Spring training was a long time ago. He could be starting from ground zero as far as the baseball activities.

What that means in the greater scheme of things, I'll know more tomorrow. The knee was tolerant. He was sore in the obvious places, being the hands and upper torso. It's a good first step toward getting back to baseball activities. ... I'm presuming it's a baby-step type of thing.

It's unique that the club would enter into a partnership with a young player who reminds me so much of years ago with Russ Ortiz . Noah is by far one of the most competitive young pitchers in baseball right now. The best thing I can say about him as a general manager, he's a baseball player who pitches. ... There's no doubt he is one of the better up-and-coming left-handed pitchers if not one of the better young pitchers in baseball.

Him taking swings in a college batting cage is a long way from doing baseball work with us, ... It's just another step in his rehab. To what extent this is of any significance -- until I'm told otherwise -- it's just part of the exercise regimen he's going through. Once he's accelerated to the point where the doctors are ready to turn him over to us, then he can do more meaningful and substantial baseball activities. But for now, this is just another step.

He's probably done as much as he can down here. Now, he'll be in a baseball domain. I'd like to see him in a simulated game, but that's probably difficult to do. And there's a lot going on you can't simulate.