chance that wood comes back next year as closer?

[frostwyrm]

The Yankees (and possibly the RSox) are the only teams that should have a $20M bullpen. $20M is too great a percentage of the payroll for every other team.

[NCCubFan]

Might need to have an alternate closer waiting in the wings, though.

They should have an alternate closer every year anyway. There have been several recent years where the intended closer was injured to start the year; that's not just an issue with Wood.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I was pretty impressed watching Wood out of the pen last year against the Cardinals. I saw the gun show 99 several times, heard he was hitting 101. Don't know if anyone can confirm that, but Wood was making one of the best hitting teams in baseball look feeble.

 

If he isn't going to make it as a starter, I have no doubt that he could make it as one of the games most dominant closers.

 

Might need to have an alternate closer waiting in the wings, though. If his arm can't handle the pounding having 5 days of rest, how will it handle having to pitch, say, every day for 3 days and then another 2 after 1 day of rest in between? That's the life of a closer at times.

 

Not that I don't want him. Just saying.

 

howry can close. marmol needs to be switched to the pen in 2007 imo too so they might as well try him at closing in iowa.

 

Im starting to worry about Howry. His history of arm problems could come up again. He has pitched alot in the past 2 years. Hendry needs to add another bullpen arm.

 

We have plenty of arms for the pen. We already have Dempster, Howry, Eyre, Wuertz, Ohman and Novoa. Add to those there could be Aardsma and whoever isn't a starter from Mateo and Marmol. And if Wood is re-signed, that's one more.

 

We do not need to waste any of the limited FA resources on the bullpen. We'll already be paying 15-18 million on the bullpen, and that is more than enough.

[SouthSideRyan]

I was pretty impressed watching Wood out of the pen last year against the Cardinals. I saw the gun show 99 several times, heard he was hitting 101. Don't know if anyone can confirm that, but Wood was making one of the best hitting teams in baseball look feeble.

 

If he isn't going to make it as a starter, I have no doubt that he could make it as one of the games most dominant closers.

 

Might need to have an alternate closer waiting in the wings, though. If his arm can't handle the pounding having 5 days of rest, how will it handle having to pitch, say, every day for 3 days and then another 2 after 1 day of rest in between? That's the life of a closer at times.

 

Not that I don't want him. Just saying.

 

howry can close. marmol needs to be switched to the pen in 2007 imo too so they might as well try him at closing in iowa.

 

Im starting to worry about Howry. His history of arm problems could come up again. He has pitched alot in the past 2 years. Hendry needs to add another bullpen arm.

 

We have plenty of arms for the pen. We already have Dempster, Howry, Eyre, Wuertz, Ohman and Novoa. Add to those there could be Aardsma and whoever isn't a starter from Mateo and Marmol. And if Wood is re-signed, that's one more.

 

We do not need to waste any of the limited FA resources on the bullpen. We'll already be paying 15-18 million on the bullpen, and that is more than enough.

 

2nd.

[Abe Frohman]

True, but when you consider that Kerry Wood may be able to start some games, I think he is worth having.

[Laura]

They showed Wood in the dugout tonight; Len said that he's lost 25 pounds this season and has been bored and working out like a maniac in AZ.

[Neuby]

They showed Wood in the dugout tonight; Len said that he's lost 25 pounds this season and has been bored and working out like a maniac in AZ.

If Wood throws out of the pen next year as well as everyone thinks he can are penwill be lethal and it gives Hendry the option of trading Wuertz, Aardasma, Nova in a package with prospects for an impact bat.

[Sammy Sofa]

They showed Wood in the dugout tonight; Len said that he's lost 25 pounds this season and has been bored and working out like a maniac in AZ.

If Wood throws out of the pen next year as well as everyone thinks he can are penwill be lethal and it gives Hendry the option of trading Wuertz, Aardasma, Nova in a package with prospects for an impact bat.

 

I'd rather hold onto Wuertz and trade Eyre and Dempster instead. They need to shed some bullpen dollars.