Do you remember where you were when Kerry Wood struck out 20 on May 6, 1998? I was in my car outside of the Evanston High School track, listening to the end of the game before pursuing interviews for my prep story. The optimism I had that day for Wood finally may have evaporated completely.
Torn miniscus. Surgery. Minor setback. Two weeks.
Considering the Cubs' track record with injury prognoses, the news Friday might as well have been:
Arm fell off. Career over.
Wood's never going to regain that magical form of his rookie season in 1998. The only question now is whether he can help the team at all.
He was rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder when he tore his miniscus. He's not even sure how it happened.
How can anyone depend on him at this point? What will happen when he starts throwing for real?
Wood will pitch again, but he'll never again be ''Kid K.'' For one thing, he's no longer a kid at 28. For another, that strikeout fire has become a distant memory.
Wood will not totally recover.
Prior and Zambrano are in danger!
The Injury Problems with our very talented young pitchers began when they brought Rothschild In!!! Check out the History - HE HAS TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE ALL USELESS!!!!!
Wood will play but the rest of his career will be in the bullpen after 2006. I agree with earlier comment to get rid of Rothschild before her ruins them all
Wood will never recover enough to start again. He stole 30 million from the Cubs when he signed his 3 year deal and the Cubs have paid for it since. I'd let him go now, buy out the remaining part of his contract, and go in another direction. He's damaged goods.
Has Kerry Wood EVER had a full season without going on the DL? He has to be the most over-hyped mediocre pitcher in baseball.
Prior has gotten over the chronic injuries as last year's batted ball hitting him was a fluke. Build the rotation around Zambrano and Prior. As for Wood the Cubs are stuck with him until the end of his contract, unless they cover most of it in a trade.
Kerry who? Is it bad that I don't remember this guy pitching for the Cubs?
Kerry Woods sucks and so do the Cubs. Woods is the epitome of the Cubs legacy, wait till next year. Woods is nothing more than the product of hype. Even when allegedly healthy he is a .500 pitcher, WOW. The best move the Cubs could make is to trade him for a bag of balls and get a bargain basement .500 pitcher to eat innings until the trade deadline. Then Hendry can try to pick up a quality starter regardless of cost to make a playoff run...that is if they are in such a position.
Go Cubs...the Sox did it why not the Cubs?
The CUBS never will be a serious contentdor unless The Tribune Co. sells the club or Lee McPhail and the rest of the management staff down is dismissed for all doing a consistantly poor job! Look at the years of futility and going strong!
Gimme a break. The magic of 1998? Has everyone forgotten about Wood and the Cubs run in 2003? His stellar pitching against the Braves in the playoffs? Stop being pessimists. So what if he has some injury problems. Big deal. He will recover and have solid year.
Are you people kidding? Kerry Wood still has more 'stuff' than 90% of anybody pitching today. Granted he's injury prone, but when healthy, he will have the best mid & short relief behind him that he's had in his entire career. I look for him to win at least 12 games, with the limited starts he'll have. The real key to the Cubs success is whether they'll hit in key situations or not. That & mid relief have been their major failings the last couple of years.
Wood takes up roster space but lets hope he shows something so we can trade him and make room for our pitchers in the minors. We need to have our system produce a major league outfielder. I think the last one was George Altman!
Wood needs to be in the bullpen. Hopefully a closer someday. I said the same thing when the cubs kept starting Denis Eckersly. They did not listen. History will repeat itself, If they let Wood go.
It's interesting that everyone talks about Kerry Wood as if he still can contribute in a starting role. First he has to forget about himself and start thinking about the team. His pitching style is flawed and he knows it, but he doesn't want to change. Maybe he likes pain or maybe he's a big kid who doesn't really get it. Baseball is big business but it is also a team sport. It's about time he took one for the team instead of the team waiting for him. Trade the bum, maybe the Cubs could get a decent minor league prospect for him. Then again probablly not.
I think I've given up counting on Kerry Wood to perform well, or...well, to perform at all. I'd like to hope he can surprise me and make 30 starts and dtrike out 200. But nothing has happened to this guy has given me reason to be optimistic. What are you making next year, Kerry? 13 million? I underdstand the Cubs have a 3.5 million dollar buy out. You've been making a lot of money for years now, undeserving money. I see the Cubs buying him out and possibly signing him to a much smaller salary.
Kerry Wood has been the biggest disappointment over the past 3 years than any Cub I can ever remember. Everyone bashed poor old Corey Patterson, hey the guy didn't steal over 30-million dollars from the Cubs like Wood has. But yet I don't read much bashing towards Kerry Wood. I kept my fingers crossed, wrote blogs, and prayed that Hendry would pick up a starting pitcher or two over the off season, knowing the history of Wood and Prior, but no, just the additions of unhealthy pitchers like Simontacchi, and Miller. Let's do the smart/right thing here Mr. Hendry, either you resign or try to for once to do the right things to win a WORLD SERIES and that all starts off with starting pitching.
And do not trade Scott Williamson!
Roman, I remember where I was on May 6th,1998.I had brought Kerry's Special K signs and was sitting in the bleachers at Wrigley Field watching the most dominating pitching performance in MLB history.20 at 20! Incredible.THe Special K signs have been at Wrigley for ALL of Kerry's starts. Kerry is 28 years old. Randy Johnson didn't become the dominant pitcher he is today until 29-30.Same thing with Schilling.Yes, Kerry is making a LOT of money.He does need to come back this year and prove to the Cubs that he is a top of the line rotation pitcher.The buyout is 3.5 million.I hope that Kerry has 30 starts, pitches 200 innings and that the Cubs finally have 4 healthy starters in 2006 that take them to the WS.Then Kerry and the Cubs can begin a dynasty that all Cub fans deserve. Carlos,Prior,Wood and Maddux.Shades of the Atlanta dynasty.
Don't forget 2003 season. First round of playoffs. Cubs defeat Braves in 5 game Series. Wood wins Game 1, and Game 5, both IN ATLANTA, in DOMINATING fashion. That may be the best we will ever see, but it was worth all the rest. This is the year!! Get on the 2006 bandwagon early!!
He's 28 and already has ongoing health problems. He's not going to get any more durable after 30. Is there anyone out there that still believes the hype? If so, trade him now.
Although I have my doubts about Kerry Wood and his ability to stay healthy, his career at this point mirrors a lot of other power pitchers, who really don't hit their stride until mid-career. Sandy Koufax was mediocre the first half of his career. Hall of Fame. Nolan Ryan was a .500 pitcher who walked too many people to go with his strikeouts. Hall of Fame. It is rare for a power pitcher to put it all together until he learns to pitch, which takes until 30 or so. Kerry Wood? Let's wait and see...
I've read the postings where alot of you expect Wood to come back and win 12 - 14 games and strike out 200 this year. Wow !!
Cub fans really are dreamers. You had better hope that Prior is OK, for without him, your only pitcher is Zambrano. Think Baker over used these guys early in their careers ?????
bah, who cares, woods was never that good anyway, get rid of him and find yourselves some pitchers who can throw more than 6 innings between career threatening injury
For now, the best thing for fans to do is to forget that Wood is even part of the team. The rotation will consist of Big Z, Prior and Maddux for sure with Rusch, Williams, Hill, and Guzman fighting it out for the final two spots. Then, who knows? Maybe Wood and Wade Miller will make big contributions in the second half, but until then the Cubs will need to do it without them. Guzman and Williams are my picks to fill the voids, both could be well above average if given the chance.
Wood sucks. He is overpaid and over hyped as the savior. Go sox..
Kerry Wood is a decent enough pitcher when healthy, but is he deserving of the amount of money that he is making...I don't think so. The best thing that could happen for Wood and the Cubs would be for him to waive his no trade clause so that both sides could get a fresh start on the matter.
Wood sucks. Year after year same duke. Keep on wasting rotation spot during offseason just to scribble in a scrub like williams after it's too late. Move him to the bullpen and let him whine. You can only patch a tire so many times. GO CUBS!
I was telling my brother last year before spring training to trade Kerry Wood while we can. Kerry Wood should be in the bullpen. His arm can't take the punishment of starting every 5th day.His pitching mechanics are screwed.The only person that had the guts to say it was Steve Stone.
It is interesting in Chicago. Wood makes more money than Frank ever did, is injured more and contributes less to the team. To anyone who counters with Frank's attitude, Wood chased Stone out of f the Cub's TV Booth.
Just picked up my Arizona Republic Newspaper in my driveway this morning. On the frontpage they have pictures of the homes that are owned by major league baseball players who live in the Phoenix area either full time or during spring training. One of the homes pictured belongs to Kerry Wood. The home is in Paradise Valley, an upscale community in Phoenix. Not bad for a part time major league pitcher. My message to Kerry is: The next time you take the mound at Wrigley make sure you make a little gesture of "thank you " to the fans in the stands for what you got.
You guys seems to be spitting out this salary issues pretty commonly when not stopping to look at other salaries around the league i.e Burnette, Pavano, Driefort...etc. last time i checked, having a pitcher pitch half a season and put up 10 to 12 wins wasnt a bad thing...hold off on your bullpen statements and give the man a shot, without him there was no '03 or Bartman the Astros and Cards would of held on....so stop living for the second and try the day.
Let's trade Kerry Wood for CARRIE underWOOD. At least she's healthy.
I agree with the earlier comment about Kerry Wood's stuff still being better than 90% of the other pitchers out there, and I also believe the second half of his career should go better for him. When healthy, his stuff is equal or better than Schilling and Johnson. The idea of him being a closer some day intrigues me. And finally, to compare him to The Big Blurt is unfair, Kerry Wood has the support of his teammates and doesn't whine about everything like Thomas did...I found it sad that Frank is so selfish that he would've blown off
Sox fans had he known he wasn't coming back...To me, as a Cub fan since '71--I still remember Pappas' no-hitter that shoulda been a perfect game--what Frank said was just as bad as Sammy walking out on the Cubs the last game of '04,
but given what each man meant to his team over the years, I'd still take Sammy over Frank. For what it's worth, I pick the Sox to make the Series again, and the Cubs, despite their health issues, to be the NL wild-card. Go Cubs!
I SAT BY THE RADIO IN 1938 AND HEARD GABBY HARTNETT SEND THE CUBBIES TO THE WORLD SERIES AND I HAVE DIED WITH THEM EVER SINCE. ONE BAD DECISION AFTER ANOTHER STARTING WITH ACQUIRING DIZZY DEAN. EVER HEAR OF THE "WILD THING", MITCH WILLIAMS?
YESTERDAY AT A SPRING TRAINING GAME HERE IN ARIZONA I HEARD A G.M OF A MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM SAY THAT A FEW YEARS AGO EVERY MAJOR LEAGUE TEAM WOULD HAVE TRADED THEIR ENTIRE PITCHING STAFF FOR THE CUBS STAFF AND THEIR MINOR LEAGUE PITCHERS.
SO WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THE PRESENT MESS?????
Cub fans are to blame for the current mess. Always optomistic. Always accepting failure. Always selling the place out despite the presence of a fundamentally mismanaged ballclub.
One of the biggest mistakes the Cubs have ever made was to give Wood a very expensive contract extension.
They should have dumped him on the first pidgeon they could find, and used the money for another pitcher.
I've never seen the Cubs give anyone so many chances. How long has it been? 7 or 8 years, and still saying this will be the year. Pitiful
Reading the other comments on Rothschild, I have to agree.
Almost every pitcher he has even so much as talked to or touched in any way is a walking wounded, sore leg, or arm candidate.
It happened to most of the pitchers when he was in Florida, and now he is on a mission to destroy the Cubs pitching staff.
It maybe too late already, but he should be disposed of now. He is either an incompetant or a black cat.
The constant Kerry bashing is really getting old. Some of the things said are just not true. He did miss 1999 and has had pain issues the last two years, but he gave us back to back 30 plus start seasons in 2002 and 2003. His carrer record is 70 and 54. If he was on a club with a lights out bull pen he could be looking at a guy with 90 carrer wins or better at 28. He has been the most victimized guy in baseball with bad bull pens blowing master piece performances. Dusty pulled him throwing a 1 hitter with 1 out in the ninth against the Cardinals in 2004 only to have the bull pen blow the lead and the game. Wood threw more pitches than anyone in Basball in 2003 (Prior was 3rd). The wear and tear and his bad mechanics caused the shoulder problems. What is troubling is that the Cubs medical staff didn't figure out the pain issue until July of last year. By the way for those that want to remind us about his best year was 98. He led the NL in strike outs in 2003 and started the All-star game. He won 14 games that year, while the bull-pen blew 7 late inning saves. They blew 9 in 2002, when he won 12. (The Alfonseca years.) We could be looking at a guy with back to back 20 win seasons if he had a Billy Wagner or a Mariano Rivera. I hope he is back in late April and healthy. He is a proud guy who I know is gettting mad with the constant bashing the Chicago radio stations and Papers are providing. Not to mention the fans.
You would of thought he was in a sling since 99. This total what have you done for me lately mentality is assuring him showing up in a Astro, Ranger or Diamondback uniform next year. Just in time to really be the next Clemens or Schilling.
Nothing worse than an Alfonseca flashback on a Sunday morning...If you go back all the way to '98 and count the blown saves in Wood's starts he'd probably
have over 100 career wins by now, not to mention all the games where he lost 2-1
or 1-0...I remember lack of run support costing Greg
Maddux quite a few times early in his career as a Cub, too. (One memorable game I think he pitched 10
innings and lost 1-0.) Wood is a competitor and clubhouse leader. and I would've paid to see it when he took out Sammy's
boombox with a bat, even if no one wants to confirm it was him. His stuff can be dominating, and if he does prove to be the next Johnson or Schilling, I hope it's with the Cubs. It would suck if we made another 'Maddux-like' mistake.
Prior and Wood should both be traded to make room for some strong young pitchers who will be available to pitch with out being injured every game. Either that, or make Prior a reliever and Wood a closer. Those seem to be the Cubs weakest roles anyway. Get someone who can last an entire game.
Wood should have been traded long ago. The amount the Cubs are paying
this bum is shocking. I've been a fan since the 60's
and they've never been taken like Wood is taking them now.
I think it's sad to see so much money going to some guy who sits on the injured list for the majority of the season. It's such a waste. Young talent is what the Cubs need. I think Kerry Wood is the MLB equivalent of Grant Hill in the NBA. You love these guys, but they can never, ever stay healthy.
I live at 52466 Commonwealth in Seattle. Been up here before?
I don't think Kerry Wood should be taking all the heat for his lack of expected success. I don't know what his practice routine is which can adversely effect the health of a pitcher's arm but I do know that his pitching coaches could have given him some input on how to improve his mechanics...which have been suspect for some time. But they apparently never thought it important enough to identify his faults and help them make the required adjustments...which is the Cubs responsibility...not Kerry Woods.
But it is not too late to preserve the great talent that they originally had faith in.
Kerry Wood could have been one of the best RELIEF arms in the game. The Cubs didn't see this and tried to make him an ace in their rotation. I don't undertand why they didn't see this when he first came up. Now, they have a washed-up never-was. The Cubs need to cut this guy loose once and for all. The Kerry Wood saga is one of the biggest blunders in sports history. Wood will never be healthy. And even if can stay off the DL, he's a million miles from where he once was. There are guys that can pitch circles around him now in the league. Another example of why the Chicago Cubs are historically the worst team in baseball.
when is he coming to the cubs? he is my favortie player on the team. and my mom loves him to.
Roman responds: He was activated yesterday. He's on the team now.