Are The Cubs Making The Right Decision In Re-Signing Kerry Wood?
In case you haven’t heard by now, the Cubs and Kerry Wood are “close” to a new contract that would bring the reliever back for 2012, with an option for the 2013 season.
This ends the past week’s speculation that the Cubs and Wood could part ways, with teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds rumored to have interest in the 34-year-old Wood.
That speculation was birthed thanks to the reports that Wood wasn’t happy with what the Cubs were offering. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal way under market value last winter and wanted a significant raise, and understandably so.
But on Wednesday afternoon, word slowly trickled out that the Cubs and Wood were close to agreeing to that new deal that could bring Wood back for not one, but two seasons, adding to the 12 he’s already played on the North Side of Chicago.
After a two-year absence from the Cubs, pitching for the Indians and Yankees, would returned to a successful season in 2011. He appeared in 55 games for the Cubs last season, posting a 3.35 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched. He teamed up with Sean Marshall to make up the Cubs’ setup combo in front of Carlos Marmol.
With the new regime taking over in Chicago and entering a full-scale rebuild, there has actually been some debate as to whether or not the Cubs should bring back Wood, or set him free, allowing him to make a run at a World Series with a team like Philly. Wood said earlier in the winter he’d either re-sign with the Cubs or retire.
I can certainly understand where some analysts and fans are coming from when they say that the Cubs should cut Wood loose. He might very well be retired by the time this team is ready to contend for a World Series and he’d have a shot with a team like the Phillies.
But to say that the Cubs bringing back Wood isn’t in the interest of the team, and that he possesses little value for this team, is silly.
From the standpoint of strictly a player, Wood has plenty of value with this team. With James Russell likely moving into Marshall’s old role, Wood will once again make up the righty/lefty setup combo at the back end of the bullpen.
The new front office has overhauled the pitching staff and turned it into a much younger one. With so many young guys in both the starting rotation and in the bullpen, a guy like would has a ton of value for the Chicago Cubs.
It is really hard to make a case against the Cubs bringing back Wood. From a business perspective, I can absolutely understand if the Cubs chose to not bring back Kerry Wood. But as long as nothing falls through with their current negotiations, Woody will be returning and it is absolutely the right decision for the Cubs to make.
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wood will be retired by the time the cubs are in a world series thats funny my 2 year old grand daughter will be retired then to !
I have no issues with Kerry Wood returning. His value as a face of the franchise is just as important as to what he does on the field, where hes still a fairly useful player.