"It wasn't just the media crowding around the bullpen at Sun Life Stadium early Sunday morning, but coaches and trainers lined up along the back of the pen and even players stepped out into the stifling heat to watch.

It was Johan Santana, taking the mound for a bullpen session. What they saw was another step being taken in what Santana hopes will be a return to a game of any kind for the first time in nearly a year. Santana and the staff gave a thumbs up, now waiting out the recovery day today and tentatively penciling him in for a minor league game in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Wednesday.

He fired fastballs with decent velocity, loudly cracking into the glove of bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello, close enough to spring training speed to satisfy observers.

Santana threw crisp breaking balls and afterward declared he felt this session was better than what he threw a few years ago before tearing the anterior capsule in his left shoulder.

"I think it's even better than what I had before," Santana said.

"Again, I don't try to compare anything from the past years. I'm just trying to see how if feels, especially after I throw a bullpen like this. And it feels really good."

Santana underwent surgery to repair the shoulder Sept. 14, 2010 and has slowly worked his way back, pitching a simulated game Friday and Sunday's bullpen session. He was hopeful that with no discomfort today he will be one step closer to getting into a major league game this year."