Wood to Avoid Throwing Curveball This Season

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Link.

 

The former staff ace, who threw an encouraging bullpen session Monday, plans to stick primarily with a fastball-slider repertoire as a reliever, sprinkling in the occasional changeup.

 

Wood's curveball has been blamed for some of his elbow and shoulder injuries over the years, but it's an easy pitch for him to shelve as a reliever, considering it's not his best pitch and he needs fewer pitches anyway if he has to pitch only an inning or two at a time.

 

''That would be a pitch I would usually use later in the game as I got tired,'' he said. ''I probably won't use it as much.''

[Magnetic Curses]

Link.

 

The former staff ace, who threw an encouraging bullpen session Monday, plans to stick primarily with a fastball-slider repertoire as a reliever, sprinkling in the occasional changeup.

 

Wood's curveball has been blamed for some of his elbow and shoulder injuries over the years, but it's an easy pitch for him to shelve as a reliever, considering it's not his best pitch and he needs fewer pitches anyway if he has to pitch only an inning or two at a time.

 

''That would be a pitch I would usually use later in the game as I got tired,'' he said. ''I probably won't use it as much.''

 

iirc, i was fairly impressed with the changeup he showed in patches when he was healthy during the 05 season.

[baseball7897]

Wood is only going to need 2-3 pitches in the bullpen anyways.

[Chocolate Milk]

Wood is the player that is interesting me the most before the season starts. With the weightloss and the move to the bullpen, I'm really interested to see what he can do. I really don't know what to expect.

[YearofDaCubs]

Wood is the player that is interesting me the most before the season starts. With the weightloss and the move to the bullpen, I'm really interested to see what he can do. I really don't know what to expect.

I wonder where his velocity will be too. Going to the bullpen for one, and also coming from an injury.

[C.C.]

I hope he has health this year. I truly miss seeing him pitch. He's going to be fun to watch out of the pen....Hopefully!

[Section538]

Has anybody heard what the long-term plan for Wood is?

 

It almost sounds from some of the things I'm hearing is that he might be on the 'Smoltz' plan -- going to the bullpen for a year or two as 'rehab' with the potential to return to the rotation.

[Banedon]

Has anybody heard what the long-term plan for Wood is?

 

It almost sounds from some of the things I'm hearing is that he might be on the 'Smoltz' plan -- going to the bullpen for a year or two as 'rehab' with the potential to return to the rotation.

 

I'm not sure there is a long term plan. I think they are going season-by-season with him at this point. If he heals enough that he can start, excellent. But if he has to be a closer at this point in his career, so be it. But I don't think anyone can say with any certainty how he will heal up.

[goonys evil twin]

Has anybody heard what the long-term plan for Wood is?

 

It almost sounds from some of the things I'm hearing is that he might be on the 'Smoltz' plan -- going to the bullpen for a year or two as 'rehab' with the potential to return to the rotation.

 

I'm not sure there is a long term plan. I think they are going season-by-season with him at this point. If he heals enough that he can start, excellent. But if he has to be a closer at this point in his career, so be it. But I don't think anyone can say with any certainty how he will heal up.

 

That's my guess. I'm sure all involved have a thought in the back of their heads that if all goes well, Wood could be starting by next season, or maybe earlier. But I think the only plan right now is to keep Wood as healthy as possible in order to pitch regularly out of the bullpen in 2007.

[Magnetic Curses]

Has anybody heard what the long-term plan for Wood is?

 

It almost sounds from some of the things I'm hearing is that he might be on the 'Smoltz' plan -- going to the bullpen for a year or two as 'rehab' with the potential to return to the rotation.

 

I'm not sure there is a long term plan. I think they are going season-by-season with him at this point. If he heals enough that he can start, excellent. But if he has to be a closer at this point in his career, so be it. But I don't think anyone can say with any certainty how he will heal up.

 

That's my guess. I'm sure all involved have a thought in the back of their heads that if all goes well, Wood could be starting by next season, or maybe earlier. But I think the only plan right now is to keep Wood as healthy as possible in order to pitch regularly out of the bullpen in 2007.

 

i'd imagine that hendry used the name "john smoltz" a couple times during contract negotiations.

[Danny82]

never mind, i misread the post.

[Soul]

Has anybody heard what the long-term plan for Wood is?

 

It almost sounds from some of the things I'm hearing is that he might be on the 'Smoltz' plan -- going to the bullpen for a year or two as 'rehab' with the potential to return to the rotation.

 

I'm not sure there is a long term plan. I think they are going season-by-season with him at this point. If he heals enough that he can start, excellent. But if he has to be a closer at this point in his career, so be it. But I don't think anyone can say with any certainty how he will heal up.

 

That's my guess. I'm sure all involved have a thought in the back of their heads that if all goes well, Wood could be starting by next season, or maybe earlier. But I think the only plan right now is to keep Wood as healthy as possible in order to pitch regularly out of the bullpen in 2007.

 

i'd imagine that hendry used the name "john smoltz" a couple times during contract negotiations.

 

Probably. I wonder though----Woody just seems so cut out for the closer role to me. Maybe I'm wrong. If he were to become closer and really thrive, it seems to me he might really start liking it.

[TB_11]

If he has good movement on his fastball, he'll only need two pitches to be a successful closer. The changeup will be icing on the cake.

[Twiggy]

Yeah no problem if he can throw the changeup and of course the slider for strikes. Getting ahead in the count with the fastball will be key though.

[radarluv1]

i know i've seen the discussion on woody's control and ERA in the first inning, but i cant remember what the stats were. it always seemed his bad outings started badly, and that he often improved after a rough first inning. i'm sure his approach will be different as a reliever so stats as a starter may not tell the whole story.

[baseball7897]

Yeah no problem if he can throw the changeup and of course the slider for strikes. Getting ahead in the count with the fastball will be key though.

 

It's key for every pitcher. First pitch strike is the best pitch in baseball.

[goonys evil twin]

i know i've seen the discussion on woody's control and ERA in the first inning, but i cant remember what the stats were. it always seemed his bad outings started badly, and that he often improved after a rough first inning. i'm sure his approach will be different as a reliever so stats as a starter may not tell the whole story.

 

His bad outings usually turned bad in one inning, but not necessarily the first. Without looking it up, I think it's been shown before that his first inning is more or less in line with his averages. I think inning 3 or 4 might stand out as his worst in terms of giving up walks, but it probably doesn't mean a whole lot. And I think his 6th inning has generally been his worst overall, as that's when he'd typically cross into the 110+ pitch count and tire.

[imb]

Yeah no problem if he can throw the changeup and of course the slider for strikes. Getting ahead in the count with the fastball will be key though.

 

It's key for every pitcher. First pitch strike is the best pitch in baseball.

 

I disagree, I think it's important to get behind in the count. Is it also important to get 3 outs in an inning and score more runs than the other team?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Yeah no problem if he can throw the changeup and of course the slider for strikes. Getting ahead in the count with the fastball will be key though.

 

It's key for every pitcher. First pitch strike is the best pitch in baseball.

 

I disagree, I think it's important to get behind in the count. Is it also important to get 3 outs in an inning and score more runs than the other team?

 

I would prefer to mix it up -- some balls, some strikes. Maybe bean a guy or two.

[Magnetic Curses]

Yeah no problem if he can throw the changeup and of course the slider for strikes. Getting ahead in the count with the fastball will be key though.

 

It's key for every pitcher. First pitch strike is the best pitch in baseball.

 

I disagree, I think it's important to get behind in the count. Is it also important to get 3 outs in an inning and score more runs than the other team?

 

reminds me of when santo said: "well, heredia is behind in the count, a situation that he loves pitch from apparently."

[BigbadB]

reminds me of when santo said: "well, heredia is behind in the count, a situation that he loves pitch from apparently."

 

Haha! I miss Felix. Well, that might be stretching things a bit. Well, that might be stretching things a lot, actually. He was alright, I guess. Hmm, that's not quite accurate, either. Well, I never really liked Heredia. I take that back. I despised Heredia with every fiber of my being.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Unless Wood ends up in the closer's role, my feeling is this will be his last season in Chicago.

 

I don't see the Cubs spending the money to keep him in the pen or taking the chance with him as a starter with the other contract obligations they will have in 2008 and beyond.

[rocket]

Unless Wood ends up in the closer's role, my feeling is this will be his last season in Chicago.

 

I don't see the Cubs spending the money to keep him in the pen or taking the chance with him as a starter with the other contract obligations they will have in 2008 and beyond.

 

same reason prior will be gone when his contract is up.

[CuseCubFan69]

Unless Wood ends up in the closer's role, my feeling is this will be his last season in Chicago.

 

I don't see the Cubs spending the money to keep him in the pen or taking the chance with him as a starter with the other contract obligations they will have in 2008 and beyond.

 

I agree unless they move Dempster and or Eyre.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Unless Wood ends up in the closer's role, my feeling is this will be his last season in Chicago.

 

I don't see the Cubs spending the money to keep him in the pen or taking the chance with him as a starter with the other contract obligations they will have in 2008 and beyond.

 

same reason prior will be gone when his contract is up.

 

I think a great season this year by Prior could keep him a Cub with an extension.

 

With Wood, even if he has a great season, there will be doubts about him being a healthy starter.