The CCO Feedback column returns for a Tuesday afternoon edition. Here is an article from one of the Faithful, Raul Barraza, with his thoughts on Kerry Wood and his role in the upcoming season.
I'm going to come out and say it, I'm a huge Kerry Wood fan. I have nothing but respect for him. I became a Cub fan around his MLB debut and planned my day so I was free to see him pitch. Most fans remember the '98 season for Sosa's homeruns, but I bet most got interested in the '98 Cubs the moment Wood struck out his twentieth Astro batter. The potential for greatness was there but it was not meant to be.
While Kerry Wood's career may not have panned out as much as all of us in Cub Nation would have wanted, there still is hope for him becoming a dominant closer. If one were to look at his past it is easy to see how he got to this point.
Expectations were high for this Texas fireballer and for good reason.
In his fifth start in the big leagues, Wood joined a select group of pitchers that have thrown 20 k's in a game. His electrifying rookie season culminated in him winning the Rookie of the Year award and leading the bigs in K/9.
Unfortunately, he had logged some serious innings by this point in his career. Only days after being the fourth overall pick in the draft, he pitched both ends of a doubleheader. This led to a 175-pitch day for Kid K. To put this in even more perspective, the Mariners had King Felix on a sub-100 pitch count and barred him from using his slider and minimized his use of his breaking pitches. At the same age Kerry was having 175 pitch days, Felix Hernandez was barely allowed to have those many pitches over two starts. The abuse didn't stop at high school. Wood had a game in his rookie year where he threw 133 pitches in late August before being shutdown for "elbow soreness." His manager, Jim Riggleman, let him throw 120 pitches or more 8 times in his rookie campaign. He was fighting for his job and abused his best weapon, Wood. He even had the audacity to bring Wood back to pitch a meaningless game 3 after already being down 2-0. All this led to Tommy John surgery.
After coming back from surgery. Wood was mostly pain free for 3 years. This culminated in him having a dominating 2003 season under Dusty Baker. Baker was not any better at handling Wood than Riggleman. During 2003, Wood ranked second in pitches per start. Who was in front of Wood? Mark Prior, but that's another tale for a different day. Wood averaged 111 pitches per start. Baker let Wood exceed 100 pitches 24 times. After his great and overworked 2003, Wood started his downfall and so went his chances of recapturing his dominance as a starter.
I say as a starter because I believe he has all the tools to become a dominant closer. He has always been a power pitcher and has nasty stuff. Also, since he will only pitch one inning. He can rear back and get some extra life on his fastball. I would much rather face Ryan Dempster than Wood in the ninth. I'm the first to admit that Dempster did a respectable job as closer but I never felt comfortable with him closing. Not as uncomfortable as I felt when LaTroy Hawkins closed but still not too comfortable. The closer is a position that should make the opposing batter not want to face him, even cause some uneasiness. All the great closers cause this feeling, Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner, and even the young Jonathan Papelbon. Wood would definitely cause this feeling with his +95 MPH heat and knee-buckling curve. Dempster in the rotation might not be for the best other than to keep the spot warm until a prospect emerges to claim the spot. With Wood closing this lets Carlos Marmol be the set up man and pitch the Cubs out of tough spots. That is where his value as a pitcher is at the most beneficial for the club. If Wood were to be the closer, his arm would he saved for those situations and thus kept fresh for the long haul. Even if he fails, he could always switch roles with Marmol. All I'm saying is that he deserves a shot to close.
The reason Wood is still a Cub is due to his loyalty to the organization that has stood by him through all the injuries. Instead of bolting for the highest bidder, Wood opted to stay with the Cubs and signed another 1-year deal with the club. He feels he owes the team for all his injury riddled years and the fans for all the promise he dangled in front of them only to leave it unfulfilled. In this day and age, it is rare for a professional athlete to admit he owes something to an organization. Mark Prior could not wait to get out of Chicago and signed a 1-year deal with the Padres. While all this makes him my favorite Cub of all time, his skills are what make him the best option to close for the 2008 Cubs.
Raul Barraza
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Great summation, and it's amazing the difference between Prior and Woody for Cub fans. Woody will always be welcome, Prior is going to be booed his first trip back, guaranteed, if he makes it back.
Nicely done Raul!!
* I wouldn't call game 3 of the 1998 NLDS meaning less. The chance of winning that series was remote but you have to take your best shot.
* I always thought that Prior was the better pitcher
( Not by a wide margin, but a little better) But, Woody has more Heart, Honor and Character.
Loved the article Raul - but there is no such thing as a meaningless playoff game :-)
Great article, Raul, I've managed to get good pics of Kerry, Aram and DLee each of the last 3 years at HoHoKam park--all three high class human beings and exceptional talents.
What Kerry might have been reminds me of what Ferguson Jenkins was. Can you imagine winning 20 games, six years in a row while pitching an average of 300 inninigs, striking out over 200 and pitching 90 + complete games. Fergie had the advantage of a so-called "non-violent" delivery. It was smooth and seemed effortless--unlike Kerry and Z's. You just hope that Z and our other hard throwers will spend time on their pitching mechanics.
JimK, you failed to mention that Fergie spent many of his "off days" throwing batting practice
Lew... And also that he through strikes in great abundance. I think one year he allowed something like 35 walks in 300 innings. For a lot of batters, it was good morning, good afternoon and good night!
Well written Raul...
The Kid K story hopefully has a happy ending...this guy defines what a Cub should act like and the size of the heart we look for. Yes Raul; I agree he should be the closer and I feel Marmol should not be moved from where he became...Sr.Nasty. Games last year, seemed, were mostly saved when he came in the 6-7 with a jam than when the closer came in the 9th.
JimK/Lew do not forget the 267 complete games of FJ and the 49 shut-outs. [Unbelievable]
Note:::It has allways been a mystery to me the fact that he did not get to the 300 win mark.
Note2::Comes to show you once again the impressive carrer of Greg Maddux who I loved as a rookie Cub, hated as a Brave rat, loved again as a veteran Cub and the can't hate legend even as a Padre.
Kerry, you desreve to be in that league!
Great article Raul!!! I think every Cubs fan has a soft spot in their heart for Woody. I've always been a huge Kerry Wood supporter and unless he does something crazy and out of character, I always will be. I completely agree with your thoughts on the closer role. Idealy Wood is the closer, Howry is your set up man and Marmol is your "get out of jail free" card. I really think that Marmol's greatest value is as your set up/bail out pitcher. He really excelled at the role last season and I see no reason why he won't do the same last season.
BASEBALL FEVER IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!
Go Cubbies!!!
I'm sorry "Die Hard Cub Fans" myself included, but I can't be so nice about Kerry Wood. He IS still totally over-rated. He had potential until HE blew it, NOT the manager. He is 6'5'' along with Prior and 200+lbs. plus,he is hurt every freakin year. Billy Wagner is 5'11'' BOTH are from Texas along with Nolan Ryan, Josh Becket, and many other TEXANS that win. He just can't hang with those boys and I wouldn't put name in the same sentence with those guys. He STILL belongs in the same group with guys like Prior, and other guys that had it and lost it, and will never be. That's my DIE HARD CUB FAN opinion.
Mark,
Comparing Kerry Wood to the Employee is pretty much heresy or worse.
There is NO comparison between Wood or prior. Yes Wood has had a injury plagued career, but how can you blame that all on him. His high school coach and Riggleman will both tell you they way over used him, as did mr baker, in 1998 he hit 130 pitch count a few times. Is it Woods fault because he didn't go up to the manager and say, "You know coach, I am at 90 pitches you might want to take me out of the game" Heck no he wouldn't do that, he's not that kind of guy, he wants the ball every inning every game, you can't blame a guy for that. He's a competitor.
I know that is your opinion, and I am sorry for the rant, but with the '98 season, and what he did to help us in '03. The guy came into last season with his weight down and ready to go, not too mention he took a pay cut to stay here. And then a again this year leaving better offers on the table to stay in Chicago.
I am sorry, I just can't see how you can put him in the same category as the nancy pitcher prior.
Mark you have one strange Die Hard Cub Fan Opinion, however, you are entitled to it. And I agree that he could’ve been a lot more. That does not change what he is or means to this club period. Texans / height have nothing to do with staying healthy or being successful in mlb.
Well said Nick.