Wood: No surgury; Wants to return next year as a reliever

[biittner77]

Wood sat in the third inning with Len and Bob. Talked about his charity work with Children's hospital (which could hit 1 million this year). Bowling tourney is this weekend.

 

He mentioned again that he doesn't want surgery and he wants to come back next year in a reliever role at first and pitch pain free. That's his main goal.

 

Kerry said fans have the right to get on him even thought they haven't because he just hasn't been out there. He knows he's been a popular player and not gotten the patterson/hawkins treatment. Just my impression that he really wants to come back and stay in Chicago and would take an incentive-laden deal. I think he has enough pride to want to prove to the Cubs and it's fans that he still has it.

 

Just seeing him makes me want him to come back.

 

Hearing him talk it sounded to me that he would pitch out of the pen if he had to but he didn't sound very enthusiastic about it. Why should he? Dempster is his friend and he doesn't want to take his job. Also closers don't make as much money as starters. Even the Cubs don't pay set up guys more than $4 million per.

 

I see Hendry working out some kind of deal with Wood so the Cubs can pay for his rehab and then he can sign with some team that is willing to give him $8-10 million as a starter.

[RynoRules]

No one is giving Wood that kind of money - no one.

[goonys evil twin]

No one is giving Wood that kind of money - no one.

 

Not in 2007 at least.

[soapy]

I guess I'm not really sure how I feel about this. I certainly have an emotional attachment to Wood and want to see him stay with the Cubs and succeed. That part of me says bring him back as a reliever and see what happens.

 

Having said that, there's also a part of me that doesn't want to do it. He's obviously an injury risk at this point and I'd hate to see the Cubs shell out $3-$5 million and have Wood spend most of the season on the DL again. With money already being wasted (IMO) on overpayments to Rusch, Neifi and Izturis, raises for guys like Zambrano, Lee and possibly Pierre (yuck) and Ramirez, and the already high amount being spent on the pen, the Cubs are running out of money to spend on free agents in 2007 and it doesn't really sound like a smart gamble to me. For $1 or $2 million I guess I'd probably do it.

 

In addition, Wood doesn't owe the Cubs anything. It's dissapointing to me to hear people say that.

[biittner77]

No one is giving Wood that kind of money - no one.

 

Not in 2007 at least.

 

If Wood pitches next year and is healthy enough to show signs that he could return to somebodies rotation someone will sign him for 2008 and will give him a close to $10 million.

[goonys evil twin]

No one is giving Wood that kind of money - no one.

 

Not in 2007 at least.

 

If Wood pitches next year and is healthy enough to show signs that he could return to somebodies rotation someone will sign him for 2008 and will give him a close to $10 million.

 

Definitely.

 

I'd hate to see the Cubs shell out $3-$5 million and have Wood spend most of the season on the DL again. With money already being wasted (IMO) on overpayments to Rusch, Neifi and Izturis, raises for guys like Zambrano, Lee and possibly Pierre (yuck) and Ramirez, and the already high amount being spent on the pen, the Cubs are running out of money to spend on free agents in 2007

 

The thing is, Hendry is just going to spend that "saved" couple million on another Rusch or Neifi.

[soapy]

I'd hate to see the Cubs shell out $3-$5 million and have Wood spend most of the season on the DL again. With money already being wasted (IMO) on overpayments to Rusch, Neifi and Izturis, raises for guys like Zambrano, Lee and possibly Pierre (yuck) and Ramirez, and the already high amount being spent on the pen, the Cubs are running out of money to spend on free agents in 2007

 

The thing is, Hendry is just going to spend that "saved" couple million on another Rusch or Neifi.

Probably, but that doesn't mean I will endorse it.

 

But, like I said, for a few million I'd probably do it.

[goonys evil twin]

When people defend Dusty's use of Prior and Wood down the stretch in 2003, by saying he "had to use them to guarantee the playoffs and because the bullpen stunk" just look at what he's doing with Zambrano in a completely lost season.

 

It has nothing to do with being forced into extending those guys down the stretch. He's a selfish, reckless idiot with blatant disregard for the health of his pitchers and a stubborn refusal to think maybe he should change his ways.

[badger1679666666]

He's a selfish, reckless idiot with blatant disregard for the health of his pitchers and a stubborn refusal to think maybe he should change his ways.

 

Q4T.