We won't win with Wood

[imb]

so far Wood has had his best control of his career - by far. 3.47 ppa.

[CubColtPacer]

The problem isn't just with hitting the first batter in an inning. IIRC, he now has hit 4 or 5 batters to start an inning and has walked 4 others to start an inning.

 

But anyone who expected differently was wishing on a star. Wood didn't have the best control as a starter, and when you don't have 2 or 3 innings to work out of it, this kind of sporadic success is to be expected.

 

He's hit batters 3 times to start an inning, and walked 1 batter to start an inning. He has 5 hit by pitches and 5 walks overall. 2 of the 5 walks have been of the intentional variety.

 

He has had a problem with hitting people, but he's been simply great with not walking them. 3 unintentional walks in 25 2/3 innings is actually pretty unbelievable for any pitcher, and simply astounding for a guy like Wood.

[Larry Horse]

I stand corrected; I still think this is what to expect for the rest of his time as closer.

[wrigley23]

All the stars are showing up this evening.

 

what's your point? Any defending of Soriano right now is really naive.

[BCVM22]

Any defending of Soriano right now is really naive.

 

So is plugging away on the same arguments day after day, week after week despite the fact that no one's listening.

[wrigley23]

same arguments? So Soriano blows yet another game & I'm not allowed to post because I complained about him when he lost a prior game? Some on here are allowed to complain about Theriot incessently despite the fact he is putting up a strong obp, average & steals while our $18 mill man has sucked for all but half a dozen games. So only people that defend soriano & slam theriot are allowed to post? How is that?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

People who "slam Theriot and defend Soriano" also post about other topics on occasion.

 

This thread has nothing to do with Soriano, please take the discussion/ranting about him to an appropriate thread.

[abuck1220]

same arguments? So Soriano blows yet another game & I'm not allowed to post because I complained about him when he lost a prior game? Some on here are allowed to complain about Theriot incessently despite the fact he is putting up a strong obp, average & steals while our $18 mill man has sucked for all but half a dozen games. So only people that defend soriano & slam theriot are allowed to post? How is that?

 

you can post whenever you want. it's just when you only post when soriano screws up (and not when he carried the team for a week), you're gonna get called for it.

[Derwood]

same arguments? So Soriano blows yet another game & I'm not allowed to post because I complained about him when he lost a prior game? Some on here are allowed to complain about Theriot incessently despite the fact he is putting up a strong obp, average & steals while our $18 mill man has sucked for all but half a dozen games. So only people that defend soriano & slam theriot are allowed to post? How is that?

 

Brian Roberts, amirite?

[Keener98]

same arguments? So Soriano blows yet another game & I'm not allowed to post because I complained about him when he lost a prior game? Some on here are allowed to complain about Theriot incessently despite the fact he is putting up a strong obp, average & steals while our $18 mill man has sucked for all but half a dozen games. So only people that defend soriano & slam theriot are allowed to post? How is that?

 

9 steals and 8 caught steals, I wouldnt call that strong, Id call that horrible.

[wrigley23]

if theriot's steals are horrible then what do you call soriano's average, obp, baserunning, fielding, average, etc...what have i missed? Theriot is playing circles around the soriano...the mental midget.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Again, please take it to another thread.

[Laura]

The problem isn't just with hitting the first batter in an inning. IIRC, he now has hit 4 or 5 batters to start an inning and has walked 4 others to start an inning.

 

But anyone who expected differently was wishing on a star. Wood didn't have the best control as a starter, and when you don't have 2 or 3 innings to work out of it, this kind of sporadic success is to be expected.

 

He's hit batters 3 times to start an inning, and walked 1 batter to start an inning. He has 5 hit by pitches and 5 walks overall. 2 of the 5 walks have been of the intentional variety.

 

He has had a problem with hitting people, but he's been simply great with not walking them. 3 unintentional walks in 25 2/3 innings is actually pretty unbelievable for any pitcher, and simply astounding for a guy like Wood.

 

How many of the hit batters bat lefty?

[NCCubFan]

This is the Wood-bashing thread. The Soriano-bashing thread is here.

[Yeti]

this thread rocks!!!!

[CubColtPacer]

The problem isn't just with hitting the first batter in an inning. IIRC, he now has hit 4 or 5 batters to start an inning and has walked 4 others to start an inning.

 

But anyone who expected differently was wishing on a star. Wood didn't have the best control as a starter, and when you don't have 2 or 3 innings to work out of it, this kind of sporadic success is to be expected.

 

He's hit batters 3 times to start an inning, and walked 1 batter to start an inning. He has 5 hit by pitches and 5 walks overall. 2 of the 5 walks have been of the intentional variety.

 

He has had a problem with hitting people, but he's been simply great with not walking them. 3 unintentional walks in 25 2/3 innings is actually pretty unbelievable for any pitcher, and simply astounding for a guy like Wood.

 

How many of the hit batters bat lefty?

 

I'll go ahead and track both while I'm at it:

 

On 3/31, he hit Weeks (right-hander) and IBB'd Fielder

 

On April 13th, he hit Dobbs (left-hander) and walked Burrell (right-hander).

 

On May 1st, he hit Counsell (left-hander) and walked Weeks (right-hander)

 

On May 11th, he hit Salazar (left-hander)

 

On May 14th, he walked Gerut (left-hander)

 

On May 24th, he hit Mientkiewicz (left-hander) and IBB'd McLouth.

 

So 4 out of the 5 guys he hit were left-handers, and 1 out of the 3 guys that he unintentionally walked. As you can see, those 10 walks/hit batters have also been jammed into just 6 of his appearances. He has not done either in 18 of his 24 appearances.

[Sammy Sofa]

As you can see, those 10 walks/hit batters have also been jammed into just 6 of his appearances. He has not done either in 18 of his 24 appearances.

 

That easily makes it more frustrating...it's not like a lot of the other bust closers this year, who have been shaky or worse in most of their appeaances, even when they get the save...those other 18 games, he pretty much looks like one of the most dominant bullpen arms in the game.

[nolanwood]

As you can see, those 10 walks/hit batters have also been jammed into just 6 of his appearances. He has not done either in 18 of his 24 appearances.

 

That easily makes it more frustrating...it's not like a lot of the other bust closers this year, who have been shaky or worse in most of their appeaances, even when they get the save...those other 18 games, he pretty much looks like one of the most dominant bullpen arms in the game.

 

Very true - and even when he does hit somebody, he still appears to have his "stuff".

[Irrelevant Dude]

We're not even 2 months into the season and I'm already tired of this debate. I don't understand why Piniella has to defend Wood as the closer after every single blown save. Closers blow saves, it just happens. I don't hear anyone asking questions after he converts successful saves. Unless it gets to the point where Wood is blowing 2-3 consecutive games, I don't think this should even be a story. Wood is doing a solid, while not spectacular, job as the closer and Marmol is doing an outstanding job in the setup role. I wish the media would just leave it at that.

[Outshined_One]

We just won with Wood.

[BCVM22]

We just won with Wood.

 

Impossible. Haven't you heard? We won't win with Wood. It's in the thread title and everything.

[Sammy Sofa]

Well, it was a sham close.

[samhainn77]

Well, it was a sham close.

 

Exactly! Also, whoever was playing left field did poorly tonight. For once it would be nice to have a mental giant who can hit with RISP.

[rocket]

i don't care about the blown saves, wood has been dominant. 32 k's and 5 bb's. that's ridiculous. i thought he was going to be good, but i thought he'd still have control issues. he's been spectacular.

[Sammy Sofa]

Does that inlude the hit batters? If so, wow. If not...wow.