Manager Bobby Cox believes the Braves could have John Smoltz, Rafael Soriano and left-hander Mike Gonzalez all off the disabled list and in the Braves bullpen within two weeks. "They're all three pretty close now," he said.
Soriano, who's been on the DL six weeks with elbow tendinitis, made his first injury-rehab appearance Wednesday and allowed one hit and one walk with one strikeout in one inning for Class AA Mississippi. He threw 19 pitches and told team officials he felt fine. He is scheduled to throw again Friday for Mississippi and could be activated soon after.
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Gonzalez is scheduled to make back-to-back appearances in extended-spring training games this weekend in Florida, then be examined in Atlanta before beginning a brief rehab assignment.
The lefty is 10 days from the one-year anniversary of "Tommy John" elbow surgery.
Smoltz, recovering from an inflamed rotator cuff and biceps tendon, told Cox he felt good when he used a lower, three-quarters arm angle during a bullpen session Tuesday.
"I haven't seen him throw as good in a long time," Cox said of Tuesday's lengthy session, where Smoltz worked a lot from somewhere between side-arm and his usual overhead delivery.
"He dropped his arm angle down a little, where it doesn't hurt as much."
Smoltz returned to the bullpen mound Wednesday, a shorter session with less intensity. He could be activated within 10 days, perhaps even sooner.
Campillo on Saturday
Cox reiterated the plan to start Jorge Campillo on three days' rest Saturday against Arizona.
The surprising right-hander pitched six innings of three-hit ball with seven strikeouts to beat the Mets on Tuesday, his second major-league start and first win. He lowered his ERA to 0.99.
"It was unbelievable," Cox said of the performance by Campillo, 29, who moved from the bullpen to make the start.
Cox said he watched a tape of the game Wednesday morning.
"His stuff is fun to watch from the dugout," Cox said. "But on TV it's like [Greg] Maddux. Some of the curveballs he threw, and the changeups, and he threw that 86 mile-an-hour fastball by guys. That's called the art of pitching."
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