Kaz begins throwing

ST. PETERSBURG – Scott Kazmir walked into the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse dripping with sweat and confidence Wednesday morning.

The left-hander had just played catch with trainer Ron Porterfield, putting his strained left elbow to the test with 25 tosses from 60 feet.

“Feels good,” he said when asked about his elbow. “It feels real good.”

Kazmir, who strained the elbow Feb. 26 while warming up for the first intrasquad game of the spring, is now in Phase III of his rehab.

Throwing.

“I think I’m ahead of schedule,” Kazmir said.

He will throw again Thursday then take Friday off. If the inflammation doesn’t return, Kazmir said he will long toss Saturday the throw a bullpen, possibly as early as Sunday.

“It’s all going to decide on how I react to this stuff,” Kazmir said.

- Roger Mooney, Herald Staff Writer