Lidge Throws Pain-Free Bullpen Session

Brad Lidge threw roughly 35 pitches in the bullpen this morning at Bright House Field.

He has been sidelined since last Friday because of right biceps tendinitis.

“I felt really good,” he said.

Lidge said he expects to play catch tomorrow and throw another bullpen session Sunday before returning to Grapefruit League action. He said he could be in a game in three or four days.

“Getting out this little bit of tendinitis and getting back into it should be about the perfect recipe,” he said. “It feels a lot better now. I haven’t cranked it up to 100 percent yet. I threw somewhere between 80 and 90 percent. No discomfort.”

Lidge’s velocity has been down this spring. The expectation is it will return with a healthy arm.

“It’s coming,” he said. “My pop will never be there until the first game I’m closing during the regular season. It hasn’t been for however many years – five, six, seven years. I don’t expect myself to ever be close to where that is in Spring Training. It never has been. That being said, I should be able to get more on it than I’ve been getting on it the past couple outings. But if I don’t I still won’t be worried. As long as nothing is hurting me I’m going to be real happy. It’s really for me making sure that when I get out there I have good mechanics so I don’t re-aggravate the tendinitis. Assuming that goes as planned I’ll be more than ready on April 1.”

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