KISSIMMEE - The Detroit Tigers could sure use a healthy and consistent season from Jeremy Bonderman. He got off to a good start Thursday night.
After missing most of last year following surgery to repair a circulatory condition in his shoulder, Bonderman gave up two hits in two scoreless innings during Detroit’s 5-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Bonderman’s return this spring was slowed by more soreness in his pitching shoulder. At one point, the right-hander returned to Detroit to be examined by team physicians.

“It’s been a long fight to get back,” he said. “It was a relief to go out there and throw again with no pain. I’m over the hump.”
Bonderman walked two and did not strike out a batter.

“My mechanics are not where I’d like them to be. There is a timing issue, but I’ll get stronger,” he said. “I’ll be sore tomorrow, but normal sore. I’ll be fine to throw again in five days. And the more I pitch, the stronger the arm will get.”

One of baseball’s biggest disappointments last season, the Tigers hope Bonderman can join a 2009 rotation that includes Justin Verlander, Armando Galarraga and Edwin Jackson.

Bonderman won 50 games from 2004-07, surpassing 174 innings in each of those seasons, before going 3-4 with a 4.29 ERA last year, when he was shut down in June.

Veteran lefty Dontrelle Willis, trying to land the fifth spot in Detroit’s rotation, allowed seven hits and five runs — four earned — in 2 2-3 innings.

Willis had his sore left hand wrapped in ice after the game. He hurt himself trying to catch a ball hit by Kelly Johnson but said he was OK.
Willis has pitched 11 2-3 innings this spring, allowing 13 runs and 19 hits.

“I felt good out there, much better than I have,” Willis said. “I was around the zone all night. They just hit them where we weren’t.”

Braves starter Javier Vazquez, who just returned from playing for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic, worked 4 2-3 innings and allowed one run while striking out six.

Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge led off the game with a homer off Vazquez.

Vazquez pitched in place of Kenshin Kawakami, scratched from his scheduled start because of arm fatigue. Neither he nor manager Bobby Cox expressed any serious concern.

Cox said Kawakami likely would make his next regular start on Tuesday.

“He could have pitched today,” Cox said. “So I’m not concerned at all.”

Kazmir Feels A Little Woozy After Tater
PORT CHARLOTTE -  Weakened by the bug that has been rolling through the Rays’ clubhouse, http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/19/ill-kazmir-struggles-through-start/sports-rays/ target=”_top”>Scott Kazmir wasn’t terribly effective in his start against the Cardinals. Kazmir gave up a three-run homer to Ryan Ludwick and a solo shot to Rick Ankiel.

Tampa Bay third baseman http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/mar/19/200216/longoria-heeds-call-headed-team-usa/sports-rays/ target=”_top”>Evan Longoria replaced injured Chipper Jones on the United States roster for the semifinal round of the World Baseball Classic.

Blue Jays Take Shots At Former Teammate Burnett
TAMPA -  A.J. Burnett was hit on the upper part of his left arm by John McDonald’s second-inning line drive, but remained in the game and wound up allowing one run and three hits over 3 1-3 innings.

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, coming back from right shoulder surgery last October, needed just five pitches to work a perfect sixth.
Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells is expected to return from a strained left hamstring and make his first spring training appearance of the year Friday as a designated hitter.

Blanton Sharp Against Fish
JUPITER - Joe Blanton had his best start of spring training for Philadelphia, allowing one hit in six scoreless innings. Marlins right-hander Chris Volstad gave up a hit in four innings and has a string of nine shutout innings over two starts.

AP Wires were used in this report.