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Cubs’ Wood not likely to pitch in All-Star Game

It’s a good bet the Cubs will not have anybody playing in next Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Cubs lefty Travis Wood is scheduled to start Sunday night against St. Louis at Wrigley Field.

Although Major League Baseball’s collective-bargaining agreement allows a Sunday starting pitcher to work 1 inning in the All-Star Game, it appears the Cubs and Wood have agreed that he will not pitch if the schedule holds.

If that’s the case, Wood will be replaced on the playing roster, but he will be able to attend the game and take part in the pregame introductions.

Wood was named to the team Saturday by National League manager Bruce Bochy of the San Francisco Giants.

“The good thing about it is he’ll be pitching Sunday night, which is a pretty good venue for a guy who deserves as much as anybody to be in the game, and to pitch Sunday night against the Cardinals leading into the All-Star Game is promoting the All-Star Game as much as anything,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “That’s about as good as you can get other than playing in it.

“Hopefully he gets to pitch in a lot more All-Star Games. He made the team, and it’s going to be a great experience.

“Whenever you go for the first time, it’s an unbelievable experience. Sunday night will be a good venue to let him showcase and let everybody know he’s in the All-Star Game.”

Draft deadline nears:Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer was asked over the weekend and on Monday about negotiations with No. 1 draft pick Kris Bryant, a third baseman out of San Diego. Clubs have until Friday to sign their draft picks.#147;There#146;s no update,#148; Hoyer said. #147;We basically have four or five days left of discussions. We#146;re confident we#146;ll get it done. We#146;ll make it an exceptionally fair offer. If Kris wants to be a Cub and be a professional baseball player, I#146;m confident we#146;ll get a deal done.#147;Sometimes it takes a deadline to make a deal, and we have a deadline coming up shortly. In a lot of ways, I think it#146;s a plus at this point.#148;Lineup shifting:Because of Monday#146;s trade of Scott Hairston to the Nationals, Dale Sveum had to abandon his plan to make Alfonso Soriano the DH against the White Sox. Soriano started in left field, and Welington Castillo was supposed to be the designated hitter, but he came up ill shortly before game time. Luis Valbuena replaced Castillo as DH, with Cody Ransom playing third base.

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