ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Matt Wieters has resumed throwing and is now testing his surgically repaired right elbow, but the Orioles catcher wouldn't say whether he believes he could return from the 15-day disabled list by the beginning of next month.
"I think it's realistic, but at the same time, we're not really putting any kind of date out there because it's a matter of how it goes and how it feels," Wieters said. "I think it can turn the corner in the course of a couple of days or it can take longer. It's a matter of letting it kind of all play out and whenever I feel like I can contribute to the team, and help the team, then I'll come back."
Asked whether he's more or less encouraged by his progress, Wieters said, "It'll get there. Everybody's bodies are different. We've got to listen to it at this point."
Wieters said he's been throwing every other day for the past week. Before Wednesday's game he was doing light throwing with coach Einar Diaz in the outfield of Tropicana Field. He will still have to progress to throwing from longer distances before he is able to get into games.
Wieters, who had Tommy John surgery last June, was making a steady return until he was shut down on March 18, one day after playing in his first Grapefruit League game at catcher, and didn't throw for nearly two weeks.
"I've been light tossing for a little bit, just kind of trying to get it going again, and get a normal throwing progression, and kind of pick back up and when it feels good enough at a certain step, we'll move back to the next step and go from there," Wieters said.
Even though he said he's throwing with about 70 to 80 percent intensity, Wieters said he's unsure when he will be able to unleash his throws.
"I don't know," he said. "That's the hard thing. It's just got to continue to progress and when I feel good enough to get in games. I think for a while there we were shooting for Opening Day. When I didn't make that, it was just go on how the elbow feels and what it tells me it's ready to do.
"The intensity is pretty close there," he added. "It's just the distance that we're going to have get to where everything feels very good before we move to the next step. So, the intensity is pretty good, but it's just a matter of being able to have the intensity before we move further back."
As the team returns to Baltimore following Wednesday's game in Tampa, Wieters will continue his recovery in Sarasota, so he won't be with the team for the Orioles' home opener on Friday.
"Opening Day is special, especially in Camden with the Baltimore Orioles fans," Wieters said. "It will be tough not being there, but at the same time whatever is going to get me back quickest is where I want to be."
Hardy swings postponed
Shortstop J.J. Hardy, on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain, was scheduled to begin swinging a bat on Wednesday, but that was postponed a day.
"They have one little test that they don't feel 100 percent on," Showalter said. "Richie [Bancells] and them, after talking today, [decided] let's wait one more day. Once you start swinging, I'm not saying you can't turn back, but you're kind of going in that direction, so they're going to wait one more day on that."
Hardy has successfully taken infield, and now a hitting progression is the only thing preventing him from going on a minor league rehab assignment. If all continues to go well, he is expected to begin rehab early next week at high Class-A Frederick.
"The swing hurdle is the last one we're going to have to cross," Showalter said. "Once he does that a couple days and feels good with that, then he should be pretty quick."
Around the horn
Outfielder David Lough (left hamstring) received four at-bats in an intrasquad game in Sarasota. Showalter said this week that Lough might start a minor league rehab assignment on Saturday, but he likely will now do so early next week in Frederick after playing nine innings in Sarasota. … Right-hander Bud Norris, who will start the Orioles' home opener on Friday, and right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez — slated to start Saturday's game — flew to Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the team. "Guys have been gone two or three months, in a lot of cases a lot longer than that," Showalter said. "[Let them] get settled in their apartments. … It's a challenge, so every time you can eliminate some of that for a player, it makes the transition a lot easier."