D-Backs’ Davis throws simulated game

Doug Davis may have lost his thyroid, but everything else seemed in place when he stepped back on the mound Monday.

Phillies spoil Scherzers debut

Davis was pleased with his command and his stuff in a 65-pitch simulated game, which came 25 days after his cancerous thyroid was removed and a week after a radiation iodine treatment kept him isolated for three days.

"He looked real good, just as good as every other big leaguer we've been facing," said Jeff Salazar, one of several D-Backs who hit against Davis

"He buckled me one time on a breaking ball. Strike three."

Davis expects to make a rehab start at Triple-A Tucson on Saturday, and the D-Backs are planning for him to make one more start before returning from the disabled list, a move that - barring unforeseen circumstances - could push rookie Max Scherzer to the bullpen.

"Everything felt really in sync," Davis said.

"I haven't felt that confident in my fastball probably in two years. It's still 82 (mph), but they had real awkward swings at it."

Doctors indicated that Davis might feel drained after taking his iodine pill Tuesday, but Davis said he never felt sapped.

"I never had that crash they were talking about," Davis said.

"It wasn't like I had 25 days of not throwing. I had three days down. It wasn't a matter of arm strength today. It was more of a stuff thing, to make sure my stuff is still there."

Manager Bob Melvin said: "They thought he might have some endurance issues, but I think he's been a lot better than they expected.

"Maybe it has something to do with his condition, being an athlete."

The worst part of the iodine treatment, Davis said, was the three-day isolation in which he could not come in contact with others because of the radiation.

Davis is adding 4,300 square feet to his house, and because the electricity was off last Thursday, he couldn't watch TV. He compensated by taking some old golf balls out of his bag and hitting them into a field behind his property.

Davis will get a CT scan Thursday to look for any remaining cancer. If any remaining tissue is less than a half-centimeter, the iodine pill will kill in it within six months, doctors have told him.

If any larger cancerous tissue remains, doctors would perform a second procedure, but that is not expected to be an issue.

The original surgery took 90 minutes longer than scheduled as doctors worked to scrape out the cancer..

HUDSON BACK

Orlando Hudson returned to the starting lineup for the first time in three games after feeling tightness in his hamstring Friday. He was given the go-ahead after performing some pregame running drills.

SHORT HOPS

Philadelphia shortstop Jimmy Rollins, out since April 20 with a left ankle sprain, was 4-for-4 in an extended spring training game against New York Yankees minor leaguers in Tampa. The reigning NL MVP, Rollins said he felt a twinge while running the bases. The D-Backs are unlikely to see Rollins this series, although he hopes to return Thursday. "He's a big part of us. But we need him healthy," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. ... Augie Ojeda had back-to-back multi-hit games Saturday and Sunday, going 5 for 10 with two doubles and six RBIs. He also was hit by a pitch. Ojeda has eight RBIs in 27 at-bats, four short of his career high (12) first set in 144 at-bats with the 2001 Chicago Cubs and tied in 113 at-bats with the D-Backs last season.