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GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Josh Beckett said he will be ready for the start of the Dodgers season after having a rib removed last July in a surgery to alleviate a nerve condition that was affecting his right arm "I dont have numbness and tingling, anymore," Beckett said Monday. No doubts, either. The right-hander is expected to battle newly acquired Paul Maholm for the fifth spot in the Dodgers starting rotation this spring. Beckett, the fifth starter before last years mid-season surgery, breezed through his first bullpen session Monday in Arizona. He threw 30 pitches with no sign of trouble. "Im not tentative," said Beckett, who reported to camp a day late so he could attend a wedding. "Im going to throw as hard as I can and see what happens. Right now, I feel great. Ill throw the ball until I blow out and Im hoping thats not for a few more years." The Dodgers signing of Maholm on Saturday is considered a hedge against the possibility of further injury to Beckett, a three-time All-Star whom the Dodgers acquired from Boston along with Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto in a 2012 trade. "Josh is doing really well, but hes coming off tough surgery and theres not a lot of history with that surgery, so well see where things go," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. Beckett underwent the same surgical procedure that former St. Louis Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter underwent in July 2012. Carpenter went on to pitch in six more games in 2012 -- three in the regular season and three in the playoffs. But Carpenter did not pitch in 2013. He announced his retirement in November. Beckett said he has spoken to Carpenter. He said he was told Carpenters nerve condition was more severe than his own. Beckett also said the surgery was more complicated. Dr. Greg Pearl of Dallas performed both procedures. Carpenters experience and advice helped, he said. "It got me through the mental part," said Beckett, who was 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA when he landed on the disabled list on May 14. Neck problems and numbness in his right hand had troubled Beckett for the last few years. It got to the point where he learned how to drive with only his left hand. There were times, he said, when he couldnt feel the steering wheel with his right. "Its crazy how simple things become difficult to do," he said. The surgery, which also includes removal of some connective tissue, alleviated pressure on a nerve in his neck, he said. He never felt any pain. But there were moments when he had no control of his pitches. "I didnt know if I was going to throw it over the backstop," he said. "I had no idea where it was going to go." Beckett arrived in camp with his confidence bolstered by three workouts during the last couple of weeks in Texas. He threw off a mound twice, on Jan. 31 and again on Feb 3. Cold weather forced him inside on Feb. 6 where he threw 38 pitches off a flat surface. Beckett has no illusions about the competition he faces in camp. "Its just if hes healthy," Mattingly said. "Josh throws the ball good. Hes been a quality pitcher for a long time and he still has good stuff. How he bounces back, well see. Weve had nothing but positive reports all winter. Josh has never been in the bullpen. Obviously, its a competitive situation. Were not handing anything out for anybody. If hes healthy, well see." Beckett expects to have more time to prepare than the Dodgers calendar might indicate. They break camp in Arizona after a March 16 game and travel to Australia for a pair of regular-season games in Sydney against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 22 and 23. "Im probably not going to start opening day in Australia," Beckett said. "Theyre paying a guy a lot of money to do that. Not all of us are getting ready for those days. Some of us have a little more time than it appears we do." NOTES: Outfielder Yasiel Puig is already in camp. Mattingly might open the season with the versatile Puig at the top of the Dodgers batting order. .The rest of the team is scheduled to report on Thursday. Los Angeles Lakers Gear . A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. Lakers Jerseys China . Today, well look at five frontcourt players today, here from the Bay Area. 1. AMIR JOHNSON (Raptors): I cant figure out what the issue or problem is, but based upon what Im seeing, hes not right. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back quarterback Chad Henne -- and making him the starter. Fake Lakers Jerseys . Off-Season Game Plan examines a team facing some challenging times as GM Bryan Murray tries to put together a roster for next season. Perhaps the first challenge facing Murray is that its expected he will be moving out Jason Spezza, a premier point producer who is about to enter the final year of his contract. Stitched Lakers Jerseys . His team rose to the occasion Sunday with a 3-1 victory over Sweden in the bronze-medal game. "The sting from yesterday is not something we hid from or pretend didnt happen," Dineen said. NEW YORK -- For nearly three years, Jadeveon Clowney couldnt wait to get to the NFL, and the league was just as eager to add the player some called the best defensive prospect in a decade. No surprise: Clowney is the Texans man. But Thursdays first pick of the NFL draft didnt come without some intrigue about how it would all turn out. There had been criticism of Clowneys work ethic last season and questions about whether the Texans would hold or trade the No. 1 slot. "I just been proving a lot of people wrong throughout my life," Clowney said. "Growing up, I grew up hard. I always said Im going to do something great. Hopefully, Im going to be a Hall of Famer one day." Houston will take that. This drafts other big name, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, sat with a sullen look on his face until Cleveland made its third trade of the round and grabbed the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner at No. 22. To rousing cheers and chants of "Johnny, Johnny," Manziel smiled widely as he walked onto the Radio City Music Hall stage. "If you call it a slide, I wouldnt call it that at all," he said. "I was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. "Its a great story. Its great for me to end up there, at a team that has fans that are as passionate as I am on the field." Manziels wait added plenty of suspense nearly three hours after the Texans took their time selecting Clowney. Rarely does a team not reveal the top overall choice until it is announced, and there was wide speculation the Texans had soured on the defensive end, whose junior season at South Carolina was accompanied by criticism he played it safe to stay healthy for the pros. After Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the pick, fans filling Radio City Music Hall to capacity applauded Clowney as he held up his index finger, his eyes moist, a relieved look on his face. Just like the 30 prospects on hand, the fans were extra eager to see who would wind up where after the draft was pushed back from late April because the theatre was unavailable. "Its been a long time. It just kicked in at the end there, man, Ive been drafted," he said. Clowney, 21, brings size, speed and power to a lineup that already has 2012 NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt. His diligence had been questioned after he slipped from 13 sacks to just three in 2013. Critics said he was protecting himself from injury in his junior year before declaring early for the draft. He is the first defensive player taken first overall since Houston selected another end, Mario Williams, in 2006. Williams now is with Buffalo. Houston also made the top pick in its first season, 2002, taking quarterback David Carr. He never lived up to that billing; the Texans hope Clowney has more of an impact. Tackle Greg Robinson, whose blocking helped high-powered Auburn make the national championship game last season, went second to St. Louis. The Rams owned the pick as the final payment for a 2012 trade with Waashington that allowed the Redskins to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III.dddddddddddd St. Louis is concerned about the health of starting left tackle Jake Long, who is coming off knee surgery. The first quarterback to go went to Jacksonville in the third slot, but it wasnt Johnny Football. Blake Bortles of Central Florida, whose stock shot up last season and in subsequent workouts. At 6-5, 232, Bortles drew comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger because of his combination of size and mobility. Jacksonville missed the last time it took a QB in the first round, Blaine Gabbert in 2011. The Jaguars gave up on the inconsistent Gabbert, who struggled to read defences and was benched for journeyman Chad Henne. Gabbert is now a backup in San Francisco. "Hes a down-to-earth guy, a self-made guy, a blue-collar guy and he wants to be the best he can be," said Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell, who added a word of caution: "He just needs a little bit of time." Seeing a chance to grab playmaking receiver Sammy Watkins of Clemson, Buffalo swapped spots with Cleveland, also sending a first- and fourth-round selection next year to move up from ninth to fourth. "Dynamic playmaker, and thats what this game is all about," Bills GM Doug Whaley said of Watkins. "Hes automatically going to make our quarterback (EJ Manuel) better." Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews, the son of Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, went to Atlanta with the sixth overall pick. The Falcons leaked so badly on the offensive line in 2013 as they plummeted from NFC South champion to 4-12 that Matt Ryan was sacked 44 times. Another Aggies star was chosen next, receiver Mike Evans to Tampa Bay. The 6-4, 231-pound Evans is durable, versatile -- and quite emotional. He also couldnt hold back the tears when Goodell called his name. The crowd thought Manziel might go eighth when Cleveland traded up one spot to get Minnesotas pick. So when the Browns took cornerback Justin Gilbert of Oklahoma State, there was a loud groan from the fans. Gilbert smiled wryly as he shook Goodells hand. Minnesota grabbed UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr, Detroit selected North Carolinas Eric Ebron, by far the best tight end in this crop, and Tennessee filled a need on the offensive line with Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan. Finally, a local team was on the clock and the audience approved lustily when the Giants chose LSU receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham was followed by Pitt DT Aaron Donald to St. Louis, Virginia Tech CB Kyle Fuller to Chicago, Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier to Ohio State, Notre Dame G Zack Martin to Dallas, Alabama LB C.J. Mosley to Baltimore and, as fans chanted "J-E-T-S," Louisville safety Calvin Pryor is New York-bound. Minnesota finished off the opening round by trading with Seattle to select Louisvilles Teddy Bridgewater, the third quarterback taken. Bridgewater was an early entrant into the draft, but already had graduated. ' ' '