Wood expected to set up in late innings

--RHP Kerry Wood signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Cubs, doubling his salary from last year. There's a club option worth $3 million for 2013. The Cubs re-introduced Wood to a raucous ovation at the team's annual fan convention. "Never a doubt," Wood quipped. But there were big doubts. Wood said he was all set to take a physical with another team when he and the Cubs agreed. He figures to be a setup man from the right side again. Last year, he was 3-5 with a 3.35 ERA and one save. Team president Theo Epstein credited getting a deal done to better communication with Wood and his agent late in the process.

--LHP Paul Maholm was attractive to the Cubs despite a 6-14 record for the Pirates last year. They pointed to his 3.66 ERA and a lack of run support in Pittsburgh. Maholm is 6-2 with a 5.48 lifetime ERA at Wrigley Field. "To me, obviously, the wind plays a factor," he said. "If you're a groundball guy, you keep the ball down, you keep the ball on the ground. But when the wind is blowing in, you can challenge guys a little bit more." Maholm broke the story of his signing on Twitter. "That's a fun thing," he said. "I had known for almost a week that I had come to terms. I just kind of got antsy."

--RHP Matt Garza said he was not worried about all the trade rumors surrounding his name. Garza was 10-10 last year, but he had a solid 3.32 ERA with 197 strikeouts and 63 walks. "I really don't pay attention to that," he said of the trade talk. "I've got way too many things going on. I work out 3-4 hours a day, and I've got three kids, and two of them go to school, so I'm busy, busy, busy."

--1B Anthony Rizzo, recently acquired from the Padres for RHP Andrew Cashner, expressed hope he could open the season on the Cubs and not at Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa, his most likely destination. "No one wants to be in the minor leagues," Rizzo said. "Walking around this town, I want to be here for a long time. Of course, I'm going to go in and try to prove that." Cubs president Theo Epstein said the Cubs would take it cautiously with Rizzo and not get "fooled" by spring-training numbers in the light air of Arizona.

--RHP Randy Wells would appear to have moved up the depth chart in the starting rotation with the recent trade of RHP Carlos Zambrano to Miami, but Wells said he's taking nothing for granted. "I don't know," he said. "Last year, the numbers were kind of the same (as 2010), maybe a little more. It's definitely a fun camp for me to go in there and compete. That's all you can ask for as a baseball player." Wells was 7-6 with a 4.99 ERA after missing close to two months with a forearm strain. In 2010, he was 8-14 with a 4.26 ERA.

--LHP James Russell said he hopes to be "the guy" from the left side of the bullpen after the trade of LHP Sean Marshall to the Reds and the Cubs not re-signing LHP John Grabow. Russell was effective out of the pen (1-1, 2.19 ERA) last year even though his numbers as an emergency starter (0-5, 9.33 ERA) were not good. "I'm really confident; I want to be that guy," Russell said. "I want to be that guy they hand the ball to and feel comfortable doing it."

BY THE NUMBERS
4 -- In 2012, RHP Kerry Wood will become only the fourth pitcher in Cubs history with 12 or more seasons with the franchise, joining Charlie Root, Guy Bush and Rick Reuschel.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I'll probably dress up in some more super-hero costumes." -- RHP Ryan Dempster on what he'll do to show leadership with so many new faces in the clubhouse

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