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| LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- When the Braves announced their Grapefruit League rotation, they indicated it wasn't an exact schedule that would allow one to correctly determine who would eventually be their Opening Day starter. After completing his 86-pitch, five-inning simulated game at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex on Saturday morning, Tim Hudson provided some indication why the original schedule wasn't a strict blueprint -- with which one could simply add four days between starts to determine when a specific pitcher might make his regular-season debut. And with this hint, Hudson gave reason to deduce that he'll be getting the start when the Braves open the regular season on March 30 against the Washington Nationals in Washington D.C. Because they didn't want his scheduled Friday start against the Phillies cut short by rain, the Braves arranged for Hudson to pitch in this simulated game. When asked how the change could affect him, Hudson said it wouldn't and revealed that his next start would have come this upcoming Thursday, whether he'd have pitched Friday or Saturday. Hudson said he hasn't been told he'll be the Opening Day starter and Braves manager Bobby Cox hasn't made an official announcement. But the way things shape up, it's easy to make the assumption that Hudson will get the honor for the second time in three years. "I'm not sure how they're doing it [with the other pitchers]," Hudson said. "But I know I was scheduled to get an extra day with the off-day." After allowing five runs -- three earned -- in his five-inning Grapefruit League debut on Saturday afternoon, John Smoltz confirmed he was getting this extra day and would make his next start on Friday. This would put him on schedule to pitch the home opener against the Pirates on March 31. If this setup stays in place, Tom Glavine would be on schedule to make his regular-season debut in the April 2 game against the Pirates and Mike Hampton would start the finale of that three-game series the following day. Along with saying the simulated game didn't affect his preparation schedule, Hudson said the relaxed, unregimented setting also provided him the opportunity to get a better sense for his pitches. He was pleased with his curveball and felt his cut fastball was as good as it's been this month. "You can get instant feedback from hitters [during simulated games]," Hudson said. "When I throw a pitch, I can ask them, 'How did that look?', 'How was my arm angle there?', 'Did it start breaking late or did it start breaking out of my hand?' [In a regular Spring Training game] you can't exactly ask Ryan Howard, 'How did that split look, buddy?'" |