Kerry Wood out for year with partially torn rotator cuff

[Laura]

Sorry to hear it, but not surprised. Best wishes to him recovering from this. He must be incredibly frustrated.

[oldcubsfan]

He may be right about Kerry, but he sure is bitter as hell toward the Cubs in general. Plus, I thought he was so 2004. Is Steve Stone even relevant anymore?

One word--NO.

[cubfan1955]

"I'm realistic," he said of his future with the Cubs. "Business is business. The organization has been great to me. We'd love to finish it up here. That's talks that will come down the road, too."

[Electron Blue]

espn news now saying his season's over. Not a huge difference, especially since the season's already "over." But here's the end of Kerry Wood as a Cub.

[cubfan1955]

espn news now saying his season's over. Not a huge difference, especially since the season's already "over." But here's the end of Kerry Wood as a Cub.

Basically the article at cubs.com says the season is over too for him. I have no idea where the 4 to 6 weeks came from.

[Chris]

The Kerry Wood 5 minute era is done with the Cubs. I wonder where the WHIP excuse crew is?

 

i think the more common excuse would be, you know, the tear in his rotator cuff.

 

:lol:

[Banedon]

So...what was this like the 4th doctor visit since he last pitched? And they just NOW decided it was a torn rotator cuff? That just really seems weird. They were so sure it was just a muscular strain or something...

[YearofDaCubs]

LIke I said earlier, Wood is damaged good and is done for. His career as a cub is over.

[soccer10k]

espn news now saying his season's over. Not a huge difference, especially since the season's already "over." But here's the end of Kerry Wood as a Cub.

 

I heard the same thing. It's not really surprising. I didn't buy into the whole "no structural damage" thing. If you are experiencing pain that forces multiple starts to be pushed back and then you have to go on the DL again, something structurally has to be wrong. Good bye Kerry.

[Derwood]

You have to hand it to Wood. He had a wicked $/IP ratio this year.

[NCCubFan]

The Kerry Wood 5 minute era is done with the Cubs. I wonder where the WHIP excuse crew is? We still have to pay the bum $3 million to leave next year. But Hendry now has $9 million in his pocket for next year. Add Maddux's salary and we're talking quite a FA war chest.

Exactly how is he a bum? Being injured doesn't make one a bum.

[jaydee]

The Kerry Wood 5 minute era is done with the Cubs. I wonder where the WHIP excuse crew is? We still have to pay the bum $3 million to leave next year. But Hendry now has $9 million in his pocket for next year. Add Maddux's salary and we're talking quite a FA war chest.

Exactly how is he a bum? Being injured doesn't make one a bum.

 

The guy purposely gets injured so he can undergo painful surgery and rehab. What a bum!

[Andy]

It's been quite a ride, Kerry.

 

Well, no, it hasn't. Goodbye and expect us all to be bitter when you miraculously heal up and throw 180-200 innings next season for another team.

[KaiserCesar]

If this thread turns into a giant eulogy,

 

thanks for the memories, Kerry, it's been fun (when you were pitching)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and when you weren't melting down and giving up a grand slam to bobby abreu

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'll always remember being in Atlanta for Kerry's masterful performance in game five against the Braves in 2003. That will be my favorite memory of Wood.

[UMFan83]

The Kerry Wood 5 minute era is done with the Cubs. I wonder where the WHIP excuse crew is? We still have to pay the bum $3 million to leave next year. But Hendry now has $9 million in his pocket for next year. Add Maddux's salary and we're talking quite a FA war chest.

Exactly how is he a bum? Being injured doesn't make one a bum.

 

Maybe because he threw with the mechanics that put so much strain on the arm that its inevitable that these injuries would occur.

 

 

...but I guess thats not ALL his fault LARRY

[BigSlick]

The Kerry Wood 5 minute era is done with the Cubs. I wonder where the WHIP excuse crew is? We still have to pay the bum $3 million to leave next year. But Hendry now has $9 million in his pocket for next year. Add Maddux's salary and we're talking quite a FA war chest.

Exactly how is he a bum? Being injured doesn't make one a bum.

 

Maybe because he threw with the mechanics that put so much strain on the arm that its inevitable that these injuries would occur.

 

 

...but I guess thats not ALL his fault LARRY

 

What did I do?

 

http://www.nonstuff.com/wp-content/larryshrug.jpg

[pete the dog]

Well, I feel damn bad for Kerry, and appreciate what he tried to do for his team.

 

I believe he pitched through pain, maybe when he shouldn't have. I believe he stayed too long last year and came back too early this year. I think he gave his all to help a nowhere team, and may have lost his career as a result.

 

The coaches/management who convinced/tolerated him pitching relief last year should probably be liable for his lost career earnings. Reckless and selfish. But then again, who knows exactly what Kerry was telling them.

 

Kerry Wood has been a great Cub, and I will be very sorry to see him leave the team. I hope Andy and Jim try to bring him back next year (at a very reduced rate).

[wade]

It's probably a little early for this type of prediction, but I think this makes Wood a lock for the Cubs next year. Hendry has no problem taking a flyer on injured pitchers. Does anyone doubt he'll give Wood a one year, incentive-laden deal?

 

At this point, who else would gamble on him?

 

It'll be an interesting (and hopefully healthy) off-season for Kerry Wood.

 

Doubt it. Wood is due for $13.5 million if they pick up his option. Obviously thats not going to happen.

 

So the next best thing would be to buyout his deal for $3 million and then sign him to a reduced deal...probably $3 million more, meaning we'd be paying him $3 million to play catch in Mesa next season. No thank you and if Hendry does this, I am going to beat him down with a boot.

 

I was thinking more like a million dollar base. Like you say, the Cubs are already out 3 mil on his buyout. Hendry takes million dollar flyers all the time on other guys, why would he not on Wood, who came up in the system?

 

Now, if other teams offer more then the Cubs should let him go. I just wonder who would offer him a lot of money for that kind of risk.

[CuseCubFan69]

Sorry to hear it, but not surprised. Best wishes to him recovering from this. He must be incredibly frustrated.

 

I agree. I know he's made a lot of money but he is still a competitor and wants to be out there pitching. IMO the Cubs and Kerry will reach a middle ground and he'll be signed for next year. But before that...he should pitch from the pen until the Cubs are mathmatically out of contention.

[Larry Horse]

He may be right about Kerry, but he sure is bitter as hell toward the Cubs in general. Plus, I thought he was so 2004. Is Steve Stone even relevant anymore?

 

Once again, I'll point out that Stone was one of the few people last year and this year who continually insisted the Cubs would/will make the playoffs.

 

Being critical and being bitter are two different things.

[ronsanto10]

Sorry to hear it, but not surprised. Best wishes to him recovering from this. He must be incredibly frustrated.

 

I agree. I know he's made a lot of money but he is still a competitor and wants to be out there pitching. IMO the Cubs and Kerry will reach a middle ground and he'll be signed for next year. But before that...he should pitch from the pen until the Cubs are mathmatically out of contention.

 

now that is funny......too bad for kerry wood....good luck in the future...

[cubfan1955]

Sorry to hear it, but not surprised. Best wishes to him recovering from this. He must be incredibly frustrated.

 

I agree. I know he's made a lot of money but he is still a competitor and wants to be out there pitching. IMO the Cubs and Kerry will reach a middle ground and he'll be signed for next year. But before that...he should pitch from the pen until the Cubs are mathmatically out of contention.

Sounds like what a lot of people thought about Nomar last year and Hendry kicked him to the curb like a cheap prostitute.

[SoonerCubFan]

Well, I feel damn bad for Kerry, and appreciate what he tried to do for his team.

 

I believe he pitched through pain, maybe when he shouldn't have. I believe he stayed too long last year and came back too early this year. I think he gave his all to help a nowhere team, and may have lost his career as a result.

 

The coaches/management who convinced/tolerated him pitching relief last year should probably be liable for his lost career earnings. Reckless and selfish. But then again, who knows exactly what Kerry was telling them.

 

Kerry Wood has been a great Cub, and I will be very sorry to see him leave the team. I hope Andy and Jim try to bring him back next year (at a very reduced rate).

 

I agree with most of this, although I'd put more emphasis on the mishandling of him this year than last. Coming off his recent history he should have never been expected to be a starter this year. Since he was throwing so well in his minor league work, I have to assume he was pretty clean initially. Based on last year's short look in the bullpen, he should have been penciled in from his surgery onward to spend at least all of 2006 in the pen.

 

At least now there is some recognition (at least from Kerry) that that may be his ultimate role if he ever wants a chance at a meaningful remainder of a career. I too hope we give him a one last chance in the role he should have been in for a while now. He does have a chance to be a dominating pitcher, and with the Cubs, if the right people are put in place and the right approach is taken from here on.

[CuseCubFan69]

Sorry to hear it, but not surprised. Best wishes to him recovering from this. He must be incredibly frustrated.

 

I agree. I know he's made a lot of money but he is still a competitor and wants to be out there pitching. IMO the Cubs and Kerry will reach a middle ground and he'll be signed for next year. But before that...he should pitch from the pen until the Cubs are mathmatically out of contention.

Sounds like what a lot of people thought about Nomar last year and Hendry kicked him to the curb like a cheap prostitute.

 

I agree but in defense of Hendry..this hurts to write...where would you put Nomar? I think the ease of physical strain at first is what is helping him and no way he would move Lee from there. Second would have been tough and maybe that's why Hendry was trying to move Walker to put Nomar there. IMO no way could Nomar play right or left with his arm angle but after watching Jones and Pierre throw I suppose it couldn't be any worse!