LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- When Peter Moylan left his native Australia to compete in last year's World Baseball Classic, he thought he'd be back in two weeks and certainly had no thoughts of ever having the opportunity to play professional baseball again.

Thus, saying goodbye to his 6-year-old daughter Montana was much easier a year ago than it was earlier this month, when he left Australia with the near certainty that he wouldn't return for at least eight months.

"It was heartbreaking," said Moylan, whose nearly unbelievable story includes the 15 appearances he made for Atlanta last year. "I've been with [Montana] every day for the last four months. But that provides me even more inspiration to make the big-league club."

If Moylan throws like he did in front of Braves manager Bobby Cox on Sunday morning, there's a definite chance he'll be back in Atlanta this year.

"You wouldn't have wanted to hit against Moylan today," Cox said after his club finished Sunday's brief workout, which was staged amid a definite chill.

When Moylan caught everyone's eyes in the Classic, it was his 96 mph fastball that drew raves. But in the 11 months since, he's begun to learn how to pitch. He's become a more complete pitcher. His sidearm fastball has good sink and, according to Cox, he now possesses a good changeup.

"I'm in the best throwing shape I've ever been," said Moylan, who won a national championship while competing in Australia's Claxton Shield this winter. "I've been throwing since the end of November every day. I wanted to come to camp 100 percent. I couldn't afford to come to camp [lethargic] and sore-armed."

When the Braves acquired Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano this winter, Moylan was ecstatic. But while he knew that his team had significantly improved its bullpen, he realized that these acquisitions diminished his chances to find a spot in Atlanta.

"Johnny Schueholz does it again," said Moylan, while voicing his support of the acquisitions made by Atlanta's general manager. "He's a magician."

Moylan is among the cast of at least seven candidates who are fighting for the final two spots in the Braves' bullpen. Because his sinker provides him the ability to find success in double-play situations, Chad Paronto seems to be one of the front-runners in this race.

But if Moylan continues to impress Cox with his own sinker, he could definitely find his live arm toiling in Atlanta this year. He certainly opened some eyes while registering six strikeouts and surrendering just two hits in the 7 1/3 innings he completed in September.

"It gave me the confidence that I do have the chance to play in the big leagues for a while," Moylan said.

No alarming signs: Gonzalez has shown no signs that his left elbow will be a problem this year. The left-handed reliever, who missed all of September because of the ailing elbow, had no trouble impressing Cox on Sunday.

"He threw breaking balls, and they were good ones," Cox said.

Mike Hampton, who missed all of last year while recovering from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, has also shown no reason to worry. Cox will continue to monitor the veteran southpaw with caution. But all indications are that he'll be ready for the start of the regular season.

As for Tanyon Sturtze, who was signed as a free agent in December, it appears he may be a little ahead of schedule. But it still looks like the veteran right-handed reliever won't be ready to join the bullpen until May, approximately one year after he had surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff.

Friendly advice: Chipper Jones says that John Smoltz hasn't come to him yet to discuss his impending divorce. But if he does, the veteran third baseman says he'll tell the veteran pitcher to make sure he gets it done as quickly as possible.

Jones is providing this advice based on the experience of the divorce that he went through in 1999. Jones wants Smoltz to realize the importance of mentally blocking out the proceedings when it comes time for him to pitch.

"He's going to have to block it out," Jones said. "There's going to be something that doesn't go right on a day that he pitches. It's going to affect him emotionally and he's going to have to tune that out come seven o'clock."

Braves bits: Jose Ascanio, a top pitching prospect, arrived in camp on Sunday. Because he couldn't get on a flight leaving his native Venezuela, he was forced to miss the first two workouts for pitchers and catchers. ... The Braves still expect Soriano to arrive in camp later this week. He's had trouble obtaining a visa that will allow him to travel to the United States from his native Dominican Republic. ... Position players are to report to camp on Tuesday and the first full-squad workout is scheduled for Wednesday, which is when warmer temperatures are supposed to arrive in Central Florida.