Roy

Oswalt

Dempster is stepping away from the team for personal reasons, though it appears at this time that he’ll miss just the one start. Oswalt posted a 6.49 ERA in six starts with the Rangers before being demoted to a long relief role.

As long as everything goes well, Oswalt should be activated from the disabled list soon after for a start next Tuesday against the Cardinals. The right-hander has been sidelined by lower back inflammation since late April. He left behind a 3.33 ERA and 1.04 WHIP.

“I guess, I’m sure I will,” Oswalt said.

The Cubs aren’t happy about the news, even though Bob Watson also says he won’t fine or suspend Kerry Wood, who hit three batters last Sunday before being ejected.

Oswalt got a cortisone injection in the rib-cage muscle last week after leaving his start on Wednesday early. He will start Monday or Tuesday against the Reds, depending on his personal schedule as he and his wife Nicole are awaiting the birth of their first child.

That’s no discount. Oswalt asked for $7.8 million and was offered $6 million in his second year of arbitration. He’s a former super-two player, so he’s not actually eligible for free agency until after 2007.

Oswalt threw a bullpen session and took fielding practice without any pain in his groin. Get him back in there.

Oswalt shouldn’t be at all behind going into spring training.

He’s tentatively scheduled to throw about 50 pitches, and if all goes well, he will rejoin the Astros rotation next weekend.

Oswalt visited a doctor yesterday. ''He gave me a shot that’s not cortisone, but it’s something like that,’' Oswalt said. ''And he said that to just take it day by day. It may take five days, or it may take 10 days or 15 days. This shot is going to last five to six days, and then we’ll see how it feels.’' If Oswalt is forced to the DL, Pete Munro likely would replace him in the rotation.