Walking wounded report

Just to keep you up to date on how the players on the DL are progressing .

The Marlins are hopeful that left fielder Josh Willingham will be ready for game action within the next week. Whether that is realistic remains to be seen.

More will be known in the next few days.

Willingham went on the disabled list on May 2, retroactive to April 28. The earliest he could be reinstated is May 13, the second of a four-game series at Cincinnati.

Willingham will travel with the team this weekend when it opens a three-game set at Washington before moving on to Cincinnati on Monday.

Since being scratched from the lineup last Tuesday, Willingham has not swung a bat.

Last night in the in-game interview, Josh did sound convincing that he would be ready to go on May 13.  But as I've had said many times over, the young guys lie.  So we will see.

In other walking wounded news

In other injury-related news, center fielder Alejandro De Aza (left ankle sprain) is doing some hitting, throwing and light jogging at the team's complex in Jupiter, Fla.

Reliever Lee Gardner (elbow) and starter Sergio Mitre (right forearm strain) are not yet throwing.

Right-handers Josh Johnson (Tommy John surgery) and Anibal Sanchez (shoulder surgery) each threw off the mound on Tuesday. Both were in Jupiter.

Johnson tossed live batting practice -- 20 pitches total -- and he will throw again on Friday. Sanchez tossed a bullpen session, and he remains hopeful of being ready around the All-Star Break.

I will be very surprised if Johnson pitches for the Marlins this season.  And if he does, it will at the very end of the season to see if he is up to speed.  More than likely, most of his pitching opportunities will be in minor league rehab.

Sanchez, if he pitches for the Marlins in 2008, will likely join the club closer to August.

As for De Aza, high ankle sprains are a.....uh, not good.  Alejandro is young enough that it shouldn't be a career ender but it will be a tough rehab.

Gardener and Mitre not throwing yet means we are at least a couple of months away before they could rejoin the team.

And that's today's walking wounded report.