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As a Cubs fan, I am kind of shocked and surprised by the sudden news that Kerry Wood intends to retire, but wants to go out on the mound and will do so after one last relief appearance!
I have followed him since before he hit the big leagues, particularly remembering a AAA playoff game I saw him pitch in Buffalo. His had no control at all, 100 mph fastballs going all over the place, like Ricky Vaughn in Major League during spring training!
He has not been the same since all the shoulder problems earlier last decade, but is still a sentimental favorite, and had some good times since! Success for the Cubs as a closer. A great setup-man for the Yanks in 2010 down the stretch and in the playoffs!
I will miss seeing him out on the bump! (Especially since the Cubs have no bullpen as it is!)
The Wood/Prior duos failure to amount to much of anything outside of 2003 will be one of the biggest "what ifs" in Chicago for the next 20-30 years. Prior was so, so good that year, and they were a misfortunate bottom half of an inning away from going to the WS. It looked like they were set up to be really good, for a long time. Really a shame.
They did seem set up for a terrific run, with those two young arms and a young, strong Carlos Zambrano (who had a terrific year in 2003, and was not nearly as toxic as a #3 starter instead of the Ace he had to become).
However, had it all worked out, then they wouldn't have been the Cubs either!
Woods' career makes one stop and think about Stephen Strasburg and all the career trajectory possibilities there are for him. He could be great for a few years and have everyone thinking future Hall of Famer, and then derail ala Doc Gooden, Brett Saberhagen or Vida Blue, although those three at least had better careers than did Woods. Or there is the Frank Tanana path, where you start out at age 20 looking like an unhittable fireballer and evolve into a junk thrower who hangs around forever but is mediocre. (240-236 for his career.) Tanana pitched until age 39...21 seasons. In three of those seasons he was in the top ten in the Cy Young voting, but those were his first three seasons.
Then again there is the Tom Seaver/Steve Carlton path.
That is why young pitchers are so difficult to project. Look at the past assumed "strong rotations" and you'll see an awful lot of misses.
One that comes to my mind is the Mets projected multiple ace rotation of the mid 90's, featuring Jason Isringhausen, Paul Wilson and Bill Pulsipher.
I remember when Kerry Wood first came up, he came with an awful lot of expectations concerning his performance. He looked like the real deal his first few seasons, but...
Wood walks away still holding the record for the highest 9 inning game score ever recorded. His fifth career start in May of '98 was the one hit, no walk, 20 strikeout performance which netted Wood a 105 score.
The Cubs brought Wood in to pitch to one batter in the 8th inning today, and Kerry ended his career well, striking out Dayan Viciedo of the White Sox. Good for him and good for the Cubs fans, that must have been a nice moment.
Kerry Wood was one of the most electric and dominating young pitchers I have ever seen. Early in his career he showed signs that he was going to a force to be reckoned with for many years.
His arm problems that he developed put a huge dagger into the hearts of Cub fans. This man could have gone on to have a fantastic career----and visions of Cub championships with Wood and Prior leading the way.
We all appreciate Kerrys intensity, desire, and his no quit attitude. Thanks for the memories and excitement that you created, and baseball fans all over the midwest will remember all of Harry Carrys and he struck him out calls during Kerrys games.
That farewell strikeout by Wood on Friday turned out to be the high point of the weekend for the Cubs. They were swept by the White Sox, extending their losing streak to six games, the last five of which have been at Wrigley.
As a Cubs fan, I am kind of shocked and surprised by the sudden news that Kerry Wood intends to retire, but wants to go out on the mound and will do so after one last relief appearance!
I have followed him since before he hit the big leagues, particularly remembering a AAA playoff game I saw him pitch in Buffalo. His had no control at all, 100 mph fastballs going all over the place, like Ricky Vaughn in Major League during spring training!
He has not been the same since all the shoulder problems earlier last decade, but is still a sentimental favorite, and had some good times since! Success for the Cubs as a closer. A great setup-man for the Yanks in 2010 down the stretch and in the playoffs!
I will miss seeing him out on the bump! (Especially since the Cubs have no bullpen as it is!)
not particularly a Cubs fan, but certainly we followed his career. No, after the surgery he just was never quite the same. Our son went through something similar in the minors. It is tough to come back. I have to give Kerry credit for seeing the future and making a wise, but sad choice.
Nita
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