cox attributed his first-inning error to a hard infield. It was a backhanded play, and the ball skipped off Jones' glove, his second error of the spring.

"The game is fast for me defensively right now," he said. "Hopefully a little better fields will slow it down. I haven't gotten a true hop yet."

James ready to compete

Chuck James is sick of sitting on the sidelines watching, and he's beyond eager to get in and compete. Now the lefthander has to wait only five more days before he gets his chance.

James is scheduled to make his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday. He threw bullpen and batting-practice sessions on Wednesday and Friday without any problems with his pitching shoulder.

He was diagnosed with a slight rotator cuff tear after last season and told not to throw during the winter. James didn't understand until he got to Florida that he would be brought along slowly at camp.

He successfully lobbied with team officials to move up his return date five days from the original plan, convincing them that his arm felt too good not to be out there getting ready for the season.