Floyd moving forward in rehab as free agency looms

CHICAGO -- Ask Gavin Floyd for an update concerning his ongoing rehab program following season-ending surgery on May 7 to repair his ulnar collateral ligament and flexor muscle and his answer becomes just a bit muddled.

He feels good for certain, although not quite 100 percent. And he's making progress in phase six of a 12 to 14-phase program. Beyond those morsels of knowledge, it's a wait-and-see process for the right-handed hurler.

"I have a long toss program and then I have a mound program and then I'm pretty much ready to go," said Floyd of his recovery. "That's if everything goes smoothly.

"It's nice to get back to square one and work on the simplicity of throwing a baseball and getting the right slot. My elbow feels great, and everything feels good."

Floyd has been throwing for three weeks and has stretched out as far as 75 feet. That long distance program gradually will move back distance-wise, leading him back to the mound.

A free agent after this season, Floyd's seven-year run in Chicago might have come to a close with a 63-65 record and 4.22 ERA. But the two sides are familiar with each other so nothing is out of the question.

An original recovery time of 14 to 19 months was listed for the 30-year-old Floyd after the surgery, but he's hoping to be ready before that time. That hope all depends on how he feels in moving from step to step.

"I've got a long way to go, but we'll see how it goes as it comes along. It will all pan out as it should," Floyd said. "I'm trying to be smart about it. But at the same time, I feel good and I want to be somewhat aggressive about it.

"I definitely want health for the long term, not just next year. But it's one of those things that we'll see how my body responds more than anything. How my arm responds. Stay in the present, see how you feel today, move on and then if everything goes smoothly, I don't know. It's possible I guess."