PIRATES First spring fling is pain-free for Wells vs. Yankees

The pitcher worked two innings in his comeback from last year's injuries.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Kip Wells' first start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in spring training resulted in three hits and two runs, but zero pain in his right elbow and right middle finger.
Pitching Thursday for the first time in almost six months, Wells avoided injury problems that plagued him throughout the 2004 season. He worked two innings in the Pirates' opener against the New York Yankees that was called after the ninth with the score tied 2-2.
"The results show that I need to continue to work on my stuff, but for the immediate things I'm working on health-wise, the results were good," Wells said. "I'm happy with how I felt and how the ball came out of my hand."
Wells gave up two runs in the first inning. Hideki Matsui hit an RBI double, and Bernie Williams followed with a run-scoring groundout.
Catcher Benito Santiago thought Wells was nervous, so he visited the mound in the first inning.
35 pitches, 20 strikes
"I just tried to loosen him up," Santiago said. "It was his first time out there in a long time, and I knew he was going to try to be overpowering. I told him to cool down and try to hit my glove."
Wells exited after pitching a scoreless second inning. He threw 20 strikes among his 35 pitches, struck out one and walked one.
"I didn't expect to see great command for the first time out," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "I thought he settled down in the second, and that was nice to see."
Pitching coach Spin Williams wasn't concerned about Wells' command, either.
"I just wanted him attacking guys," Williams said. "I thought he overthrew some pitches, but that's normal."
Avoiding sliders
Wells did not throw any sliders, a pitch he plans to start using later this spring.
"I wanted to put as much on my pitches as I could without irritating my arm," he said. "You can't think about it long term, but for the first game back in six months, it's going to be in the back of your mind."
Wells said he won't start focusing on his numbers until later in the spring when he increases his innings and pitches.
"Initially, I'm more concerned with how my arm feels and what comes out of my hand," he said. "As the weeks go by, the results will be more important. Now, it's one step at a time."
Wells was the Pirates' opening day starter last season, but went 5-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 24 starts during an injury-shortened season. He missed one start because of irritation to his right middle finger and pitched just one-third inning after Aug. 13 because of right elbow inflammation.
Wells rested his elbow in the offseason and didn't begin throwing off a mound until January. He also had carpal tunnel surgery in October to alleviate the middle finger irritation he experienced in cold weather conditions.
The spring opener against the Yankees on Thursday provided a test for the finger injury because the temperature was 56 degrees when Wells took the mound.
"I wasn't expecting it to be this cold and wet," Wells said. "It was good for me to see how it's going to feel in these conditions. I still was able to do everything I needed to do out there."
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