Bundy expects to throw from mound at end of March

Orioles pitching prospect Dylan Bundy continues to progress well from his ligament-reconstructive elbow surgery on June 27. He provided the latest update to reporters this afternoon here at FanFest. "I'm seven months out now," Bundy said. "I was supposed to throw (from) 90 feet yesterday in Florida but it got rained out. Was pretty bummed about that. I just threw 60 feet flat ground. So far, so good. On schedule and it feels great. On schedule for Monday, (throwing from) 90 feet. One set of 25 and then two sets at 75 (feet)." When will Bundy be able to throw from a mound? "Depending how it goes, hopefully looking forward to flat ground first of March, middle of March flat ground and then half-mound," Bundy said. "The schedule says March 31, a bullpen but that can be a day or two behind or ahead." The 21-year-old Bundy, who went 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA at three levels of the minors in 2012, said the initial time after his surgery was the toughest. "The first month after surgery," he said. "Seeing everyone playing and sitting on my couch with my arm in a sling, didn't feel good. "The first two and a half months were the hardest. Not being able to do much at all but rely on the strength coach to stretch my arm. Couldn't do anything running-wise or working out. Now I am able to do pretty much anything I was before." A reporter asked how confident he was in coming back all the way after the surgery and mentioned that some players can even come back throwing with a little more velocity. "I don't look at it as that," Bundy said. "Just try to do my rehab, do my workouts and come back just the way I was before. If so, I'll be happy. "I miss it. This is my job, but a game that I love. I want to get back to it as fast as I can, but I also don't want to rush it and do this again. Definitely won't rush that." In the last few days, Bundy was ranked as the No. 15 prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus, No. 20 by MLB.com and No. 31 by ESPN.