March 11, 2006
BY MIKE KILEY STAFF REPORTER
MESA, Ariz. -- Starters Wade Miller and Kerry Wood are in a
race to return to the big leagues, and it looks nip-and-tuck.
Miller threw 10 pitches off the mound Thursday, his first time on the hill in
spring training. He had right shoulder surgery after last season.
Wood played long toss Friday in the HoHoKam Stadium outfield with pitching
coach Larry Rothschild. Wood, who had right shoulder surgery in August,
underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery Tuesday in Los Angeles.
To be playing catch with quite a bit of force behind his throws three days
later was a further sign of how determined Wood is to make a successful
comeback. He could debut this season in May if he has no further setbacks.
''I was walking about 35, 40 minutes after surgery,'' Wood said. ''They gave
me a cane to walk out on, and I carried it. It was pretty amazing. I got a
little swelling, but it doesn't bother me to walk or do anything. The only day I
missed throwing was the day I had the surgery.''
The knee surgery wasn't even a minor setback in Wood's mind. Trainer Mark
O'Neal never expected him to be this far ahead.
''Mark told me he didn't expect me to be doing what I did today until six or
seven days after surgery,'' Wood said. ''We're going in the right direction.''
Wood and Miller could stage big-league comebacks in May. Any bets on who will
be the first one to the mound?
LEFT TURN: When spring training ends, left-handed starter Rich Hill
will go to Class AAA Iowa and left-handed starter Sean Marshall
will be assigned to Class AA West Tenn. But Marshall, 23, has moved ahead of
Hill, 26, in the estimation of some in the organization.
That means if the Cubs find a need to call up a starter during the season,
Marshall could have the edge on Hill. Marshall has allowed no hits and no runs
in 2-1/3 innings, while Hill was roughed up for four runs on four hits and a
walk in Friday's start against the Los Angeles Angels.
STILL CHEERING: Manager Dusty Baker was asked if he would've
preferred to see Team USA upset and knocked out of the World Baseball Classic.
That would've brought first baseman Derrek Lee and catcher Michael
Barrett back to Cubs camp.
''I don't want to see them knocked out,'' he said. ''I want them to win for
us. D-Lee is probably getting more at-bats and playing time there than he would
here. Michael is probably getting less.
''But still it's a great experience to be around those guys, and for Michael
to feel like an All-Star. D-Lee has already been an All-Star. When you're on a
team like that with other stars, that builds your confidence.''
KARATE KID: Korean right-hander Jae-kuk Ryu caught a vicious
line drive back to the mound Thursday against Colorado. Baker immediately
visited Ryu on the mound to make sure his left hand wasn't seriously injured by
the force of the blow.
''If you have ever played burnout with anybody, that's what you do, try to
hit the spot,'' Baker said of Ryu's stinger to the hand.
''He's a third-degree black belt. So I joked with him that some of his tae
kwon do reactions came into play there.''
THE QUIET MAN: Reliever Bob Howry never says much. But he's
making a lot of noise in Cubs camp by allowing only one hit and no runs in three
innings. Not bad for a guy who's considered a slow starter in spring.
''They told us not to be alarmed if he wasn't throwing very firm in spring
training,'' Baker said. ''But I haven't seen it. Everybody knows he wants to
close, but he's so valuable down there as a setup guy.''
If the Cubs need to give closer Ryan Dempster a break, Howry and
left-hander Scott Eyre are alternative closers.
''If Demp is sore or has gone three or four days in a row, you can give him a
day off without feeling like you had to sacrifice anything,'' Baker said.
mkiley@suntimes.com
