Surgery for Baughman

Second baseman Justin Baughman, who broke his leg in five places in a collision during a Mexican Winter League game last November, is probably facing more surgery and his chances for returning this season could be in doubt.

“It’s not healing the way we’d like and we’re looking at ways of stimulating things,” team physician Lewis Yocum said. “Right now, we’re presenting him with three or four surgical options. It’s not anything Justin has done, it’s just the nature of the fracture. It was a pretty ugly injury, and we’re not happy with the way it’s healing.”

Baughman, whose speed is key to his future in the major leagues, said he was frustrated and disappointed, but not devastated by the news.

“Surgery just means an incision, it could be something as minor as removing the screws,” he said, before declining to reveal what the worst-case scenario might be. “Whatever we do, it will be to promote [bone] growth and get it healed as fast as possible. If we did nothing at all, it would still probably heal, just not as fast.”

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Veteran left-hander Chuck Finley, bothered by a stiff neck and muscle spasms in his upper back, threw off a mound for the first time in two weeks Saturday and said he expects to make his first start of the spring Tuesday.

“I’ve been throwing some, so it’s not like I’m right out of the wrapper,” Finley said, “but I had to get reacquainted with throwing off an incline because you’re torquing different muscles at different angles.”

He’s not sure whether there is enough time left in spring training to get ready to pitch opening day, but that’s not his primary concern.

“Opening day is a special day,” he said, “but I’ve got to understand the fact that there’s 35 starts in there for me and I’ve got to make them all.”

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Right-hander Ken Hill, who missed 2 1/2 months because of elbow surgery last season, pitched the first 2 2/3 innings of Saturday’s 6-5 victory over the Cubs. He walked four, giving up four hits and two unearned runs, but was pain-free and pleased with the movement on his pitches.

“It has been two years since I felt this good,” he said. “I was a little too quick, a little out of sync, but I’m really extending and it’s helping all of my pitches. Last year, my arm hurt so bad I was cutting off all my pitches.”

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Kerry Wood of the Cubs, last year’s NL Rookie of the Year, made his first appearance of the exhibition season, giving up three runs and three hits in 1 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out none. Wood has finally recovered from an upper respiratory and intestinal illness that sidelined him for the early part of spring training.