It’s not official, but David Kaplan of Chicago Now reported late Wednesday evening that Kerry Wood may soon no longer be a former Cub. Sources have since speculated that the deal will be for more than one year, and that Woody will be the setup man for closer Carlos Marmol.
While I am surprised that Jim Hendry didn’t acquire another player named “Carlos” (I mean, really, is four enough? I don’t think so), this move means that Wood will choose Chicago as the place where he will spend his next stint on the disabled list.
Look, I love Kerry and recall his days with the Cubs fondly—that damn TJ surgery and Bartman incident notwithstanding. And if he can stay healthy, he would fill a huge void for the Cubs; a void so bad, that even Carlos Zambrano (one of the Carlos brothers) took a turn as the eighth inning guy.
But let’s face facts here, folks. The only player who comes close to matching Wood’s injury history is Woody’s former teammate Mark Prior, who recently signed with the Yankees. Hey Rothschild, better start warming up the towel.
True to form, Wood spent six weeks on the trainers table last year with his recurring back problem. Wood also has a shoulder that he never fixed so that’s always looming on the periphery.
Perhaps the craziest thing about this signing, if it becomes official, is that Hendry continues to act as if this is a contending club. Instead of looking to go young this off-season by trading off pieces and either shedding payroll or acquiring prospects, he is working hard to convince the fans to come to the games in 2011.
Well, at least it will be fun to see Wood back in a Cubs uniform. I’ve always liked the guy and hey, the injuries really aren’t his fault. But I just wonder if he can hold up.
If any player screamed for a one year guarantee, it’s a guy like Wood. But this seems to be the off-season of the relievers, with multi-year contracts being handed out to relievers who seldom retain their value year over year.
Assuming good health, which is a lot like assuming peace in the Mideast, the Cubs bullpen should be better in 2011, especially if Andrew Cashner continues to develop. Also watch out for Chris Carpenter (no, not THAT Carpenter, relax Cardinals fans).
No matter what, there is another benefit if this deal gets finalized:
Cubs fans can once again proudly proclaim WE GOT WOOD.
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