GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Josh Beckett said he will be ready for the start of the Dodgers season after having a rib removed last July in a surgery to alleviate a nerve condition that was affecting his right arm "I dont have numbness and tingling, anymore," Beckett said Monday. No doubts, either. The right-hander is expected to battle newly acquired Paul Maholm for the fifth spot in the Dodgers starting rotation this spring. Beckett, the fifth starter before last years mid-season surgery, breezed through his first bullpen session Monday in Arizona. He threw 30 pitches with no sign of trouble. "Im not tentative," said Beckett, who reported to camp a day late so he could attend a wedding. "Im going to throw as hard as I can and see what happens. Right now, I feel great. Ill throw the ball until I blow out and Im hoping thats not for a few more years." The Dodgers signing of Maholm on Saturday is considered a hedge against the possibility of further injury to Beckett, a three-time All-Star whom the Dodgers acquired from Boston along with Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto in a 2012 trade. "Josh is doing really well, but hes coming off tough surgery and theres not a lot of history with that surgery, so well see where things go," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. Beckett underwent the same surgical procedure that former St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter underwent in July 2012. Carpenter went on to pitch in six more games in 2012 -- three in the regular season and three in the playoffs. But Carpenter did not pitch in 2013. He announced his retirement in November. Beckett said he has spoken to Carpenter. He said he was told Carpenters nerve condition was more severe than his own. Beckett also said the surgery was more complicated. Dr. Greg Pearl of Dallas performed both procedures. Carpenters experience and advice helped, he said. "It got me through the mental part," said Beckett, who was 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA when he landed on the disabled list on May 14. Neck problems and numbness in his right hand had troubled Beckett for the last few years. It got to the point where he learned how to drive with only his left hand. There were times, he said, when he couldnt feel the steering wheel with his right. "Its crazy how simple things become difficult to do," he said. The surgery, which also includes removal of some connective tissue, alleviated pressure on a nerve in his neck, he said. He never felt any pain. But there were moments when he had no control of his pitches. "I didnt know if I was going to throw it over the backstop," he said. "I had no idea where it was going to go." Beckett arrived in camp with his confidence bolstered by three workouts during the last couple of weeks in Texas. He threw off a mound twice, on Jan. 31 and again on Feb 3. Cold weather forced him inside on Feb. 6 where he threw 38 pitches off a flat surface. Beckett has no illusions about the competition he faces in camp. "Its just if hes healthy," Mattingly said. "Josh throws the ball good. Hes been a quality pitcher for a long time and he still has good stuff. How he bounces back, well see. Weve had nothing but positive reports all winter. Josh has never been in the bullpen. Obviously, its a competitive situation. Were not handing anything out for anybody. If hes healthy, well see." Beckett expects to have more time to prepare than the Dodgers calendar might indicate. They break camp in Arizona after a March 16 game and travel to Australia for a pair of regular-season games in Sydney against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 22 and 23. "Im probably not going to start opening day in Australia," Beckett said. "Theyre paying a guy a lot of money to do that. Not all of us are getting ready for those days. Some of us have a little more time than it appears we do." NOTES: Outfielder Yasiel Puig is already in camp. Mattingly might open the season with the versatile Puig at the top of the Dodgers batting order. .The rest of the team is scheduled to report on Thursday. Air Max 97 Noir Femme Pas Cher .ca contributor Grant McCagg provides a look at some risers and fallers on the prospect watch. Nike Air Max Plus France . The D-Backs came into being in 1998 and appear destined to finish second in the AL West after the Tsunami that is the Los Angeles Dodgers swept over them. I thought it might be interesting to see what the D-backs have done over their 16 years compared to what the Blue Jays have done over their past 16 campaigns. http://www.outletairmaxpascher.fr/fausse-air-max-97-noir.html . Cammalleri scored two goals, Corban Knight netted the winner in a shootout, and the Flames erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Stars 4-3 on Friday night. Nike Air Max 270 React Soldes .com) - Novak Djokovic easily took care of Andy Murray to reach the final at the $2. Fausse Air Max 97 Off White . The defeat leaves the 41-year-old Nestor to concentrate on the mixed-doubles event after winning 12 straight matches and winning Australian titles in Brisbane and Sydney with two different partners. "This was a little bit of a let down, but all credit to them," said Nestor.Toronto Maple Leafs legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Mats Sundin joined TSN Radio 1050s Jim Tatti and Jeff ONeill on Friday to give his thoughts on the Olympic hockey tournament ahead of Sundays gold medal match-up between his native Sweden and Canada. While there is a lot that Sundin has liked in the tournament so far, the performance that Russia put forth against Finland in the quarterfinals left a bad taste in his mouth. "I was almost disgusted by their performance when they played Finland," said the 43-year-old who played 18 seasons in the NHL. "I look at the Finnish team and theyre missing key players. They dont have any of their big stars and now [Rask] is hurt and that Russian team is stacked with great players and to come out and have that performance they had in the quarterfinals. It was an absolutely heartless performance. "It was very disappointing and I dont think its very good for hockey either to have them out of their home tournament. You wonder when you have Putin in the stands on home ice and you cant get heart out of these guys? Whats going to bring it out? I dont know," he said. Sundin believes simply chalking up Russias crashing out of the tournament to the tremendous pressure the team was under is a bit of a cop-out. "Even though youre nervous or you have a lot of pressure built up, you can always still get into the motions and show that youre actually trying," said the former first-overall pick by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. "We didnt see anything of that in the quarterfinal." The captain of the gold medal-winning Swedish team in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Sundin believes that its impossible to compare trying to capture a Stanley Cup to winning Olympic gold. "You cant even compare it to me," said Sundin. "I mean, the Stanley Cup is the biggest thing you can win playing for a club team in the world. Its over a [full] season and you try to get that, but saying that, international hockey and the Olympic Games go to a little bit of a higher level. You have all the absolute best players in the world competing. Its a short tournament, but its the absolute best, biggest thing you can win as a hockey player today where you face every countrys best players on the ice. And also, for any athlete, women or men, winning an Olympic medal is a little bit beyond just the sport of hockey, as well. You cant compare them, but obviously, you want to be part of both for sure." Sundin thinks that an unfamiliarity with the larger ice surface is one of the main reasons why Canadas offence has yet to really click in Sochi, despite the team being undefeated.dddddddddddd "The last time the Olympics were around, the tournament was held on a smaller ice surface, an edge to the North American teams, no doubt," said Sundin. "The US and Canada were more comfortable. You look at the tournament right now, you can tell [Canada] is not as comfortable on the big ice surface...with the bigger ice surface, it becomes a little bit of a different game." The all-time Leafs leader in points acknowledges that an adjustment needs to be made for North American teams playing on the big international ice. "Just one big difference is when you come into an end, whether its your own end or youre in the offensive zone, youre further away from your opponent," explained the nine-time NHL All-Star. "Theres a little bit more room for a forward to slip away or get out of the way, out of position, so when that happens, and I think a North American feels that, you get a little more tentative and if youre tentative in hockey or you wait a little bit, then youre a step behind. I think thats the biggest thing." With NHL participation up in the air for the 2018 Olympic Games to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Sundin believes it would be a mistake for the league to stop sending its best to the tournament as its a perfect opportunity to put a spotlight on the sport. "For me, its a no-brainer," said Sundin. "I think youve got to look at the broader picture. For the game of hockey, and if you want the game to continue to grow, theres no better window than the Olympic Games, where you can get new fans watching our great game, people from different parts of the world. I dont really see a reason why not. I know it affects the game short term. Some guys get hurt (and) when they get back they might not perform as well. But if you look at a long term picture, I think its just too big of a window to promote our sport to not be part of it." As for Sundays clash between his home country and the country he spent 18 years playing in, Sundin gives the edge to Canada. "Theres no doubt that the Swedish team...are not where you would think to call them a gold medal favourite at this point [without] Henrik Sedin and Henrik Zetterberg, two of the best centremen we have playing right now," said Sundin. "For them to get to the finals here, to get by Finland...Ill hold Canada as the favourites to win the gold medal, but if you have [Henrik] Lundqvist playing an enormous game in the final, theres a shot. But its a long shot for sure." ' ' '