Brewers notebook: Henderson returns to mound hoping for healthy 2015
PHOENIX -- Jim Henderson knew his season was over last season during a live batting practice session on Field 7 at Maryvale Baseball Park last August.
He's hoping his road to a return to the big leagues just began on that very same mound.
Henderson threw his first live batting practice session of camp Sunday, tossing 25 pitches to hitters Pete Orr, Hunter Morris and Yadiel Rivera.
"It went well," Henderson said. "It was just more of getting the feel out there today. Seeing the hitters and getting on a game mound again, just trying to get the feel back, that's what I was looking for out of it -- that competitiveness. That's what I got out of it."
While Henderson wasn't overly pleased with his command, he said he got hitters to swing at pitches that weren't in the strike zone.
"That's telling me the hitters aren't seeing it very well," Henderson said. "I have some deception and funkiness to my delivery, so it was good to see that they were taking swings at balls they maybe shouldn't be."
Velocities aren't kept during live batting practice sessions, as Brewers manager Ron Roenicke was looking more at the life on Henderson's pitches. Henderson noted that he would be pleased if he was throwing in the 90-92 mph range this early in camp.
What's next for Henderson has yet to be determined. Roenicke said the team has discussed pitching the former closer during Wednesday's exhibition game against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but pitching plans aren't finalized yet.
"It is not an important step," Roenicke said of the live batting practice session. "Probably the first ballgame he is in will be. It is hard for (pitchers), just like the hitters in these live sessions, it is hard to have the adrenaline and feel you would have in the game. I think a game will mean something to him."
After recording 28 saves as Milwaukee's closer in 2013, Henderson lost his job to Francisco Rodriguez before the season even started. The 32-year-old was never himself, battling shoulder issues from spring training through the time his season ended in August.
Henderson clearly wasn't healthy last season, posting a 7.15 ERA in 14 appearances for the Brewers. Now the right-hander is hoping to impress enough during spring training to secure one of the few open spots in Milwaukee's bullpen.
It just so happened the first step in doing so occurred exactly where his season ended just over six months ago.
"I was thinking about that when I got out there," Henderson said. "It was kind of one of those moments where it was like this is where it ended and this is where it is going to begin again."
Injury updates: Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson threw a bullpen session Sunday after being bumped back three days due to soreness in his hamstring. He was originally scheduled to throw live batting practice, but Roenicke said the training staff advised him to ease Nelson back.
Nelson was supposed to throw live batting practice Thursday but was sidelined by what was considered a minor issue.
"He said he didn't have any problems with that, so that was good," Brewers bullpen coach Lee Tunnell said of Nelson. "The ball came out well, everything spun well. The command wasn't where he wants it to be, but he felt well.
"(Health) is the biggest thing today. You just want to see him get through his work, which he did. He said he could have gone more too. That's why we bring pitchers and catchers in early, so you have time to handle hiccups like this."
Left-hander Wei-Chung Wang and right-hander Wily Peralta both threw Sunday. Wang, who had five teeth extracted Friday, threw a bullpen session, while Peralta threw live batting practice.
Left-handers Hobbs Johnson (quad) and Michael Strong (back) also returned from minor injuries to throw bullpens.
Starting pitchers Kyle Lohse, Matt Garza, Mike Fiers, Taylor Jungmann and Michael Blazek threw two innings of live batting practice Sunday in an effort to begin stretching them out. Each pitcher sat down in between their two innings to simulate an actual game.
Taking it seriously: While Roenicke is unsure who will be playing and pitching, he expects to use his regulars against UWM on Wednesday.
"This is a game for us," Roenicke said. "I think it's a great time for the regulars to have a little practice with the timing, on the new rules, and for the pitchers as well.
"I know we have some pitchers that are set back a little bit. So (pitching coach Rick Kranitz) may have to borrow some guys from the (minor league) side. But we should have enough arms."
The Panthers played four games against Grand Canyon University this weekend and will face Japan's Aoyama University in an exhibition game at Surprise Stadium on Monday.
It will be the first time the Brewers have faced a collegiate team in an exhibition game since 1983 when they played Arizona State University.
"I think we're making it a good thing," Roenicke said. "I don't see that there's an issue at all. For them, it counts as a game. I think that's why they stopped doing a lot of that."
Training session: Before Sunday's workout, the Brewers took part in a mandatory domestic violence awareness seminar.
Major League Baseball ordered all players on 40-man rosters to take part in the educational program following the high-profile domestic violence issues in the National Football League this past year.
Futures Without Violence, a non-profit organization focused on ending domestic and sexual violence, ran the seminar in conjunction with MLB and the players' union.
Milwaukee's coaching staff will go through the seminar at a later date.
"It is an important issue, like many other things are, that you hope in our sport doesn't come up," Roenicke said.
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