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Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez, the former major league World Series ace, threw from the AT&T Bricktown Ballpark pitcher's mound, throwing 35-40 pitches in the first of his two or three batting practice sessions before being activated.

"I feel great," said Hernandez, who also had a side session in the RedHawks bullpen on Tuesday. "It's my first time in a long time that I've faced a hitter, and I feel great. I threw every pitch and I threw them in the zone."

Hernandez still plans to make his RedHawks debut next week - and maybe even this weekend - in Oklahoma City. The Hawks' current homestand goes through next Friday, June 26, though there is a day off Monday.

"I think I need one or two more BP's this week, and after that I'll go to the mound for a game," Hernandez said.

If he throws only one more bullpen, Hernandez could be pitching for the RedHawks this weekend.

"It could be one more or two more BP's. I don't know the future, man," El Duque said with a sweat-soaked grin, while sitting in the RedHawks' dugout.

"But I need to work out with my pitching coach three or four or five more days, and that's it.

"Tomorrow (Friday), day off. Saturday, BP again. I rest Sunday. Then Monday, BP again. Then I might be ready to go. I hope so. I want to pitch."

That schedule may change because of the RedHawks' day off Monday. Regardless, El Duque figures to pitch in a game next week.

"He's just got to face some live hitters," RedHawks manager Bobby Jones said, "because he hasn't been on the mound facing live hitters in awhile. He'll probably do that a couple of times. It depends on him, whatever he wants to do. But that's what we'd like to see him do."

The 6-foot-2 righthander has not pitched in a professional game since July 17 of last year, when he pitched one inning for Double-A Binghamton.

"He came in today and said he wanted to throw some live BP," Jones said, "so that's what we did."

Hernandez was a starting pitcher on four World Series championship teams from 1998-2005, including three straight New York Yankees teams, 1998-2000.

Less than a year after defecting from Cuba, he was fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 1998, when he was 12-4. The following year he was 17-9, fifth in AL wins, and the ALCS Most Valuable Player.

His major league record is 90-65 over 11 seasons, with the Yankees, White Sox, Diamondbacks and Mets. He has been especially good in the postseason, going 9-3 with a 2.55 ERA.

Now, though, El Duque plans to be a relief pitcher for the first time in his 12 pro seasons.

Jones grinned and said, "I told him, 'You're going to start tomorrow,' and he said, "No more start, no more start.'"

El Duque was smiling, too.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

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