The MRI exam shows two tears — one complete, one partial — in his ulnar collateral ligament, and Braves pitcher Tim Hudson knows what it would take for him to avoid reconstructive elbow surgery and a one-year recovery period.

"Hey, man, miracles happen," said Hudson, who is hoping for one, but not expecting it.

The veteran right-hander plans to test his elbow with a non-mound throwing session in the next three days, then decide whether to have "Tommy John" ligament-transplant surgery.

Truth be told, Hudson sounded Thursday as if he knew surgery would be required and had already prepared himself to make the decision. He met with two orthopedists Wednesday — Dr. Xavier Duralde in Atlanta and Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham — and each told him that he has a torn UCL.

"They've pretty much all been the same diagnoses," said Hudson, who was shocked when first told of the injury Monday by a doctor who administered a dye-injection MRI exam.

After the two experts examined him and the MRI and concurred on the diagnosis, Hudson, 33, understood he would need surgery — barring any surprising turn of events.

"From an MRI standpoint, it doesn't look good," he said. "I was shocked to see what it looked like myself."

Hudson isn't in denial; he knows a torn UCL isn't the type of injury that he simply grin and bear.

His only reason for waiting a few days to test it once more is the chance, however slight, that the MRI exam wasn't entirely accurate.

"Obviously, you hate to jump to 'Tommy John' right off the bat," Hudson said. "[But] I think it's to the point where it's kind of foolish to try to rehab for five months and try to let it heal that way. I think the damage is beyond trying to heal itself."

Hudson wants to make a decision quickly because if he needs surgery, he wants to be able to pitch again late next season, the last year of his Braves contract.

"If [he has surgery], I'm going to obviously do all I can to try to come back next year and help this team win," he said.

The Alabama native is in the third year of a four-year, $47-million contract he signed after being traded from Oakland. He will make $13-million in 2009, and also has a $12-million option for 2010.

"You know what? [Those] things will take care of themselves," he said. "I want to come back and be strong next year, and whatever happens, happens."

Hudson is 11-7 with a 3.17 ERA in a staff-leading 142 innings, and has a 146-77 career record in 10 seasons with Oakland and Atlanta.

"The surgeries today are pretty good, as far as coming back at 100 percent," he said. "I'm not really concerned with, 'If I have it am I going to be 100 percent after the surgery?'"

McCann could hit this weekend

His headaches are gone and Brian McCann, recovering from a concussion, hopes to be cleared to hit this weekend and return to catching Monday.

He hasn't played since a nasty home-plate collision with Shane Victorino on Sunday at Philadelphia. McCann hit some balls off a tee Thursday, the first time he did any hitting since the concussion.

"It's hard to sit here [and not play] when you feel fine," the All-Star catcher said. "But at the same time, if I go back behind home plate and catch a foul tip in the mask and I'm not completely healed, it's going to make my concussion a lot worse."

Manager Bobby Cox said McCann was to be checked again by a Braves doctor Thursday night to see if he could pinch-hit this weekend.

"Where I'm at now is just waiting," McCann said. "I just need time to rest, just make sure, be overly cautious. I think Monday will be a week. I think that's what you're trying to shoot for."

James will get start Friday vs. Brewers

Chuck James is coming from Class AAA Richmond to start for the Braves in Friday's series opener against Milwaukee. The lefty was 4-5 with a 2.48 ERA in 14 games at Richmond, including 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA in his past three starts, with 17 strikeouts and five walks.

"He deserves it, man," Cox said. "He's gone through heck this year. Didn't he win 11 games two years in a row?"

James went 11-4 as a rookie in 2006 and 11-10 last season, but was diagnosed with a partial rotator-cuff tear in October and was slow to rebound after being instructed to rest all winter.