Chasing Cubtober: We (still) got Wood!
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by LMedina86
Despite drawing interest from several other teams that were likely offering more guaranteed money and multi-year deals, Kerry Wood re-signed with the Chicago Cubs this afternoon.
Wood signed a one-year contract worth $4.2 million. In 2007, Wood made only $1.75 million after making upwards of $30 million between 2004 and 2006 despite appearing in a limited number of games due to various arm injuries.
When he re-signed after the 2006 season, Wood said that he felt as if he owed the Cubs and their fans. Wood’s loyalty to Cubdom was shown again by re-signing with the organization that drafted him in 1995.
Last year Wood made 22 relief appearances while posting a 1-1 record and a 3.33 ERA, while striking out 24 batters.
2007 marked the first year that Wood was used primarily as a reliever. In 2005, Wood was used out of the bullpen as the Cubs tried to make a late playoff push in a weak NL Central Division. Overall as a reliever, Wood has posted a 2.97 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 36.1 innings while limiting batters to a .173 batting average against.
Wood’s return to the bullpen seemingly makes Ryan Dempster’s return to the starting rotation official. However, Wood’s role in the bullpen is still uncertain.
Wood can make an additional $3.45 million based on performance clauses. One can assume that those causes could include games and innings pitched, games finished, holds and maybe even saves.
The closer’s role will be up for grabs in Spring Training with Wood, Bob Howry and Carlos Marmol as the leading candidates to pitch the ninth inning in 2008.
However one of the knocks on Wood (no pun intended) is that he has never pitched in three straight games and would likely be better served used in games in a short relief role. Wood will likely be the most effective if the Cubs could limit his appearances and the number of pitches he throws.
Re-signing Wood should have been one of Jim Hendry’s top priorities this off-season, and for a while it didn’t look like that was the case. Wood was reportedly being wooed by the Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers.
Hendry will now likely shift his attention to free-agent infielder Kaz Matsui. A decision by Matsui has been rumored to be coming this week with him choosing between three-year deals from the Cubs and NL Central rival Houston Astros.
Many believe that signing Matsui could lead to a domino effect with the Cubs signing outfielder Kosuke Fukudome and starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.
The Cubs will be facing stiff competition for Fukudome, including teams like the Rangers, Phillies and White Sox among others
Baseball’s Winter Meetings begin on Dec. 3 and more moves could be coming at that time.
