NEW YORK --- If the Braves need to replace struggling starter Jo-Jo Reyes, they could do it with a 300-game winner. If they can wait a couple of more weeks.
After "letting it fly" in two simulated innings of work in the Citi Field bullpen Wednesday, Tom Glavine said he felt as good or better than he did in spring training. He hopes to join the Braves' rotation by the end of May. "He threw good," manager Bobby Cox said. "Had more velocity" than in previous bullpen sessions.
The 43-year-old left-hander has been on the disabled list all season after having shoulder and elbow surgeries in August, then a setback when he felt shoulder pain while batting in an April 12 minor-league rehab start.
Glavine acknowledged he had retirement thoughts after that incident but regained a sense of cautious optimism when he threw with only minor discomfort after two weeks of rest. He says now he's at least 75 percent sure he'll pitch again, and the only reason he is so cautious is that he doesn't know how he'll feel the day after he takes each next step in his rehab.
"That's something I never had to worry about before," he said. "But I do now."
He threw a long bullpen session Friday in Philadelphia, and on Wednesday he raised the intensity level during two simulated innings of 15 and 22 pitches, with a rest between to replicate game conditions.
"I felt like today was my normal, controlled effort," he said. "It went well. I'm beyond where I was at spring training ---certainly beyond where I was when I started spring training, and probably even at the end of spring training."
He hasn't faced hitters since April 12. Bullpen coach Eddie Perez, a former Braves catcher, stood at the plate with a bat Wednesday while Glavine pitched.
Perez told him he had good spin on pitches and looked ready for the next step.
Francoeur out
Jeff Francoeur started all 33 games before Wednesday, when Matt Diaz was in the lineup instead of the slumping right fielder. The Braves are off today.
"He gets two days off this way," Cox said. "He's been non-stop all winter and played so much in the spring. He hasn't had a breather yet."
Francoeur entered Wednesday's 12-inning game in the bottom of the seventh inning and went 0-for-2. That made him 15-for-73 (.205) with three extra-base hits and a .208 on-base percentage in his past 18 games. His overall average has dipped to .257, his OBP to .273.
Francoeur said a day off might help.
"Mentally, probably more than anything," he said. "The last two or three days I've been grinding, trying to do too much."
