Garza Feeling Good About Return

ST. PETERSBURG - A cortisone injection in his right elbow and a productive Tuesday bullpen session had Rays RHP Matt Garza believing that he will return from the 15-day disabled list when he is eligible on or shortly after April 24.

"I feel that good," Garza said. "That's my plan, but we'll see what's in store. Today is Day One of throwing off a mound. I felt good and I'm ready to get right back on it. Let's go."

Garza threw 30 pitches to C Dioner Navarro, who was set up slightly in front of the bullpen plate to provide a shorter distance for Garza's first side session since he was forced out of his April 8 start against Seattle with radial nerve irritation.

Garza said he threw his entire array of pitches, including the two-seam fastball that he believes caused the discomfort.

"That felt great coming out of my hand live," Garza said. "The first time, I was a little hesitant, I didn't want to do too much, and I threw that one in the dirt, or the turf. After that, I said, 'If it hurts, it hurts. We'll take a step back.' I just let it go and it felt good."

Garza could scarcely contain his excitement Tuesday when, after his 30th pitch, he sat down on the bullpen bench to recover.

"I sat down there and I thought, 'So this is what it feels like after throwing a 'pen and your arm's not throbbing any more,'" said Garza, who said he experienced pain so intense between spring training outings that he objected to even the simplest training room treatments like ice and massage.

Garza's next step is a more-intense bullpen session on Thursday, followed by a simulated game a few days later. If he does come off the DL to pitch on April 24, it would be against the Blue Jays at Disney's Wide World of Sports.

NAVI'S PROGRESS: Navarro, who worked out Tuesday at the minor-league complex, is scheduled to participate in extended spring training games today and Thursday and will travel to Vero Beach to catch LHP Scott Kazmir's rehabilitation start for Tampa Bay's Class A affiliate on Friday.

The Rays' starting catcher had the stitches removed Monday from the lacerations he suffered in New York during Tampa Bay's season-opening road trip. Manager Joe Maddon said the injury limits Navarro's left-handed swing, but not his right-handed swing.

Navarro is eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, and he's targeted that as his return date after spending at least another day with Vero Beach as the DH.

"We're not saying it has to be Sunday," Maddon said, "because we want to make sure this hand gets healed up and that he gets enough at-bats to feel comfortable when he comes back here to play."

BULLS, RAYS EXTEND CONTRACT: The Rays and Triple-A Durham Bulls announced a two-year extension of their player-development contract Tuesday, extending the fifth-longest current relationship in the International League through the 2010 season.

NOTEWORTHY: Rays 2B Akinori Iwamura was given the night off, with rookie Elliot Johnson getting the start in his place. That left only LF Carl Crawford, 1B Carlos Pena and CF B.J. Upton as the only Rays to participate in every game this season. ... In an effort to rest some of his relievers, Maddon has made Rays RHP Andy Sonnanstine, scheduled to start Saturday against the White Sox, available out of the bullpen today at Minnesota. ... The second Rays wrestling night is Saturday, with three matches following Tampa Bay's game against the White Sox. Several professional wrestlers, including Greg "the Hammer" Valentine, will sign autographs from 5:10-6:10 p.m.