Wells in Midseason Form for First Spring Outing

David Wells always looks comfortable on the pitcher’s mound.

After arriving late to spring training and spending only half-days at Chicago White Sox camp to get treatment on his back, Wells made a successful debut for his new team Saturday.

“It’s like riding a bike,” Wells said after not giving up an earned run in two innings against San Francisco. “Once you get back into things, you never forget.”

Wells, 37, had his White Sox debut delayed by back problems this spring. He only spends about four hours a day at the White Sox camp, working with trainer Herm Schneider before heading to the chiropractor for more treatment.

“Just getting me out there was good enough for the White Sox,” said Wells, who threw 20 pitches.

*

New York Yankee second baseman Chuck Knoblauch made two more bad throws in the first inning of his team’s 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I’ve just got to bounce right back,” Knoblauch said. “I didn’t pick [first baseman] Tino [Martinez] up. That doesn’t have anything to do with throwing. The thing I learned from that was, I’ve got to pick your target all the time.”

In other news, shortstop Derek Jeter missed what would have been his first exhibition game of spring training because of a viral throat infection and tests on pitcher Orlando Hernandez’s right elbow and forearm found no major problems.

*

Right-hander Matt Clement returned to the San Diego Padres, thankful doctors say his liver condition appears to be treatable.

Clement was in San Diego for four days of medical tests to determine why irregularities showed up in blood tests from his annual physical.

Team physician Dr. Gaston Molina told club officials the likely cause is liver inflammation related to autoimmune hepatitis, which should respond to medication.

*

Kerry Wood’s second outing of spring for the Chicago Cubs was a little better than his first. He gave up one run and three hits in four innings against the Padres.

In his first outing Monday against Seattle, Wood gave up five runs and five hits in three innings.

“Once we got through that first inning, we seemed to get into our little groove,” Wood said.

*

Einar Diaz, who is replacing Sandy Alomar Jr. as Cleveland’s starting catcher, agreed to a one-year contract with the Indians.