"The Jonathan Broxton that James Loney described sounded a lot like the Jonathan Broxton who was an All-Star.

Loney faced Broxton in live batting practice Thursday and said of his fastball, "It looked hard to me. He had some movement. He looked smooth and fluid."

But although Loney said he expects Broxton to regain his All-Star form, he conceded he hadn't seen enough of him to declare the pitcher recovered from whatever plagued him over the final three months of last season.

Judging Broxton's recovery will be tricky.

"Power pitchers I've seen in the past, it takes them awhile in spring training to get going," Manager Don Mattingly said, citing Goose Gossage as an example.

"They're usually getting beat up pretty good in the spring. Goose used to get hit every year. Then they get to the season and get that extra little adrenaline."

Mattingly said that during the exhibition season he will evaluate Broxton based on how he looks and feels, rather than his results.

"That other guy's there," Mattingly said, referring to the Broxton who was an All-Star. "If he's getting hit a little bit in spring training, to say, 'He's not throwing well,' it's not really fair to him. If it was any other spring, you wouldn't even think about it. You would be, 'Brox is getting ready.' ""