Kerry Wood On His Cubs Tenure

OK, I know. He's an Indian now, not a Cub. I thought the article was interesting in bringing out some of Wood's thoughts on his days here, how he at times wanted nothing more than to leave, and his favorite time as a Cub:

''No, 2003 probably, that playoff run we had,'' he said of the Cubs' ill-fated trip to the National League Championship Series. ''First time since '45 we got that close to the World Series. It was a magical season, and I was kind of in the center of that.

''And I had a blast doing it with the home run in Game 7 -- even though it was short-lived because I gave up two runs the next inning. But as far as great memories, after hitting first base and heading toward second and seeing the bleachers erupt and beer flying everywhere, it was probably one of my most special moments there.''

The Cubs' first possible look at their old teammate (and ex-Cub Mark DeRosa, too) will be Wednesday, March 4, at the Indians' new complex in Goodyear.

almost 3 years ago Al Yellon 29 comments 0 recs |

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Single tear

I loved Kerry Wood as much as everyone else. With that being said, my period of mourning is over. Where’s my Gregg jersey at?

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Feb 17, 2009 8:21 AM CST reply actions

As I have said before...

… the reason I wanted Wood to stay is simply because I felt the Cubs bullpen would have been better off with Marmol/Wood than with Marmol/Gregg or Gregg/Marmol.

But, I guess we’ll find out.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 17, 2009 8:27 AM CST up reply actions

No, I agree.

I wasn’t serious about Gregg, although I think he’ll be a solid setup man. But at the same time, what’s done is done. I’m glad we didn’t sign Kerry for what the Indians did.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Feb 17, 2009 8:30 AM CST up reply actions

You're right, but

While Wood/Marmol > Marmol/Gregg, Marmol/Gregg/Bradley is better than Wood/Marmol/Not Bradley. The Wood non-deal and trade for Gregg did not happen in a vacuum.

Some people have 3 layers, like pie. Blog Blog Blog

by berselius on Feb 17, 2009 9:26 AM CST up reply actions

i will miss woody

a class act. i think we will miss him sooner than most people think. i hope marmol stays dominant, but latroy hawkins could never close, even at his best. the worst thing dusty tried to do, was make hawkins the closer.
hopefully marmol will have a better mindset than hawkins. at least with wood, you knew he was ready for the challenge mentally every day.

wheatfield mike down here in god's country

by wheatfield mike on Feb 17, 2009 8:22 AM CST reply actions

I will miss Wood

And I hope he has a great three seasons in Cleveland, reaches his vesting option for the third year, and gets to PH in the 9th at Wrigley with the Cubs up by 5 in each of their three game set.

"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic

by Cubbie-Tim on Feb 17, 2009 9:35 AM CST reply actions

Bar none

The moment Wood hit that HR in game 7 was the loudest I have ever heard Wrigley Field. If I was not so excited I would have been scared to be in the bleachers.

by gocubsgo22 on Feb 17, 2009 9:44 AM CST reply actions

I agree with Kerry

My favorite moment, of all the games at Wrigley, was the same as Wood’s. Everyone in that park thought the game had turned around, and it was a sign from God that we would be making it to the World Series. Guess we were wrong.

My second favorite moment was when Sammy Sosa cracked a walk off HR onto Waveland and the bleachers erupted. He did the same thing the next day, and, if I recall correctly, it smashed a window across the street.

I dont care what anyone says – steroids make the game more fun.

by Champ Summers on Feb 17, 2009 9:55 AM CST reply actions

Provided Kerry maintains

the cordial relationship with the org, he will always be welcomed as a hero when his career is complete. He will be as liked as the other players of the last 30 years who starred in playoff appearances. Santo, Williams, Banks, Hawk, Fergie.

While those four had HOF worthy careers and Woody’s was curtailed by injury, he was an important member of the team for a decade.

If he trashes the organization on national television ala Grace, well…

by N Oakley on Feb 17, 2009 10:43 AM CST reply actions

He won't trash the organization.

Grace has always been a bit of a jerk, no? I don’t think Kerry is like that…but then again, I’ve have 0 interactions with the guys.

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Feb 17, 2009 9:42 PM CST up reply actions

when did grace trash the cubs?

i remember him being the announcer for the d’backs and saying he wanted them to win, but that’s what a paid, biased announcer is supposed to do….

There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner

by laidbackliam on Feb 18, 2009 12:01 AM CST up reply actions

Grace trashed the Cubs...

… after the D’backs won the World Series. The specific quote was:

“I’m not good enough to play for the Chicago Cubs, but I’m good enough to play for the World Champions.”

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 18, 2009 4:08 AM CST up reply actions

I think that was not meant to trash the Cubs

but to slap upper management in the jaw. He has said many times he loves the fans, and wanted to interview for the manager position before Lou was signed.

"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic

by Cubbie-Tim on Feb 18, 2009 11:00 AM CST up reply actions

Maybe.

But it didn’t come across that way.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 18, 2009 5:05 PM CST up reply actions

I remember that quote when it happened

and I lean towards Cubbie-Tim’s interpretation. Granted, I’m not as much of a die-hard as many of you, but I wasn’t offended at all. In fact, I chuckled when I heard it because I thought it was a definite dig at Cubs mgmt and their efforts towards getting rid of Grace. Justifiable dig, in my book, but didn’t think it was directed towards his ex-teammates and certainly not the fans.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Feb 18, 2009 10:33 PM CST up reply actions

I felt it was a slap at the fans.

Why say it at all? Why not just say he was happy to win a World Series?

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 19, 2009 9:28 AM CST up reply actions

I didn't feel that it was

I felt that it was a shot at MacPhail. Possibly warrented, but unnecessary. Grace could have taken the high road, but he chose to air his dirty laundry on national television. That in an of itself doesn’t make him a bad guy, but he could have been classier.

How is that a shot at the fans? You and I have no say on personnel decisions, nor do we influence the win/loss record. While we identify strongly with the Cubs, we aren’t the Cubs.

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Feb 19, 2009 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

You hit the nail on the head when you said ...

… “it could have been classier”. More than that, it was classless and rude.

Grace dropped a mile in my estimation when he said that. It came across as an insult to Cubs fans, whether he meant it that way or not.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 19, 2009 4:13 PM CST up reply actions

Kerry Wood needs to move on

Frankly, he is a Cleveland Indian now. He needs to stop waxing philosophically about his days as member of the Cubs. He was well liked and made millions of dollars in a Cub uniform. And on those too infrequent times when his right arm was actually healthy he provided some memorable experiences. But the Cubs have moved on and it is time Kerry Wood move on. If I’m Cleveland I’m a little bit pissed off with Wood never shutting up about the Cubs and trying to paint himself as the patron Saint of Cubbie baseball.

by BLou on Feb 17, 2009 10:49 AM CST reply actions

No offense but

that’s a bizarre thing to say – I don’t think there’s been a player in the history of baseball who went to a new team and wasn’t asked by the press about the previous team. In a press conference, reporters ask questions and athletes answer them. I’m pretty sure he didn’t just randomly call a press conference to “wax philosophically” about his time as a Cub.

Chill out buddy. There’s more important things in life to get annoyed at.

by cubsonWGN4ever on Feb 17, 2009 3:31 PM CST up reply actions

agreed

Yea, BLou needs to take his bad attitude about Wood elsewhere. Wood is probably one of the most well liked Cubbies of the past 15 years and this article is just more evidence as to how he truly became part of Chicago and will be remembered as a Cub for life. Mind you how he devoted himself to the city and wanted to come back for significantly less money this season. I cannot wait to see him throw when the Tribe does come to town in June though.

by careyrd on Feb 17, 2009 6:36 PM CST up reply actions

Wrong about Kerry Wood's willingness to come back to the Cubs on the cheap

Fact is Jim Hendry says Wood wanted 3 years. So lets not get too carried away with painting Kerry Wood as the patron saint of all that is righteous and good about baseball. I like Wood as much as the next person, but I’m not going to forget the extreme downs that went with the all too infrequent ups of his tenure in a Cub uniform. Like Hendry said, 36% of his last four years were spent on the DL. Fact is the Cubs did not get fair market value return for their multi-million dollar 14 year investment in Wood.

Thank you Kerry Wood. But enough. You go on with your business in Cleveland. The Cubs have already thanked you enough and have turned the page.

by BLou on Feb 17, 2009 11:20 PM CST up reply actions

I kindly disagree

he was an icon in Chicago, and has a lot of memories. He played for a historic team, and people will ask him questions about his time here.

it is also good that he is painting a good experience as a Cub instead of a negative, which can help to lure other players in the future.

and that is more justified for him to talk about, than 545234523 posts about Peavy to the Cubs posts, since he actually palyed for the Cubs.

"I like coconuts, you can break them open and they smell like ladies lying in the sun" Widespread Panic

by Cubbie-Tim on Feb 17, 2009 6:38 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

DeRo won't be there...

Assuming he makes the final cut (Paul Seiler has mentioned him as being on the “final” roster), he will be at WBC camp on March 4th.

"I've never complained about it. I'm thankful to have a jersey." Mark DeRosa, 22 Aug 2007

by DeRoMyHero on Feb 17, 2009 6:06 PM CST reply actions

OK...

… then Cubs fans will have to wait until 3/29, when the Tribe comes to Mesa. That ought to be a hot ticket.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 17, 2009 6:21 PM CST up reply actions

already ordered mine. :)

by cubsonWGN4ever on Feb 17, 2009 9:28 PM CST up reply actions

the only games that I really want to go to this year

are the ones vs the indians. but i may be gone from the city at that point, so they better not be on wciu….

There's nothing wrong with this team that more pitching, more fielding and more hitting couldn't help......"--Bill Buckner

by laidbackliam on Feb 18, 2009 12:03 AM CST up reply actions

TV schedule for Cleveland series

Fri 6/19: CSN
Sat 6/20: WGN
Sun 6/21: CSN

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Feb 18, 2009 4:09 AM CST up reply actions

Kerry

I will always appreciate what Kerry would brought with him. He understood Cub fans and we understood him. He will always be welcomed back to Wrigley Field.

This is my first post in a long time. I changed my signature below to reflect my feelings about the upcoming season (and post season).

I love watching the Cubs during the season and dread watching them in the playoffs.

by Cub Fan Mike on Feb 17, 2009 9:34 PM CST reply actions