One Cynical Reason For Optimism

[USSoccer]

2006 Cubs in Contract Years:

 

Lee

Maddux

Wood

Ramirez (Can opt out after 2006)

Pierre

Walker

 

Baker

 

 

Nice to see 4 of our most important players there. :P

 

But seriously, I could very easily see Wood turning in a year similar to 2003. Of that entire group, I can see him having your typical "Big Name In a Contract Year" season.

[Warpticon]

A healthy Wood will surprise a lot of people, really. (Read that either way, both apply.) Before he got hurt in '04, he was well on the way to putting up a top-5-in-baseball kind of year--he was getting the control at above average levels and keeping his counts down better than at any time prior. He never has really been healthy to get back to that level, but if he can come back healthy and get on a roll, I see that happening this year. Yes, this is a big if, but I don't thin it's as unlikely as a lotof people around her seem to believe. I see 2003 as the downside of what to expect if Wood manages to stay healthy all year.

[Balsa]

Ah...ye olde Contract Year myth...I don't doubt it takes place, but I would think it happens more often with the Barry Bonds type character than the Derrek Lee type and Greg Maddux type character...

[Andy]

Ah...ye olde Contract Year myth...I don't doubt it takes place, but I would think it happens more often with the Barry Bonds type character than the Derrek Lee type and Greg Maddux type character...

Unless D-Lee was playing last season as his "extension year". :lol:

[Jehrico]

2006 Cubs in Contract Years:

 

Lee

Maddux

Wood

Ramirez (Can opt out after 2006)

Pierre

Walker

 

Baker

 

 

Nice to see 4 of our most important players there. :P

 

But seriously, I could very easily see Wood turning in a year similar to 2003. Of that entire group, I can see him having your typical "Big Name In a Contract Year" season.

 

You might be able to add Z and Prior to that, depending on if they get multiyear deals in ST or not...(they won't be FA eligible, but it would be a contract year nonetheless).

[KatJ]

Ah...ye olde Contract Year myth...I don't doubt it takes place, but I would think it happens more often with the Barry Bonds type character than the Derrek Lee type and Greg Maddux type character...

 

Bret Boone came to my mind. Perhaps they upped the roids during contract years?

[da bears]

Ah...ye olde Contract Year myth...I don't doubt it takes place, but I would think it happens more often with the Barry Bonds type character than the Derrek Lee type and Greg Maddux type character...

 

Bret Boone came to my mind. Perhaps they upped the roids during contract years?

 

Man, I just remember Boone going to the All Star game and flexing for an ESPN analyst. The ESPN guy asked him about how he got so big, and Boone simply said he worked hard in the offseason. What a fraud.

[CarolinaCubFan]

A healthy Wood will surprise a lot of people, really. (Read that either way, both apply.) Before he got hurt in '04, he was well on the way to putting up a top-5-in-baseball kind of year--he was getting the control at above average levels and keeping his counts down better than at any time prior. He never has really been healthy to get back to that level, but if he can come back healthy and get on a roll, I see that happening this year. Yes, this is a big if, but I don't thin it's as unlikely as a lotof people around her seem to believe. I see 2003 as the downside of what to expect if Wood manages to stay healthy all year.

 

I agree. Fact of the matter is, this is Kerry's last year to prove he's worth the money he's making. He's made some good money, but he's not in that class anymore. I'm 50/50 on Wood. I'd love to see him have a healthy CY season and 50% of me thinks he will do it. He has a lot riding on this season and I think he'll meet the challege. On the other hand, he might break down again and be a memory of a couple good seasons and a stellar game.