Covering the bases

Blister sidelines Wood

The Chicago Cubs placed closer Kerry Wood on the disabled list Thursday for the 12th time in his 10-year career because of a blister on his pitching hand.

Wood, who has 24 saves in 29 chances and was selected to the National League All-Star team, has a blister on his right index finger that has kept him out since July 11. General manager Jim Hendry hopes Wood can return Tuesday at Milwaukee when he is eligible to be activated. He was put on the DL retroactive to July 14.

Wood is 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA. He sat out the All-Star game last week at Yankee Stadium because of the blister.

The Cubs, who opened a series against the Florida Marlins on Thursday night, will make a corresponding move before today's game. Triple-A Iowa starter and former Notre Dame football star Jeff Samardzija is among the candidates.

Samardzija, who signed a $10 million, five-year contract with the Cubs in 2007 despite speculation that he could have been a first-round pick in the NFL draft, made his debut for Iowa on June 24.

Samardzija is 4-1 with a 3.13 ERA for Iowa in six starts. He has 40 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings.

Martinez heads home after father's death

New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez went home to the Dominican Republic on Thursday because of the death of his father.

Martinez's father, Pablo Jaime, died Wednesday at 79 after battling a form of brain cancer for more than a year.

Martinez had gone home just before the All-Star break to be with his father. He was scheduled to pitch tonight against St. Louis, but Mike Pelfrey will start instead. Martinez hasn't pitched since leaving his July 12 start with a sore shoulder and tightness in his groin.

Jaime also was the father of former major league pitcher Ramon Martinez.

Mariners' broadcaster will be honored

For 32 years, since the Seattle Mariners' inception in 1977, radio broadcaster Dave Niehaus has been the narrator for plenty of losing seasons and a few memorable moments.

Now, Niehaus is preparing for another audience this weekend, when he will be honored with the Ford C. Frick award at the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Cooperstown, N.Y.

He will join the likes of Mel Allen, Jack Buck and Niehaus' childhood idol, Harry Caray, as the 32nd recipient of an award named after the former baseball commissioner. Though a few players and managers with Mariners connections have found a place in Cooperstown, Niehaus is the first Seattle star to be honored in the Hall.

SHORT HOPS: With slugger David Ortiz apparently ready to come off the disabled list, the Boston Red Sox optioned outfielder Brandon Moss to Triple-A Pawtucket. The team was expected to activate Ortiz today after he completed a six-game minor league rehab stint. Ortiz has been on the disabled list since May 30 with a wrist injury. Moss hit .295 with two homers and 11 RBIs in 34 games for the Red Sox.

* The Kansas City Royals placed outfielder Joey Gathright on the 15-day disabled list with a bone bruise in his right shoulder and recalled outfielder Mitch Maier from Triple-A Omaha. Maier, 26, was hitting .316 with nine homers, 41 RBIs and 24 doubles for Omaha.

* The San Diego Padres activated catcher Josh Bard from the 15-day disabled list and also called up left-hander Justin Hampson from Triple-A Portland. To make room on the roster, the Padres optioned catcher Luke Carlin. Left-hander Joe Thatcher was optioned to Portland on Wednesday.