Tim Hudson (back) is scheduled to throw another side session Thursday. If all goes well, the next step will likely be live batting practice. There's a chance the veteran right-hander could appear in a game before the Braves break camp, but he's not expected to rejoin the team until around May 1.

Tim Hudson (back) is hoping to throw his first batting practice session within the next week. Hudson has gone through two pain-free bullpen sessions since being cleared Tuesday to begin throwing off the mound again. He'll need a couple more bullpen session before the first of what will likely be at least three batting practice sessions. If all goes well, it's possible the veteran could appear in a spring training game or two before the Braves head north. He'll require at least five starts before being ready to rejoin the team's rotation, setting up a return around May 1.

Tim Hudson threw a bullpen session Wednesday for the first time since undergoing back surgery. "I've increased my workload pretty substantially over the last couple of weeks and it has responded well. It's responded as if I was doing light stuff. The X-ray looked good and my range of motion was good. Two thumbs up, man." He's aiming to make his 2012 regular season debut by May 1.

Tim Hudson (back) is scheduled to throw a full bullpen session Wednesday. Hudson was cleared for full activity following a "very good" checkup with his back surgeon. The veteran right-hander will miss the start of the season, but he hopes to return by May 1, if not sooner.

Tim Hudson (back surgery) will visit the doctor Tuesday and hopes to be cleared at that time to start throwing from the mound at full effort. He'll throw a "light" bullpen on Sunday. The Braves have given Hudson a projected return around late April or early May, and Hudson thinks that's about right. "I think [May 1] at the latest," Hudson said. "It'd be hard to say [if he can return earlier] because I've got to build up to that. I could be back in April but it might be a four- or five-inning thing."

Tim Hudson (back surgery) said he feels great but knows there is a "long way to go." David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution isn't expecting the veteran right-hander to be ready before late April or early May. Hudson underwent surgery in November to repair a herniated disc in his back, and the Braves will smartly take it slow with him. The 36-year-old held a 3.22 ERA and 158/56 K/BB ratio across 215 innings in 2011.

Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell said he will be cautious early this season with Tim Hudson. Hudson underwent back surgery in late November to repair a herniated disc after posting a solid 3.22 ERA and 158/56 K/BB ratio across 215 regular-season innings. David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution suspects that the 36-year-old right-hander might not be ready before mid-April or early-May of this year.

Braves general manager Frank Wren said Wednesday that he's not sure whether Tim Hudson (back) will be ready for Opening Day. Hudson is doing well after undergoing surgery in November to repair a herniated disc in his back, but the Braves are preparing for the possibility that he could need more rehab time. "It's too early to know at this point," explained Wren. "Everything is going well, he just may be - as we always considered a possibility - he may be slightly behind the other guys. Or he may not be. Or, we may choose to be a little more careful with him in spring, depending on how he responds. So there's some unknowns there, but it's going well so far. Quite frankly that's the beauty of having our pitching depth - if we need to slow him down or whatever the case may be, we have the personnel to allow that to happen." Hudson is on the fringe of the top-40 starting pitchers in mixed leagues as of now, but be sure to track his progress during spring training.

The Braves announced Monday that Tim Hudson recently underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back. Hudson hoped to avoid the surgery, but he's still expected to be ready for spring training. The 36-year-old right-hander went 16-10 with a 3.22 ERA and 158/56 K/BB ratio over 215 innings this season. He is owed $9 million in 2012 while his contract includes a $9 million option for 2013.

Tim Hudson held the Phillies to just two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings Wednesday, but it wouldn't be enough for the Braves in a game they'd go on to lose in 13 innings, ceding the National League Wild Card to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Braves led the Wild Card race by 8.5 games entering September, but would go just 9-18 as St. Louis closed out the season 18-8. Although most certainly a collapse, it was one fueled by injuries, as the Braves went the entire month without a single inning pitched from No. 2 and No. 3 starters Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens, while top offensive threat Brian McCann struggled to regain his form coming off an oblique injury. The silver lining is all the high leverage innings young hurlers Mike Minor, Randall Delgado and Brandon Beachy were able to get under their belts. Atlanta will again be in the thick of it in 2012.