Wood Expected Back Next Week

Every day brings Kerry Wood a little closer to his return.

Wood threw off the mound for a second time Thursday and didn’t have any problems. He threw 40 pitches, including 14 breaking balls and changeups. When he threw off the mound Tuesday, he threw only fastballs.

On the disabled list since Aug. 4 because of tendinitis in his right shoulder, Wood and the Cubs originally set Saturday as his return date. But he didn’t throw off the mound until Tuesday, and Cub Manager Don Baylor said Sept. 7 was a more likely target.

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Ted Williams celebrated his 83rd birthday Thursday by returning home after a 10-week stay in a hospital. Recovering from open-heart surgery in January, the Hall of Famer was moved from Shands Hospital at the University of Florida to his house in Hernando, about 50 miles away. Neither Williams nor family members gave interviews ....

Hideki Irabu’s days with the Montreal Expos might be over after the pitcher was mysteriously suspended for breaking the terms of his contract. General Manager Jim Beattie said that the team has not yet decided whether to recall Irabu from triple-A Ottawa, where he is on a rehab assignment, when his seven-day suspension ends Tuesday. “We’ll decide after the suspension, and when we make the decision about who to call up,” said Beattie, who planned to recall Irabu in September and have him pitch out of the bullpen ....

Tony Gwynn will have surgery after the season--his last as a player--to repair torn cartilage in his right knee .... Met catcher Mike Piazza sat out Thursday night’s game against the Phillies because of a lower abdominal strain. Piazza received treatment for the injury and said he expects to play tonight against Florida regardless of how his body responds.