Bell will step down after season

Buddy Bell chose family over baseball Wednesday, resigning as manager of the last-place Kansas City Royals effective at the end of the season.

An emotional Bell, who will turn 55 on Aug. 27, announced the decision before Kansas City’s game against the Minnesota Twins. He will join the Royals’ front office in 2008 as a senior advisor to General Manager Dayton Moore.

“I had to make a choice between managing and my family,” Bell said, “and to me that’s a no-brainer.”

Bell’s nephew, Marine Lance Cpl. Tim Bell Jr., was killed by a roadside bomb in August 2005 in Iraq, and Bell said health concerns also played a part in his decision. Last September, he had surgery to remove a cancerous growth in his throat.

“There are some things I want to do in my life right now, and that’s spending time with my family and with my daughter, in particular,” Bell said.

The announcement comes as the Royals -- at 47-59 before Wednesday night’s game -- are showing signs of hope after two consecutive winning months. It was the first time they’ve had two consecutive winning months in four seasons.

Also Wednesday, the Royals put outfielder Reggie Sanders on the 15-day disabled list and recalled outfielder Joey Gathright from triple-A Omaha. Kansas City also recalled reliever Ryan Braun and optioned right-hander Leo Nunez.

Kerry Wood’s long path back to the majors will reach Wrigley Field this week when he’s activated by the Chicago Cubs, probably Friday.

Eight rehab outings at different levels and a bullpen session with pitching coach Larry Rothschild suggested that Wood can pitch effectively and without the pain in his right shoulder that has bothered him since 2005.

The next time he pitches for the Cubs, it will be his first major league assignment since June 6, 2006.

The Philadelphia Phillies activated outfielder Jayson Werth from the 15-day disabled list. In 42 games, Werth is batting .235 with three homers and 10 runs batted in.

The Atlanta Braves cleared roster spots for newly acquired relievers Octavio Dotel and Ron Mahay by cutting first baseman Julio Franco and demoting right-handed reliever Jose Ascanio.

The 48-year-old Franco was signed by the Braves on July 18 after he was designated for assignment by the New York Mets on July 12.

The Milwaukee Brewers sent slumping second baseman Rickie Weeks to the team’s triple-A club in Nashville and recalled pitcher Elmer Dessens from his rehabilitation assignment.

Weeks was hitting .212 with five homers and 19 RBIs.

The Chicago White Sox have decided to skip Jose Contreras’ turn in the rotation as they try to determine what’s wrong with the struggling right-hander.

Contreras has lost his last seven starts and nine of his last 10.

Gavin Floyd will start Sunday against Detroit, and Contreras will be used out of the bullpen.