According to a report on Cubs.com, Kerry Wood was among 42 players that filed for free agency on Friday. Wood, along with Jon Lieber and Henry Blanco joined teammates Ryan Dempster, Jim Edmonds, Bobby Howry and Chad Fox on the list of 107 Major League players that filed in the first two days. The Cubs are reportedly interested in resigning Kerry Wood but Jim Hendry has publicly stated it will depend on the length of the contract Wood is seeking after his first full year as a big league closer.
Kerry Wood was 5-4 last season with 34 saves in 65 games with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP (84 strikeouts and 18 walks in 66 1/3 innings with a .219 opponents batting average). Ben Reiter of SI.com listed Wood in his Top 50 Free Agents list of 2009 at number 12….and thinks Wood could end up closing games for Tony LaRussa and the Cardinals.
Other notable free agent filings on Friday included….
- John Smoltz
- Pedro Martinez
- Moises Alou
- Curt Schilling
- Nomar Garciaparra
- Frank Thomas
- Rocco Baldelli
- Mark Prior