Webb has been held out since feeling tightness in his right forearm while playing catch Feb. 26, the day before his first scheduled spring start against the White Sox.

"It was a real minor thing, and to the point that now he is actually on a regular spring training schedule," Melvin said. "It hasn't been an issue since he was playing catch." Webb threw a bullpen session three days ago

HARDEN COMING ALONG (9:30 p.m. ET)
Cubs right-hander Rich Harden threw in a bullpen session Tuesday morning, and all indications are that it went well.

He will throw a simulated game Friday and make his Cactus League debut early next week

PRIOR THROWS IN BULLPEN AGAIN (8:10 p.m. ET)
Padres right-hander Mark Prior drew a crowd for his latest bullpen session on Tuesday, which lasted about 10 minutes and included 45-50 pitches.

"It felt all right," said Prior, who threw only fastballs. "I don't think it was as good as my last one as far as how I felt, but I felt good out there. For a while it was moving pretty quick then it slowed down at the end, talking about some things."

Prior, who hasn't pitched in the big leagues since Aug. 10, 2006, is trying to bounce back from shoulder surgery in June.

LOOPER OUT TO START SEASON? (5:02 p.m. ET)
Brewers righty Braden Looper will miss his second straight spring training start because of a strained oblique muscle and might not be ready for Opening Day.

For more spring training news that could impact your fantasy team, check out our daily camp notes. • Sign up, play for free

Brewers manager Ken Macha said Tuesday that Looper will not be allowed to throw for the next 10 to 12 days and might not heal in time for the April 7 opener.

"We may have to be prepared for getting somebody else ready," Macha said.

Righty Seth McClung will take Looper's rotation spot and will start Thursday against Australia's World Baseball Classic team.

Looper, signed as a free agent for $4.75 million just before spring training, was scratched minutes before his scheduled start Saturday against the Angels after he felt tightness in his left oblique during his bullpen warm-ups. He has said he first felt a twinge in his side when he sneezed earlier in the week.

"I know I'm feeling a lot better," he said. "I hope I feel good enough Thursday that by my next turn in the rotation I'd be ready to throw to hitters. That's just my goal. That may be completely not feasible, but that's what I'm working for."

DREW FEELING BETTER ALREADY (3:32 p.m. ET)
J.D. Drew returned to Boston on Monday and received an injection in his lower back, according to The Boston Globe, but manager Terry Francona emphasized the move was "precautionary" and Drew was not facing surgery any time soon.

"The day he left, he was hitting balls onto that street. I just think we felt like it was a good time to do it," Francona told the Globe. "We weren't comfortable having it done down here. [Dr. Bill Palmer]'s so good. There's a reason we want him to do these things. So we just thought, again, we'd take advantage of the earliness of camp and try to get it done."

Drew's back was problematic in the latter portion of last season, when a herniated disk limited his playing time and continued to affect him in the offseason.

Drew, back with the Red Sox in Fort Myers on Tuesday, told a Boston television reporter that he already was encouraged by the results, the Globe reported.

"Yeah, you know it was really encouraging," he said on NESN. "Usually after you get an injection like that, because of the numbing medicine, if you feel relief right away then they've kind of got it in the right area. Felt really good getting up off the table, so I was very encouraged by that, and think hopefully this could be kind of a long-term benefit."

Francona said he didn't know what the injection was, but added Drew was scheduled to take batting practice on Thursday and be in the lineup on Friday, the Globe reported. Story

STRAWBERRY UNDERSTANDS A-ROD (3:10 p.m. ET)
Darryl Strawberry understands what Alex Rodriguez is going through. On his first day at spring training this year as an instructor with the Mets, Strawberry said he would have been tempted to use performance-enhancing drugs in his playing days.

"In our nature, we are competitive creatures, and we have a tremendous drive and high tolerance," Strawberry said Tuesday. "I'm not saying that was the right thing to do, but people ask me, if I was faced with it, what would I have done? If that was going on in the era of the '80s, it probably would have been in my system, too."

Strawberry said he respects Rodriguez for making the admission but thinks it's unfair A-Rod was the only name to become public among the 104 on a sealed list for testing positive during baseball's anonymous 2003 survey. Strawberry hasn't spoken directly with Rodriguez but has passed on messages of encouragement through Yankees contacts.

"It's unfortunate, but that's what happens when you play in New York," Strawberry said. "A lot of times everyone is going to pick on the biggest player, and he is the biggest player in the game. He is a great player, regardless of what people say."

Strawberry thinks Rodriguez now has an opportunity to help teach young players to learn from his mistake.

SHOULDER AILING GAGNE (2:57 p.m. ET)
A shoulder problem might hurt Eric Gagne's chance to make the Brewers' bullpen in spring training.

Assistant general manager Gord Ash told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Gagne, whose shoulder began acting up after his last bullpen session, wanted to pitch through the problem but the Brewers, on the advice of medical personnel, won't allow it.

The Brewers have no timetable for Gagne's return.

NO SHOULDER PAIN FOR NATHAN (2:49 p.m. ET)
Closer Joe Nathan said he felt no pain after throwing a 25-pitch bullpen session Tuesday.

"I feel great -- and that's no lie," Nathan told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "The real test will come later."

Nathan, whose sore shoulder forced him to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic, said he felt no soreness in the AC joint while throwing and plans to throw to live hitters during batting practice Thursday. He could also pitch an inning during the Twins' game against the Pirates on Saturday.

LATE TO CAMP, EARLY TO IMPRESS (8:57 a.m. ET)
First baseman Mike Carp considers himself the recipient of good fortune, having walked away from a pre-camp car wreck with not a scratch.

The Mariners believe they are the lucky ones, after seeing their prospect make a huge impression this spring.

Carp, 22, has shown an attack mentality at the plate, boasting an early spring batting average of .444. The Mariners had insisted on getting Carp, who spent last season at Double-A Binghamton, from the New York Mets in a three-team, 12-player trade in December that sent former All-Star closer J.J. Putz to New York. Seattle saw Carp as a future regular at first base, perhaps as soon as 2010.

But with his performance so far, Carp is opening eyes as a possible contributor this season, part of the Mariners' never-ending quest for left-handed hitting.

Carp had delayed leaving for spring training from his Lakewood, Calif., home because of heavy rains in the area. But a downpour began early in his trek anyway, and after getting splashed by a passing car, his 2003 Mustang Cobra hydroplaned, spun around twice, then slammed into a cement divider in the median.

Carp then drove the wrong way for about 100 yards against oncoming traffic to get out of everyone's way -- "a little stunt driving," he said with a chuckle.

Afterward, he phoned Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik and braced for a reprimand about being late to camp. But Zduriencik made sure Carp was OK, then told him to wait a day before going to camp. "He took it better than I thought he was going to," Carp said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.