FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Red Sox ace Curt Schilling plans to appear before a congressional panel investigating steroid use by baseball players but may not be ready to face the rival New York Yankees on opening day.

On the same day he was served with a subpoena to testify before the House Government Reform Committee, Schilling threw to batters for the first time since winning Game 2 of the World Series against St. Louis. Recovering from right ankle surgery on Nov. 9, Schilling said he’s unlikely to pitch against the Yankees and former Arizona teammate Randy Johnson on April 3 in New York.

A flu that left him bedridden earlier this week set back his rehabilitation timetable.

“The math right now doesn’t add up very well,” Schilling said. “I’d like to think it’s important for me to get back … but that doesn’t change the timetable.”

If Schilling is unable to pitch on opening day, former-Yankee David Wells likely would start.

With pitching coach Dave Wallace and trainer Chris Correnti looking on, Schilling threw about 50 pitches from the stretch to Doug Mirabelli and Bill Mueller.

“I’m frustrated because nothing’s working on my pace,” Schilling said. “But I’m also understanding of the fact that I can’t make it different than what it is right now.”

On Friday morning, Schilling was served with the subpoena. Schilling said he will go to the hearing but thinks he has “nothing” to offer the panel.

The commissioner’s office has said it will fight the subpoenas, which also were issued to Jason Giambi, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas and Rafael Palmeiro. Former players Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire also were summoned for the March 17 hearing of House Government Reform Committee along with three management officials and union head Donald Fehr.

“I’m still real confused as to why I was put in this group and why there are others players that aren’t in this group,” Schilling said. He thinks spending a day in Washington could slow his recovery.

“A day out of camp is a big deal for me,” he said.

Phillip Schiliro, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman, the ranking Democrat on the panel, said Schilling was asked to testify because “he has a reputation of being very smart, he’s obviously very knowledgeable about what goes on in baseball and he’s spoken out against steroids. He’s not involved because there’s any suspicion that he’s ever used steroids.

“It’s important for the committee to hear from baseball players who have a strong view against steroids and can share how extensive the problem is,” Schiliro said.

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AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report from Washington.

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