MILWAUKEE -- Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood did not throw a simulated game Wednesday, and apparently isn't close to being able to return to action.

Wood, who has not pitched since July 11 because of a blister on his right hand, can't throw fastballs without aggravating the injury.

"Initially, they had talked about a simulated game, bringing a few hitters here, and let him get some work in with a pad on his finger," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "That didn't happen, because he's really not close to coming back, so why risk it?"

Not close?

"When I say 'not close,' it's not imminently close," Piniella said.

To maintain Wood's arm strength, he has been pitching in the bullpen, throwing only changeups because that pitch doesn't bother the blister as much.

Carlos Marmol is the Cubs' designated closer until Wood returns, but Jeff Samardzija has a two-inning save under his belt and was called upon Tuesday night in the ninth inning, though it wasn't a save situation. The Cubs had a 7-0 lead against Milwaukee when Samardzija entered the game.

"We wanted to give him late-inning experience, more than anything else, especially on the road, where he hasn't pitched," Piniella said of Tuesday's outing. "We don't know how long Woody will be out. It's been three weeks, and I don't have a timetable. The more experience we can give this kid, the better. Experience is part of the learning process."

Samardzija, called up on Friday from Triple-A Iowa, isn't quite ready for pitching in consecutive outings.

"He's pitched five innings in a week," Piniella said. "We won't do [back-to-back outings] just yet. The time is coming where we'll do that over the weekend."

It's tough to understand why Wood's blister is taking so long to heal.

"When I played, pitchers had blisters and they put that 'Tuff Skin' on there and they seemed to function pretty well," Piniella said. "Woody wants to get out there. It's just a question of being able to throw without discomfort."