For the first time since surgery in August, Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb threw off the mound on Tuesday.
Webb said, "I felt good this morning. I'm right where I expected to be. Having not been on the mound in a year, I am pleased with how I felt."
"He looked comfortable," [D'Backs manager A.J.] Hinch said. "This is a positive sign as we’re getting close to spring training. I thought he looked good.”
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training on the 19th, but Webb will throw another bullpen session before then.
Hinch said last month, "We're not going to arbitrarily hold him back if he's ready. But I want him to know that if he's a few days or a week behind the other pitchers, that's fine, too. I don't want that seen as a failure if that happens. We'll see how the next few weeks go and then make a determination on his schedule."
As the 37th-ranked fantasy starter in Yahoo's pre-season rankings, Webb could be a bargain if he regains (anything close to) the form he had in his last full season.
Webb, who pitched only four innings in 2009, was 22-7 with an ERA of 3.30 in 2008.
