

Finally, some good news for Daniel Bard.

Bard, once a dominant force in the Red Sox’s bullpen, has endured setback after setback and meltdown after meltdown ever since his failed starting pitching experiment with Boston in 2012. The 29-year-old hasn’t thrown in the towel, though, and his comeback bid took an encouraging turn Sunday at Chicago Cubs spring training.

Bard faced live hitters in a simulated game. It was the first time he had done so since the middle of last season, when he made four horrendous appearances for the Single-A Hickory Crawdads of the Texas Rangers organization. Bard obviously has a long way to go before sniffing the majors, let alone carving out a consistent role in Chicago’s bullpen, but those present were enthused about the session.

“It felt really good — it was fun,” Bard said Sunday, according to MLB.com. “The velocity was nice to have, but I was more excited that I was pounding the zone and throwing a lot of strikes.”

Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio and advisor Ted Lilly watched the session. Peter Gammons was told that Bard threw 94 to 96 mph with a great slider, and, more importantly, threw strikes — something the pitcher hasn’t done since his downfall. The belief was that Bard threw 28 pitches and 24 strikes.

“This is the best I’ve felt in a long time,” Bard said, according to Gammons. “In a lot of ways, I feel good about going out there and doing what I love to do.”

Bard completely lost “it” after struggling as a starter with Boston in 2012. He has since toiled in the minors, faltering at every stop. The Red Sox cut ties with him in September 2013.

The Cubs clearly have been monitoring Bard in his quest to return to top form. They claimed him off waivers from the Red Sox in 2013 and re-signed him this offseason to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

Bringing Bard aboard certainly is a shot in the dark, but one can’t help but remember the 2.88 ERA, the 1.06 WHIP or the 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings he posted in 192 relief appearances with Boston from 2009 to 2011.

“I’ve been pushing (Bosio) as hard as I can to get out in a real game, but their conservative approach seems to be working well,” Bard said, according to MLB.com. “I get it. When I step outside myself, I see what they’re saying. For me, I haven’t felt this good in so long, I want to keep pushing it.”

Bard, who has dealt with injuries amid his fall from grace, is coming off Thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in January 2014. The Cubs will proceed slowly and cautiously.

And perhaps now, a bit more optimistically.

Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images