BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Pirates’ Wakefield Sent to Double A

Tim Wakefield, the knuckleballer who almost pitched Pittsburgh into the World Series last year as a rookie, was demoted Friday to double-A Carolina as the Pirates retooled their ineffective pitching staff.

The Pirates also released 39-year-old John Candelaria and called up right-handed reliever Tony Menendez, who had 18 saves at triple-A Buffalo.

“I kind of expected this, but this is real tough mentally,” said Wakefield, 4-8 with a 6.35 earned-run average. “But I know I’ll be back. I think you’ll see me in a couple of weeks. This isn’t a demotion, this is more of a rehabilitation assignment.”

The left-handed Candelaria, initially traded by the Pirates eight years ago, was waived to make room for starter Randy Tomlin, who will come off the disabled list to start today against Cincinnati.

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John Smiley, the Cincinnati Reds’ $18-million free-agent disappointment, will undergo arthroscopic surgery in two weeks to remove a bone spur from his left elbow.

Smiley underwent a CAT scan Friday that determined the bone spur had not dissolved into loose fragments, as was previously thought.

The Reds are uncertain how long Smiley (3-9, 5.62 ERA) will be sidelined.

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Gary Sheffield of the Florida Marlins withdrew his appeal of a three-game suspension and will serve the ban this weekend.

Sheffield was suspended for charging Dodger pitcher Rick Trlicek and setting off a bench-clearing brawl in the San Diego Padres’ game against the Dodgers on June 10th.