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Woody is indeed back.  Now lets get Fukudome and get out of there.

I also agree that this is a smart move for him economically.  If he plays half the season, he still could get the same deal he got this year.  If he plays a full season, he may be able to get Francisco Cordero's deal.

DmL

2008 will mark Wood's 14th season in the Cubs organization

DmL

  I think he'll always be a part of Cubs baseball.  Here he's special, anywhere else he's just some player. (think Johnny Damon as a god in Boston, and how he's just some outfielder in New York). I just picture him forty years from now having a heart attack up in the broadcast booth, living and dying with every play ala Santo.(Then again, I always thought Gracie was that guy too, so I may be wrong).

For all of you people complaining for Hendry to do something, relax, he just did.  

Financially I could care less how he takes care of himself, that is his job he already has received top dollars so I am certain both parties know the risk and rewards. If Wood shines I am certain both parties promised to take a look at extending the contract in the mid season as the risk for Wood is that at any day he could come down lame.

So now I think the move of Dempster to the 5th spot in the rotation is also complete. Cubs have Zambrano-Lilly-Hill-Marquis-Dempster with Marshall in the swing/back up.

So now the question drills down to the utility IF'er, (Kaz?), RF (Fukudome? Crawford? unknown 3rd back up move?).

My thinking is that if the Cubs land Kaz and Fukudome they will look to move Marquis and probably Hill and seek a big time starter to make a big threesome with Lilly leaving Marshall and Hart or another up and coming rookie to fight for those 24 or so starts. Naturally the biggest catch which might never be caught is Santana. Another is Bedard who is now being valued.

Bedard would insure that the Cubs would trade at least one possibly two of their lefties;  Marshall and Veal or Gallagher. Trading Hill for Bedard add little to the Cubs unless the Cubs know Hill is about to blow an elbow. Marquis is the other tradable piece that Hendry probably has a verbal promise to move him if he is unhappy where teams are always looking for a 4th-5th starter with 200 IP'd. Adding Bedard would improve the rotation incrementally if Hill remained moving him to a 4th spot and moving Lilly to a 3rd spot and Dempster to the 5th spot.

But the Cubs would also have to give up at least Cedeno and possibly Eric Patterson for Bedard. This would not be a bad trade, Marshall, Veal(prospect), Cedeno, and Patterson. This would allow McPhail to trade Tejeda to someone like St. Louis or Houston or Colorado or even the small hitting Angels or Padres for more prospects.  But of course this is just speculation.

Evrything is connected, now Wood is on paper to be part of the bullpen; along with Howry, Eyre, Marmol, Wuertz, Ohman, Hart and Wood...the seven. Starters are now Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, Marquis, Dempster. Cubs have Marshall, Gallagher, Mateo, Guzman, Pignatiello, Petrick in the AAA hole. Smarz, Veal are AA arms plus a few more up and comers. I see a trade and a significant one.

THIS is very bad news in my opinion.  Our rotation, more than anything, was exposed in the playoffs, and is in dire need for solidification in order for this team to reasonably compete.  

Wood's signing great news...the fallout from such, not necessarily such good news.

These guys seem pretty convinced...  Not me

Anyway, I'm glad to see this signing. What seems likely is that Wood will be in the closer mix, with every opportunity to win the job. If he does, and if he succeeds, they can sign him to an extension before season's end.

If he fails, or if he gets hurt again, then it'll be time to cut the cord. But this is a low-risk, low-dollar (less than Scott Linebrink, for heaven's sake) contract. Kudos to Hendry.

The larger point here: just because we don't see anything happening, doesn't mean things aren't happening. If Hendry had listened to everyone around here that screamed "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR," who knows. Maybe we'd be stuck with a much pricier deal for a pitcher who has a bad health track record. Maybe Wood wanted to kick the tires on free agency no matter what, and if Hendry had gone with the hard sell he'd be with some other team now.

We're not even at the winter meetings, folks. And Hendry has a track record of getting the guys he wants. (Whether or not he wants the right guys all the time is a topic for another day.) So could we all try relaxing around here for a bit?

Well the weather still stinks the Bears did win and the Cubs signed Kerry.

I don't think being a Cub has meant more to anyone more than it means to Kerry maybe since Ryno.

I have a thought to throw out about Prior. It seems to me that he just disappeared after he was injured and gone for a little while. I don't know what I expected out of him, until I saw what we got out of Wood during the times he has been gone.

I still heard about Wood doing rehab stints here and there and doing appearances, fundraisers, signings, etc for the better part of his lost time. Perhaps Prior did many of these things too, but I personally never saw or heard of it. That's part of the reason I just don't really care what happens with Prior and stopped waiting for a miracle.

So if I feel that gap, I am betting that Prior feels the same gap with the lack of interest and or support from the fans. I am a Cubs fan more by feeling, intuition, and memory that one by stats and numbers. So that makes me more touchy feely in my analysis I guess, lol

But, thankfully, this isn't the worst deal, the Cubs won't lose that much when he goes down again. (and you know he will)It ain't my money.

He "allegedly" tuned down bigger offers....says the media, and many here. Well, Wood has made the smartest choice. Even he knows he's one pitch away from ending a career. The friendly Chicago fans and media will just say (when this inevitably happens) "Well, he tried. Whatta guy. Loyal to the Cubs until the end." If he failed in Boston, (Let's say, for discussion's sake since the Sox were 'allegedly' kicking Wood's tires) he and the team would be roundly attacked.
At least Jacque Jones showed up every day to play(usually not that well) and he was blistered here. KW, tho -- can pitch a mere few innings, and can  do no wrong. But, those "We Got Wood" T-shirts are still good.

This is so disingenious on the part of Kerry Wood I cannot believe anybody here cannot see this. I realize I am absolutely alone here on this, but -- so be it.

This 4-million could have been spent on a 2-year deal for Doug Brocail of the Padres, a free-agent who can seemingly......pitch. Look for the Astros to overpay to sign this guy. If he's effective as he was with the Padres, it's an 'under the radar' deal that will really help Houston. Or, perhaps he's another Scott Linebrink -- the Padres will have rid themselves of him as he falters.

Granted, the 4 mil for Brocail is very high. But, expect something like that coming for the guy, probably in Houston. The Pads don't want to pay him more than the minimum. In fact, they have no intention of re-signing him.

And of course, the MM Field effect will probably skew Brocail's stats. (Again, that is IF this deal happens. It's NOT  a sure thing, it is an educated guess in today's Union-Tribune sports, as Brocail lives in Texas, and the Astros are sniffing around at him) But, this guy is gonna get a pay day from somebody.

If Wood makes it through an entire season, I want everybody here to remind me I said he wouldn't. But given Wood's history, if he makes it to March 22nd without some sort of friggin' problem, it will be amazing.

I just don't see a 'sentimental' signing as beneficial to the Cubs -- certainly, it is to Wood. This guy is teflon....

But, in retrospect, TEFLON is the wrong comparison. At least my frying pans last for years..............