--RHP Rafael Soriano's right elbow feels "very good, very good" after three one-inning rehab starts in the Dominican Republic. Now that he's back with the Braves, he plans to throw 15 or 20 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday and says he can be activated Sunday or Monday. Soriano has battled elbow soreness since spring training.
--LHP Tom Glavine (strained left elbow) felt no ill-effects Friday after an aggressive long-toss session Thursday. The next step is a bullpen session Saturday. --SS Yunel Escobar (inflammation in his left shoulder) still can't swing a bat; the three days in San Diego he was held out and the four games off for the All-Star break have not made any difference so far.
--OF Matt Diaz (strained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee) is in no-man's land. He hasn't been able to talk himself out of more rehab and back onto the active roster but he believes he is ready to go.
--LHP Mike Hampton says his arm is big-league ready but he doesn't know whether his body will let him prove it. Hampton aggravated a groin injury while pitching in a minor league rehab game with Class AA Mississippi on Wednesday. He is no longer estimating when he might pitch again.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 -- Games back of the division leaders by the All-Star break that general manager Frank Wren and manager Bobby Cox thought, two weeks ago, was a reasonable gap to overcome. The Braves are 6 1/2 behind the Phillies.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We just haven't been able to overcome the early-season injuries. Slowly but surely, we're starting to get exposed." -- 3B Chipper Jones, on the state of the team at the All-Star break.
