His prayers were answered late in the afternoon when the medical report was relayed.

"I can't go into a lot of detail about what was said medically," Leyland said, "but we got the greatest news possible. Bondo has no major issues. It's just a matter of him coming back down and getting off the medication in a day or so. He can start throwing again when he's pain free.

"It's absolutely the best news we could have gotten."

Bonderman hasn't pitched in a game this spring, but had been throwing off the mound for three and a half weeks. He underwent shoulder surgery in June to correct a circulation problem that had caused a blood clot, and has not pitched in a game since then.

In what Leyland would not confirm as a related move, Rick Porcello was not used in relief here Monday against Florida Southern College and will start Wednesday instead of Jon Kibler in an exhibition game here against Panama.

Porcello, 20, is a rotation candidate and said he found it difficult pitching in relief after his last outing Thursday in Viera against the Washington Nationals.

"I'm looking for pitching," Leyland said. "You can write whatever you want."

Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson, who will pitch here today against Venezuela, join Zach Miner as the other rotation candidates. Miner will start Thursday here against the Washington Nationals.

Armando Galarraga, Edwin Jackson and Justin Verlander are set in the rotation along with a healthy Bonderman. Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp hopes Galarraga pitches today against Detroit for Team Venezuela because it is his scheduled day to pitch.

Until Bonderman and Galarraga return, that leaves six potential starting pitchers. Somebody will have to "piggy-back" behind another starter, and this time that will be Robertson. Leyland would not commit to whether Porcello will get another start.

Zumaya changing it up: Joel Zumaya threw a half dozen breaking balls and a changeup during his 1-2-3 inning against Florida Southern in Detroit's 7-1 exhibition game win.

"I'm keeping them off-balance that way," said Zumaya, who pretty much tried to live on his fastball last year. "It's all about keeping them honest instead of cheating on me. And they were cheating, sitting on my fastball."

Pitching coach Rick Knapp is stressing that approach.

"Knapper's goal is to get my breaking ball good enough to set up my fastball," Zumaya said.

Knapp added: "What makes (Minnesota closer) Joe Nathan so great is that he throws that hammer (breaking ball) and throws it early."

Leyland said: "He threw more good breaking balls today than he had the whole year (in 2008). It he's healthy, he's going to be good. It's that simple. His arm slot is very good. He looks like a million bucks."

Signs are good: The Tigers announced the signings of Galarraga and Miner, infielders Jeff Larish and Mike Hessman, and outfielder Clete Thomas. The entire 40-man roster now is under contract. The only players in that group assured a 25-man roster spot are Miner, who will make $437,000 in 2009, and Galarraga, who will earn $435,000.

He's walking: Colin Kaline, grandson of Tigers Hall of Famer AL Kaline, started at third base for Florida Southern.

He showed just how he's leading the Moccasins in walks in his first at-bat. Edwin Jackson got ahead 0-2 in the count before Kaline took four straight balls. The sophomore second baseman, whom the Tigers drafted in the 25th round out of Birmingham Groves High in 2007, is hitting .255 with a .433 on-base percentage due to 16 walks.

Kaline took a called strike on a full-count against Casey Fien in his other at-bat.

Moving around: Cale Iorg hit leadoff and started at shortstop against Florida Southern. Where did Leyland see him hitting some day in the major leagues?

"I don't think he'll be a leadoff hitter," Leyland said. "He's probably going to hit between second and seventh. I know that's a lot of spots. But after he's up, I could see him in the middle of the order knocking in runs."

Iorg and had a triple Monday in three at-bats.

More stress: Leyland spoke with the pitchers after calisthenics and stressed three things. He wants them to not let hitters off the hook once they get ahead in the count; said the opportunity for extra work was available to all; and added that the players making the squad will be those giving the club its best chance to beat American League playoff contenders.

Tiger tales: Infielder Larish returned to action after missing three games with a stiff neck, and hit a three-run homer in Detroit's six-run third inning. ... Florida Southern pitcher Stephen Batman got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second by getting catcher Jeff Kunkel to fly out to left for the third out.