Wood to Avoid Throwing Curveball This Season

[Magnetic Curses]

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.

 

yeah, so did ron.

[Coach C]

Fine by me.

 

Usually 3 pitches is good enough in the pen IIRC.

 

Isn't the curveball one of the contributing factors on his injury?

[Coach C]

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.

 

I'd think, with Wood's reasoning, that if he wants to continue to keep playing, say another 5-6 years, without risking of re-injuring himself, he would have to come into a conclusion that being a reliever is the best option for him, and his career.

[baseball7897]

Fine by me.

 

Usually 3 pitches is good enough in the pen IIRC.

 

Isn't the curveball one of the contributing factors on his injury?

 

Yeah, though the slider probably was the pitch that doomed him.

[Omar]

Does it make anyone else sad that a pitcher with his capability has to settle for the pen? I think back and say "Man, he has so much potential"... Well, at least he's pitching. I think he'll be great out of the pen, according to 2005.

[ConstableRabbit]

Damn. He doesn't need it, but Woody's curve is so filthy. I love watching him throw it.

[texascub]

Damn. He doesn't need it, but Woody's curve is so filthy. I love watching him throw it.

 

When it didn't hang, which it seemed to do more and more in recent years.

[MPrior]

Damn. He doesn't need it, but Woody's curve is so filthy. I love watching him throw it.

 

Seconded. I would love watching him freeze up hitters for a called strike 3 with it. I'd get all excited, even when the Cubs were losing pretty bad.

[Guest]

Does it make anyone else sad that a pitcher with his capability has to settle for the pen? I think back and say "Man, he has so much potential"... Well, at least he's pitching. I think he'll be great out of the pen, according to 2005.

 

its a long list.

[Guest]

I believe the pen will be a short stint with Wood. I think if Wood can reinvent himself as a pitcher, I COULD see Wood returning to the rotation, provided he can handle it.

[mg420]

I believe the pen will be a short stint with Wood. I think if Wood can reinvent himself as a pitcher, I COULD see Wood returning to the rotation, provided he can handle it.

 

i think this would be a big mistake. if he can stay healthy in the pen, with his stuff he will be very successful. he has proven the last few years that he cannot handle starting and to move him back would quite likely threaten him with a career ending injury. with guys like guzman, veal & gahallager and perhaps mateo on the near horizon to go along with z, hill, lilly, marquis, miller and hopefully prior the rotation will be very solid without him and the pen will be that much stronger with him.

[goonys evil twin]

I believe the pen will be a short stint with Wood. I think if Wood can reinvent himself as a pitcher, I COULD see Wood returning to the rotation, provided he can handle it.

 

i think this would be a big mistake. if he can stay healthy in the pen, with his stuff he will be very successful. he has proven the last few years that he cannot handle starting and to move him back would quite likely threaten him with a career ending injury. with guys like guzman, veal & gahallager and perhaps mateo on the near horizon to go along with z, hill, lilly, marquis, miller and hopefully prior the rotation will be very solid without him and the pen will be that much stronger with him.

 

The rotation may or may not be solid. I think it would be a mistake to move him to the rotation quickly. But there's nothing wrong with moving him back there eventually.

[Amazing_Grace]

I believe the pen will be a short stint with Wood. I think if Wood can reinvent himself as a pitcher, I COULD see Wood returning to the rotation, provided he can handle it.

 

i think this would be a big mistake. if he can stay healthy in the pen, with his stuff he will be very successful. he has proven the last few years that he cannot handle starting and to move him back would quite likely threaten him with a career ending injury. with guys like guzman, veal & gahallager and perhaps mateo on the near horizon to go along with z, hill, lilly, marquis, miller and hopefully prior the rotation will be very solid without him and the pen will be that much stronger with him.

 

The rotation may or may not be solid. I think it would be a mistake to move him to the rotation quickly. But there's nothing wrong with moving him back there eventually.

 

Except that he's proven that he can't stay healthy in the rotation, which is why he's moving to the pen. I think if Wood has a future in baseball it's as a reliever. I would be surprised if Wood doesn't end up a very good closer.

 

Cutting out the curveball is a no-brainer. It's always been this pitch that put so much stress on his arm. I guess he felt he must have really needed it to be effective, or he would have cut it out sooner. A reliever only really needs 2 pitches to be effective and 3, which Wood will have even without the curve, is a bonus.

[goonys evil twin]

Except that he's proven that he can't stay healthy in the rotation, which is why he's moving to the pen.

 

He's also proven he can stay healthy. There's no way you can be certain he'll never be able to pitch a complete season again. He's had setbacks for certain. And it will be tough to pull off. But if he makes it through this year healthy and feels good going into next season, I don't see why he, or whatever team he plays for, would refuse to try to start him again in the future.