The “Business” of Re-Signing Kerry Wood and Other Bullets

LSU played like crap last night, no doubt, but they’ve got to be feeling a bit screwed this morning. Look over the collective bodies of work for LSU and Alabama in the 2011 season, and it’s not even a close argument as to which had the better season. Good think I don’t care a whit about the SEC.

  • Bruce Miles says Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer have no loyalty to Kerry Wood, nor should they, and if Wood leaves, it’s “just business.” Unfortunately, I’m not as able to be as professional and dispassionate as Bruce. If the Cubs fail to re-sign Kerry Wood because of a couple million or so bucks (Wood is reportedly asking for $4 million), I’ll be mighty sad, “future performance” be damned. If, on the other hand, the Cubs and Kerry would genuinely like to see the pitcher get a better shot at a ring in 2012, then I’ll gladly cheer for Kerry wherever he signs. (That all said, I still think Kerry gloriously strolls on stage at the Convention to announce that he’s re-signed.)
  • One more Wood bullet: I keep reading that a guy like Kerry Wood serves no purpose on a rebuilding team (Barry Rozner says it the most oafishly: “[F]or a team rebuilding, Wood serves very little purpose. This is something Cubs fans might not like to hear, but it also happens to be true. Of course, Cubs fans were none too happy a year ago when it said right here that Wood with the Cubs made little sense, since the Cubs weren’t going anywhere in 2011 and those innings should have been taken by someone growing into the role. But it was such a cute story and hardly anyone likes reality to get in the way of cute.”). Excuse me, but do you really think that a team full of young players and young pitchers has no use for a guy like Kerry Wood? The 2012 Cubs, whatever their plan for “competitiveness,” could use a presence like Kerry Wood as much as any team in baseball. It’s not about “chemistry,” mind you, it’s about learning. You want those young players to develop in the best possible way? One piece of that process is having a couple guys like Wood around.
  • Bruce Levine speculates that, if the Cubs’ pitchers were to stay the same for the 2012 season, Randy Wells would be the odd man out of the rotation. If all six of Garza, Dempster, Wells, Maholm, Wood, and Volstad are all here in April, I suppose I’d have to agree. I think Wells still has a great deal of value as a starter – look no further than how he excellently he pitched last year after he was finally over his forearm strain – but it’s hard to bounce any of the other five. Optioning one of the younger guys to AAA is a theoretical possibility, but I would be shocked if all six are still here come Opening Day.
  • Jed Hoyer will be on CSN’s Hot Stove this evening at 5pm CT.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer says the Cubs anticipate bringing back pitcher Rodrigo Lopez, presumably on a minor league deal. Lopez will duke it out in Spring Training for the long-coveted 9th starter spot.
  • Notable in Carrie Muskat’s Q/A yesterday: Cubs single game tickets go on sale online on March 9.
  • Yesterday, Barry Larkin, the long-time face of the Cincinnati Reds, deservedly got the call to the Hall of Fame. Good for him.
  • Completely random stat I’m having trouble explaining in my head: last year, the team with the best road attendance was the New York Yankees (no surprise). Number two? The Cincinnati Reds. The best explanation I can come up with: the Reds benefited from playing a disproportionate number of games in ballparks that had very high attendance last year (Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis). I doubt it was a case of everyone just having to see Drew Stubbs.
  • Folks are meme-ing a photo set of Greg Maddux looking like a hipster. The photo, and my offering:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    WATCH: Owen Caissie Stays Alive to Crush a 424ft Homer

    Owen Caissie's third home run of the season was a scorcher! The 21-year-old took Columbus Clippers pitched Adam Oller deep in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cubs a 4-2 lead. The four-seamer was placed perfectly over...

    Cody Bellinger Returned and Was Like, No, Seriously, I’m BACK

    We were all bummed when Cody Bellinger crashed into that wall and fractured two of his ribs for all the obvious reason. No team wants to play without their star center fielder and top-2 hitter. But the injury was especially...

    MLBits: Red Sox Starters Cutting Back on the Heater, A Horrific Trade for the Marlins, More

    MLB Notes — The latest from around Major League Baseball ... The Boston Red Sox have one of the best rotations in baseball through the first month-plus, but it's interesting to see how they're achieving their success this year. Red...

    Chicago Cubs Lineup: Loading Up with Lefties vs Dylan Cease

    CUBS LINEUP — Another day, another rubber match. That's all we have around here. Let's take a look at the Cubs lineup for the finale at Wrigley Field against Dylan Cease and the Padres. Chicago Cubs Lineup: Nico Hoerner, SS...

    We Might Eventually Run Out of Praise for Shota Imanaga, But Not Yet

    It's becoming a routine at this point, but his performances keep justifying it! Shota Imanaga was fantastic once again last night, going 7.0+ innings, allowing 2 ER on 7 H and just 1 BB, while striking out 8. He is...

    Counsell’s Decision on Imanaga, Suzuki Plan, White Sox Trade, Morel, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Thoughts are with folks who were impacted by the severe weather in the Midwest yesterday and last night. We wound up in our basement most of the evening with tornado sirens going off, though thankfully everything was fine. I was...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 8, 2024: Hendricks’ Rehab Start, Pelicans Triple Play, More

    Kyle Hendricks had a successful rehab start with the Iowa Cubs on Tuesday, and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans turned in an impressive triple play! That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report | May 8, 2024 Triple-A...

    Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ Saved That Game with Two Incredible Defensive Plays

    The Cubs may have won last night's game because of Shota Imanaga's dominance, Chris Morel's sac fly, Cody Bellinger's homer, and Michael Busch's lightning-fueled walk-off. But the game was saved by two huge defensive moments from Ian Happ and Nico...

    Another Successful Rehab Outing for Kyle Hendricks

    Rehab start number two for Kyle Hendricks was another largely successful one, with both results and good health (he got up to 85 pitches). https://twitter.com/IowaCubs/status/1787992856868561361 https://twitter.com/voiceofcohen2/status/1788009083930304736 https://twitter.com/AlyssaHertel/status/1788021711008391636 The fact that the rotation at the big league level has been doing...

    More Fun With Michael Busch’s Walk-Off Homer

    As the rains were coming down hard, it was fair to wonder whether the Cubs and Padres were going to get to finish that game before going into a rain delay. I'm sure nobody really wanted that to happen, which...

    Latest News

    FanDuel Promo Code: Bet $5, Win $150 in Bonus Bets Today!

    In the bustling arena of online sports betting, the FanDuel promo code emerges as a beacon for bettors with an offer too tempting to pass up. For those ready to dive into the action, the FanDuel promo code unlocks an...

    WATCH: Owen Caissie Stays Alive to Crush a 424ft Homer

    Owen Caissie's third home run of the season was a scorcher! The 21-year-old took Columbus Clippers pitched Adam Oller deep in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cubs a 4-2 lead. The four-seamer was placed perfectly over...

    Pascal Siakam Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Knicks – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    On Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET, the Indiana Pacers face the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Pascal Siakam's 3-pointer over/under for this clash requires only one trifecta.Pascal Siakam's Three-Pointer Prop...

    Tyrese Haliburton Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Knicks – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the Indiana Pacers against the New York Knicks, with Tyrese Haliburton needing three treys to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Tyrese Haliburton's Three-Pointer...

    Donte DiVincenzo Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pacers – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the New York Knicks versus the Indiana Pacers, with Donte DiVincenzo needing four trifectas to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Donte DiVincenzo's Three-Pointer...

    Myles Turner Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Knicks – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    On Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET, the Indiana Pacers face the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and Myles Turner's 3-pointer prop for this matchup requires two triples.Myles Turner's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

    Jalen Brunson Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pacers – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    The New York Knicks meet the Indiana Pacers at 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this clash requires three triples from Jalen...

    Josh Hart Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Pacers – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Wednesday, May 8, 2024

    At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, it'll be the New York Knicks versus the Indiana Pacers, with Josh Hart needing two treys to beat his 3-pointer over/under.Josh Hart's Three-Pointer...

    Top Player Prop Bets for Knicks vs. Pacers Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2 on May 8, 2024

    Player prop bet odds for Jalen Brunson, Pascal Siakam and others are listed when the New York Knicks host the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (at 8:00 PM ET).How to Watch Knicks vs. PacersDate: Wednesday, May 8,...

    2024 Myrtle Beach Classic: Ultimate Course Preview, Plus Key Stats

    While the best and brightest compete up at the Wells Fargo, the grinders and lifers are down at the Myrtle Beach Classic, playing at the alt-event right before tourist season really kicks into high gear on the Golden Strand. Obviously,...

    more cubs news