Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Mike Hampton's groin is healthy enough for him to pitch, with a caveat.

The oft-injured veteran will get his work in simulated-game conditions Wednesday, rather than take his scheduled turn in that night's exhibition against Cleveland. Buddy Carlyle will get the Grapefruit League start.

The Braves agreed with Hampton that it was best not to push it after his latest injury scare, a strained or "tweaked" groin suffered in his second start Friday.

"Don't want to take any steps back, so a simulated game might be safer," Hampton said after a bullpen session and 12 windsprints Monday.

Hampton said he felt a little tightness in the last 10 or so pitches of the 10-minute bullpen session, tightness he figured was probably due to fatigue.

"He thought it may be smarter to do that [simulated game], and it is," manager Bobby Cox said.

Rather than push his start back a couple of days, Hampton wanted to remain on his every-fifth-day routine. So he'll do it in a simulated game.

"That way I can keep my arm strength without any more stress on my legs," said Hampton, 35, who missed the past 2 1/2 seasons due to elbow surgeries.

Jurrjens impressive again

If rookie Jair Jurrjens didn't lock up a spot in the Braves' starting rotation with three perfect innings Thursday against Detroit, surely he did with four scoreless innings of two-hit ball Monday in a 3-1 win against St. Louis.

"Just having fun," said Jurrjens (2-0), who has a 1.00 ERA and .138 opponents' average in three starts. He has allowed four hits and one run in nine innings with two walks and four strikeouts.

"Pretty impressive, for his age and limited experience," said Cox, who loves the 22-year-old's mound presence and efficiency. "He's a professional pitcher."

Cox wished more would try to get hitters to put the ball in play like he does.

"I'm not trying to strike out everybody," said Jurrjens, who went 3-1 in seven starts for Detroit and came over in Oct. 29 Edgar Renteria trade.

He has command of four quality pitches: 93-94 mph fastball, sinker, slider and changeup. Jurrjens threw 25 strikes in 39 pitches, including six pitches (one ball) in the third inning and eight pitches (one ball) in the fourth.

"I throw hard enough to strike out a lot of people," he said. "But I like to pitch to contact, so I can throw less pitches and get deeper in games."

Right fielder Jeff Francoeur said, "We love to see him out there [pitching] for us. He knows how to pitch. He's looked great so far."

Jurrjens insisted he won't believe he has a rotation spot until he hears it. "Till I get the news, I don't have a spot," he said.

Etc.

Gorkys Hernandez, a 20-year-old center-field prospect, entered the game in the sixth inning and singled in the seventh in his first at-bat. He was brought from minor-league camp as an extra for Monday's game. ... Catcher Javy Lopez hit his second homer of camp and first since his first at-bat Feb. 29. ... Reliever Peter Moylan reported no elbow soreness Monday, a day after making his first appearance since Feb. 29. ... Closer Rafael Soriano (elbow) is set to throw off the mound Tuesday and could make his Grapefruit League debut later this week. Cox said there's no need to push him, though there are only 2 1/2 weeks left in camp. ... Chuck James will make his spring debut Thursday, but Cox didn't know if James or Jo-Jo Reyes would get that start against Detroit. James was brought along slowly after being diagnosed with a partial rotator-cuff tear in October.