Tom Glavine is confident he can still help the Atlanta Braves.
Making his first start since elbow surgery, the left-hander pitched three pain-free and scoreless innings against his former team Saturday in a 12-1 win over the New York Mets at Kissimmee, Fla.
Glavine, who allowed two hits, threw a simulated game Monday and said he felt as though he’d be ready to join the rotation in about a month.
“I enjoy doing this and knowing I can get guys out. I didn’t feel that way last year,” Glavine said.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner has 305 wins, but he started a career-low 13 games last year, going 2-4 before his season was cut short due to injury. Glavine, who will turn 43 on Wednesday, contemplated retirement but said he wasn’t quite finished.
“Last year was not a lot of fun,” he said. “I enjoy the nervousness I get when I get ready to make a start. Last year I was nervous because I was wondering how I would get through it.”
e was comfortable on the mound Saturday, something he didn’t feel last year even though he’s been in professional baseball since 1984.
“I just want to be comfortable,” Glavine said. “I checked the radar, I was about 80, 81 (mph). If I can get it to 85 I know I will be ready. Coming back from surgery I need to just get comfortable. I have pitched something like 4,000 innings and I just needed some extra work. I know what I am doing out there.”
Braves manager Bobby Cox couldn’t be more pleased.
“He will get even stronger,” Cox said. “It doesn’t matter how hard he throws because he isn’t about that. He’s right on schedule.”
Mets starter John Maine also is coming off an operation. His season ended last August because of a shoulder injury and he finished 10-8 with a 4.18 ERA. He had surgery Sept. 30 to shave a bone spur in his right shoulder.
Against the Braves, Maine allowed five runs and six hits in four innings but said he felt no pain.
“I am a work in progress,” Maine said. “I am still working on a lot of things but I feel like I just want to put up some zeros. It’s just not happening. I am still a little bit out of sync. I am just trying so hard to come back.”
In other news:
camp Tuesday with elbow tightness.
-Kevin Youkilis could rejoin the Red Sox lineup on Monday after giving his sprained left ankle more time to heal. J.D. Drew might need more time to get back on the field after bruising his hand when it was hit by a pitch Friday. X-rays were negative, but manager Terry Francona said the team will proceed cautiously.
-Corey Koskie called off his comeback attempt, two days after taking himself out of a game because he felt lightheaded.
The 35-year-old third baseman, out of baseball since a 2006 concussion, spent the first seven of his nine big league seasons with Minnesota. He came to spring training with the Chicago Cubs as a non-roster invitee this year and played in three games, going 1-for-5 with a double.
-Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez, rehabbing from shoulder surgery, was cleared to take batting practice for the first time in nearly two weeks.
-Houston infielder Aaron Boone scheduled his open heart surgery for Thursday at the Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. D. Craig Miller will perform the procedure to correct a problem with Boone’s aorta and aortic valve.
-Orioles lefty John Parrish will return to Baltimore for an exploratory arthroscopic procedure on his sore pitching shoulder.
ased three days earlier by Kansas City.
-Washington signed catcher Josh Bard to a minor league deal, adding another veteran to compete for the backup job behind Jesus Flores.
-The New York Yankees optioned pitcher Phil Hughes to Triple-A.
Red Sox 4, Marlins 3, 7 1/2 innings
At Jupiter, Fla., Boston used just one regular, Jason Bay, on a rainy afternoon. Former Red Sox prospect Anibal Sanchez retired his first 14 batters for Florida.
Astros 9, Blue Jays 7
At Dunedin, Fla., Toronto slugger Vernon Wells tested his left hamstring by playing the outfield for the first time this spring. He went 1-for-3 and spent five innings in center but did not have a ball hit his way. Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay gave up six runs and nine hits over six innings, allowing two homers to Edwin Maysonet.
Cardinals 12, Nationals 11
At Viera, Fla., top Washington prospect Jordan Zimmermann gave up five runs and seven hits in two innings. The 22-year-old right-hander had allowed only six hits and two walks with 22 strikeouts in 12 1-3 scoreless innings coming in. Washington trailed 12-1 in the sixth but rallied behind Austin Kearns’ grand slam.
Pirates 6, Reds 5
ter by allowing three hits in six innings. Nate McLouth broke a scoreless tie with his third home run of spring training.
Twins 2, Phillies 1
At Clearwater, Fla., Kyle Kendrick allowed two runs and five hits in five innings for Philadelphia, a boost in his competition with veteran Chan Ho Park, rookie J.A. Happ and top prospect Carlos Carrasco for the role of fifth starter.
Yankees 4, Tigers 3
At Tampa, Fla., 20-year-old Rick Porcello allowed two runs and four hits over 2 1-3 innings against New York, which has won nine straight spring training games for the first time since 2002.
Rangers 8, Rockies 4
At Surprise, Ariz., Chad Tracy – son of former Dodgers and Pirates manager Jim Tracy – hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the seventh. Adding to the moment for the 22-year-old was having his father, currently the Rockies’ bench coach, looking on.
Rangers starter Kevin Millwood allowed three runs and five hits in six innings.
Mariners 8, Athletics (ss) 5
At Peoria, Ariz., Ken Griffey Jr. doubled and scored twice in his second game playing left field this spring. Franklin Gutierrez homered for Seattle.
Giants (ss) 8, Athletics (ss) 4
At Phoenix, Travis Ishikawa hit a solo homer and a three-run drive, and San Francisco turned a triple play.
0 innings
At Tempe, Ariz., David Bush retired 15 of his first 16 batters. He allowed one hit in six innings for Milwaukee. Angels starter Nick Adenhart gave up one run in five innings, striking out six.
Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero played right field for six innings, one day after making his first start of spring training. Guerrero, coming off left knee surgery, said through a translator that his knee wasn’t swelling.
Cubs 13, White Sox 2
At Phoenix, Chris Getz went 2-for-4, raising his average to .350, then was told by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen that he had won the team’s second-base job.
Royals 13, Diamondbacks 6
At Tucson, Ariz., Arizona ace Brandon Webb allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings. His spring training ERA rose to 8.18 after the 80-pitch outing. Kansas City starter Gil Meche gave up three runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings.
Dodgers 6, Indians 4
At Goodyear, Ariz., Anthony Reyes pitched two-hit ball over five shutout innings for Cleveland.
Giants (ss) 12, Padres 4
At Scottsdale, Ariz., Emmanuel Burriss had two of his three singles in a nine-run sixth inning for San Francisco. He is tied for the major league lead with 22 hits this spring and is making a strong push to win the Giants’ second-base job in a competition with Kevin Frandsen.
Giants lefty Randy Johnson had a bullpen session and is scheduled to start Monday against Seattle.
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