LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. --Veteran pitcher Tim Hudson will start the Braves’ Grapefruit League opener Friday against Detroit at ESPN Wide World of Sports, a pace that could put Kris Medlen on pace to start the regular-season opener April 1 against Philadelphia.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said not to read too much into pitching plans he announced for the first five spring games: Hudson followed by left-hander Paul Maholm on Saturday vs. the Yankees, Julio Teheran on Sunday vs. Pittsburgh, Medlen vs. Miami on Monday, and lefty Mike Minor on Tuesday vs. Washington.

But if the starters stay on an every-fifth-day schedule throughout spring training, Medlen would start Opening Day in Atlanta against the Phillies, followed by Minor in Game 2 and Hudson in the series finale.

In that scenario, Maholm would start Game 4 in Atlanta against his former Cubs teammaes, and No. 5 starter Teheran would debut in the fifth game. That order separates the lefties, as Gonzalez prefers.

Short hops: Outfielder Jose Constanza and reliever Wirfin Obispo still haven’t reported to spring training due to visa issues in the Dominican Republic. Gonzalez wasn’t worried about Constanza being ready because he only finished winter ball a couple of weeks ago, and Gonzalez said Obispo has throwing off a mound at the Braves’ Dominican academy…. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons said he would play one or two exhibition games with the Braves before flying to Taiwan this weekend to join the Netherlands team for its training camp prior to pool play in the World Baseball Classic. “I don’t want to leave, but at the same time I want to play those (WBC) games,” he said. “I’m stuck in the middle.”