Hudson's word was one thing. But until Cox actually saw radar gun readings in the low-90s at Turner Field, he couldn't have been sure Hudson was truly "fine."

Part of the problem might have been a flu bug, which made the rounds in the Braves' clubhouse. Hudson had it worse than most. He was the scheduled pitcher in Colorado on April 10, a game that was snowed out. It was possible Hudson wouldn't have been able to start that game, and, if he had, he might not have finished.

Instead, he started the next day in Washington, D.C., and threw eight scoreless innings against the Nationals. Given the result, Hudson and Cox thought all was fine.

What Hudson didn't realize was that he'd lost at least five pounds off a rather stringy frame. And when he went out for his next start, April 16 in Florida, his stuff and his energy weren't what Hudson was used to. With Hudson's pitch speed registering in the mid-80s, he gave up four earned runs in three innings and Cox had to go to the bullpen.

Not until Hudson threw his regular bullpen session a few days later could he tell that his strength was back.

"I was checking it out," Hudson said of his glances at the pitch speed on the scoreboard during Monday's win over Washington. "I'm sure everybody on our club was after that last outing."

NATIONALS 6, BRAVES 0: RHP John Smoltz got his 3000th career strikeout in the third inning and pitched seven innings for the first time this season -- striking out 10 Nationals in all -- but left the game down 1-0. The Braves pummeled Nationals LHP John Lannan April 12 but couldn't get past second base on Tuesday night.