Sports briefs 7/26/05

Baseball

• Chicago Cubs right-hander Kerry Wood went on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this season with a sore shoulder Monday and will be sent to the bullpen once he returns in an attempt reduce the wear on his arm.

Wood, 3-3 with a 4.67 ERA in 10 starts, had a cortisone shot on Thursday after lasting only three innings. He gave up three homers the previous day in a 9-3 loss at Cincinnati.

He threw on flat ground in the outfield Monday and said his shoulder is improving but is still not 100 percent.

Once he comes off the DL, he will go on a rehab assignment and the plan is for him to work out of the bullpen, both with a minor league team and then again once he returns to the Cubs. If Wood's shoulder does not get better, offseason surgery is an option.

Basketball

* The NBA pushed back the free agency signing date again Monday, forcing dozens of players to wait another several days before they can begin signing contracts.

The moratorium on signings was supposed to end Thursday at 6 p.m., but now will likely last until Monday or Tuesday. Originally, the moratorium was due to expire last Friday. It was delayed to allow attorneys for the league and union to finish drafting a written version of the new six-year collective bargaining agreement.

Football

* Quarterback Alex Smith, the first pick in April's draft, agreed to terms Monday on a six-year, $57 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers.

Smith will receive a guaranteed $24 million, a lawyer familiar with terms of the deal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The agreement is expected to set off a run of signings of first-round draft picks.