Solis "doing well" in recovery from elbow pain; Hansen also good news

Left-hander Sammy Solis is progessing well following elbow soreness that shut down his Arizona Fall League campaign. Solis visited two doctors in Los Angeles to check the elbow pain and there was concern as to the extent of the injury, as there would be with any pitcher who suffers such a setback. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris reports that Solis is "doing well" at this time and the team is receiving "positive feedback" as Solis rests the elbow. He is day to day. "We will put him on a timeline closer to spring training," Harris said. "We are designing a throwing program structured specifically for Solis." The fact that the team is in the process of finalizing a throwing schedule is a positive sign that Tommy John, or any other similar procedure, is not the direction the team needs to go in with Solis at this time. The Avondale, Ariz., southpaw went 8-3 with a 3.26 ERA in 17 starts with 93 strikeouts and 23 walks last season, split between Double-A Hagerstown and Single-A Potomac. He is considered, alongside Danny Rosenbaum, to be the top young pitching in the Nationals' system, following the departures of stalwarts Brad Peacock, Tom Milone and A.J. Cole. Left-hander Bobby Hansen Jr., out of Monument, Colo., also has some good news as he recovers from a back injury that prematurely shortened his first season at Hagerstown. Harris reported that Hansen is also doing well in his recovery and will be ready for spring training. Hansen tweeted the same last week: "First time off the mound since June 1st yesterday, felt great. Can't wait for Spring Training and the 2012 season!!' Hansen is fully healed from the back issue and also has slimmed down from his 2011 playing weight. He went 5-1 with a 4.10 ERA in 10 starts for the Suns last season, striking out 49 hitters and walking just 14.