Tribune: Wood Signs Deal with Cleveland (p. 29)

[RynoHawk23]

Pitcher Kerry Wood and the Cubs will part ways after 14 years with the organization, general manager Jim Hendry said today.

Wood, who came up in the Cubs organization as one of the team's most heralded prospects ever, had the longest tenure of any Cubs player on the 2008 roster.

 

Earlier today, the Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Kevin Gregg from Florida on Thursday to plug a hole in the bullpen, sending Double-A prospect Jose Ceda to the Marlins.

Whether Gregg will be a closer, as he was in Florida, or a set-up man depends on if Carlos Marmol is ready to step into a more significant role.

Either way, the Cubs are trying to maintain their options as they head into the free agent season, which officially kicks off on Friday, when teams can makes offers to free agents outside their organization.

 

More on the Gregg deal in Hardball

-- Paul Sullivan, Chicago Breaking News Center

[Electron Blue]

:shock:

[Old Style]

That was posted on the Gregg thread. I am bummed.

[RynoHawk23]

Sorry, I didn't know if it should be its own topic. I feel like Kerry is worth it.

 

This blows.

[Old Style]

Yeah, this probably warrants its own thread. :(

[El Rojito]

My favorite Cub since Ryno.

 

Farewell, Kerry.

[UMFan83]

I'm more sad than I am pissed off because of this move.

[C.C.]

I hope he signs with a American League team. I don't want to even face him.

[Electron Blue]

It won't be too hard to see the Cubs without Wood. 1999, 2006, and 2007 weren't that long ago . . . I remember what's it like to not have Kerry Wood pitching for us. The difference now will be we won't be paying him.

 

 

(okay, that was a little more cynical than I actually feel -- just trying to rationalize this already)

[OleMissCub]

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh153/OleMissCub17/027669_27.jpg

[RynoHawk23]

I know there are probably good reasons on both sides of the bill on whether or not to sign him or keep him a Cub. Sometimes don't you just wish everything wasn't about money in baseball though?

 

I mean the Kerry Wood situation has been different than most I've seen in my fanhood. Kerry seemed to WANT to be here - and I know this is probably not his choice to leave. But you would hope the club could come up with a fair market deal for a guy that's given everything to the franchise - especially when we have one of the top payrolls in baseball now. Now we have a need or at least a question mark at the end of our bullpen. Doesn't make a lot of sense. What's really unfair is a guy like Fukudome is getting $12 million a year now to platoon. Nice.

 

Kerry Wood was an all-time favorite of mine. He'll always be a Cub to me.

[jyoung55]

This is awful news. He was effective and he has a big place in all of our hearts. I don't understand why you wouldn't bring him back.

[OleMissCub]

We keep him all these years where he does nothing, and now he starts producing and we cut him loose.

[haubrich91]

This sucks. One of my all-time favorite Chicago Cubs ever.

 

Have a great career the rest of the way, #34.

[MPC]

Hendry:

 

"I think we all feel that Kerry is certainly deserving of a three- or four-year contract," Hendry said. "He’s done everything this organization has asked for the last 14 years, been a warrior the last couple of years. He's come back and health-wise stood the test of time, taken the ball every day we needed, and had no hang-ups, except for (missing one month with a blister injury).

"We’re just in a situation, as Kerry fully understands, that that length of deal, for the kind of salary he’d command right now, is not our first priority. We certainly have to finish our rotation, we have offensive situations to address, and by having the prominence that (Carlos) Marmol now brings to the table, it certainly doesn’t come before the other needs we have. We felt it was time Kerry goes out and does what’s best for him and his family, and gets a huge multi-year deal if possible."

[mdwilla]

"The obvious question to ask and address is, `What about Kerry Wood?’ " Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "We all feel Kerry is deserving of a three- or four-year, long-term contract. We’re just in a position now, as Kerry understands, that the length of that deal for the salary he would command right now is not our first priority."

 

Hendry said he spoke in recent days to Wood about that and said that based on their tight relationship that it was only fair to Wood and his family to encourage him to seek the best deal he could on the free agent market rather than leave him "dangling" over a possible chance to return, possibly at a discount.

 

"I don’t think I’ve had a longer or more special relationship with anybody else in baseball," Hendry said of the star-crossed Wood, a first-round draft pick in 1995 who won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1998 and earned All-Star recognition as both a starter (2003) and closer (2008).

 

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/1278150,cubs-trade111308.article

[Electron Blue]

We keep him all these years where he does nothing, and now he starts producing and we cut him loose.

 

he was cheaper when he wasn't producing, too :)

Edited November 13, 2008 by Electron Blue

[Jehrico]

I'm pissed. Jimbo has alot of making up to do this offseason already, especially if he expects Kevin Freaking Gregg to fill the hole. Here's to hoping Gregg is just someone the Padres were interested in.

[Peoriaman]

good move by the Cubs. Kerry got as much, if not more, from us than we got from him.

[Electron Blue]

I like how it's pretty consistently "Kevin Freaking Gregg" already :)

 

How soon before he becomes a Howry-esque bad word replacement? Before he pitches for us? lol

[jersey cubs fan]

We keep him all these years where he does nothing, and now he starts producing and we cut him loose.

 

That's just plain old stupid.

[17 Seconds]

Who would have ever thought that both Prior and Wood would both be gone by 2009?

[bukie]

good move by the Cubs. Kerry got as much, if not more, from us than we got from him.

2 near career-ending arm injuries and a heaping of misplaced blame?

[illiniguy]

I am glad we can pay Marquis 10 million next year, but don't have the money for Woody. :banghead:

[Cubswin11]

Hendry:

 

"I think we all feel that Kerry is certainly deserving of a three- or four-year contract," Hendry said. "He’s done everything this organization has asked for the last 14 years, been a warrior the last couple of years. He's come back and health-wise stood the test of time, taken the ball every day we needed, and had no hang-ups, except for (missing one month with a blister injury).

"We’re just in a situation, as Kerry fully understands, that that length of deal, for the kind of salary he’d command right now, is not our first priority. We certainly have to finish our rotation, we have offensive situations to address, and by having the prominence that (Carlos) Marmol now brings to the table, it certainly doesn’t come before the other needs we have. We felt it was time Kerry goes out and does what’s best for him and his family, and gets a huge multi-year deal if possible."

I can't believe it :( :banghead: :cray: :cry: . Good luck Kerry wherever you may go. I don't get it we can give Dempster 4+years@45+mil and not even give Kerry a 2-3 year deal...