Wood not worried about his back

Associated Press

GOODYEAR, ARIZ.

Kerry Wood says he’s not worried about missing any more time with the Cleveland Indians because of a sore back.

The veteran closer did not pitch as scheduled Saturday, but said his achy upper right back would not have kept him from pitching in a regular-season game.

“It’s a little sore around the lat and spring training is not the time to go out and push it,” Wood said after coming out of the trainer’s room Sunday.

Wood is scheduled to throw a bullpen session today and return to the mound Wednesday night against the Cincinnati Reds.

“I’m on my regular schedule, just as if I had pitched on Saturday,” Wood said. “I had my regular treatment, nothing different than what I do the day after I pitch.”

The 32-year-old right-hander missed a few days of spring training a year ago with some back soreness, but went through the 2009 season without a trip to the disabled list. Wood made 12 trips to the DL with various arm ailments and surgeries in 11 years with the Chicago Cubs.

He signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal with Cleveland in December 2008 and worked in 58 games in 2009, going 3-3 with a 4.25 ERA and 20 saves, striking out 63 in 55 innings.

“I’ve been through enough of this to know when to back off,” he said. “This is just knowing how to get prepared for the season.”

Wood is 1-0 in two scoreless innings of “A” games. He worked a scoreless inning in a “B” game earlier in the week.

“I pitched in that game just to get in a little more work,” Wood said. “My velocity is fine. I don’t know the numbers, but the ball is coming out of my hand OK. I just didn’t have the opportunity to throw enough sliders in my previous game, so I went to the B game to work on it. I’m satisfied with the slider.”