DELUSIONAL CUBS FAN

Kerry Wood: Chicago Cubs Pitcher 1998-2008

MUCH RESPECT KERRY WOOD

Kerry Wood played 10 seasons with  the Chicago Cubs.  By 2008 his ten seasons had made him the longest serving current member of the team.

Kerry Wood was one of the most popular Cubs of the last couple decades and well known as an active charity fundraiser in the Chicago area. His reputation with the fans as a loyal team player was earned when he signed two consecutive one year contracts in 2007 and 2008 and took less money and security than he could have received elsewhere. His perseverance to fight back from years of injury and disappointment earned the respect of fans and players alike.

He was a fan favorite to many, a sentimental favorite to many more (myself included) and Kerry Wood will be missed.

I actually feel it could be fortunate for the Kerry Wood legend that he gets to leave town a hero, on top, with his head held high and a majority of fans wanting him on the team still.   He leaves the North Side with the love all delusional Cubs fans fully intact.  He leaves town a mythical figure being pushed out by financial decisions.

The Delusional Cubs fan would like to thank Kerry Wood for all the years and all the memories. 

Best of luck to you.  I will be standing and applauding and tipping my Old Style for you, as will thousands of other fans the first time you return to Wrigley Field.

But I sure hope that first appearance is a ceremonial one.  Please sign with an American League team so we don’t have to cheer against you.

And thanks again.

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Kerry Wood Career Highlights

I don’t thing there will be any argument what the most exciting career highlight was for Kerry Wood.  That would be the memorable game against the Houston Astros on May 5th, 1998 at Wrigley Field.  In only his fifth start of his rookie season in the majors Kerry Wood tied the major league record by striking out 20 batters in a single game.  It is one of the most memorable games in all of Cubs history and one of the most dominant pitching performances in Major League history.

In 2003 he led the National League with 266 strikeouts.

Kerry Wood made four trips to the playoffs with the Cubs, which considering the history of this franchise, is probably more than any other Chicago Cubs Player.

He also made several trips to the disabled list, and along with Mark Prior, Kerry Wood came to symbolize the unfulfilled potential, bad luck and disappointment of Cubdom.

In 2007 he came back from potentially career ending surgery and near retirement to reinvent himself as a bullpen pitcher.  In 2008 he became the Cubs closer and led the them to the playoffs yet again with 34 saves.

On November 13, 2008, general manager stated “We felt it was time Kerry goes out and does what is best for him and his family and get a huge multiyear deal, if possible,” Hendry said. “This is really the right thing to do. We’ve had some really honest conversations in the last week. We don’t have to get into how much I think of him, but at the same time I don’t think we could do for him right now what he deserves and what I think he’ll get going elsewhere.”

On November 14th Kerry Wood was quoted as saying “Did I want to leave? Of course not,” he said. “I wanted to end my career here, and start taking my kids to the games. But in the end, having a little bit of knowledge about the organization, and what’s going on with the team and who was up for free agency and the contracts, I had a pretty good idea. It didn’t catch me off-guard. I was disappointed and obviously would’ve loved to have stayed here, but that’s baseball.”

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Kerry Wood Chicago Cubs Career Statistics

SEASON				W		L		ERA		G		GS		CG		SHO		SV		SVO		IP		H		R		ER		HR				BB		SO
1998				13		6		3.40		26		26		1		1		0		—		166.2		117		69		63		14				85		233
2000				8		7		4.80		23		23		1		0		0		0		137.0		112		77		73		17				87		132
2001				12		6		3.36		28		28		1		1		0		0		174.1		127		70		65		16				92		217
2002				12		11		3.66		33		33		4		1		0		0		213.2		169		92		87		22				97		217
2003				14		11		3.20		32		32		4		2		0		0		211.0		152		77		75		24				100		266
2004				8		9		3.72		22		22		0		0		0		0		140.1		127		62		58		16				51		144
2005				3		4		4.23		21		10		0		0		0		0		66.0		52		32		31		14				26		77
2006				1		2		4.12		4		4		0		0		0		0		19.2		19		13		9		5				8		13
2007				1		1		3.33		22		0		0		0		0		0		24.1		18		9		9		0				13		24
2008				5		4		3.26		65		0		0		0		34		40		66.1		54		24		24		3				18		84
Career Totals				77	61	3.65	276	178	11	5	34	—	1219.1	947	525	494	131		577	1407

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 Kerry Wood Sports Illustrated Covers

 Kerry Wood has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated three times; twice in 2003 and then again in 2004.

 

Kerry Wood – Sports Illustrated – October 13, 2004

 Kerry Wood – Sports Illustrated – October 13, 2004

 Kerry Wood – Mark Prior – Chicago Cubs – Sports Illustrated – July 7, 2003

 

 Kerry Wood Bobblehead Dolls

 

Wood: Leaving Cubs is ‘bittersweet’ by Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune

Wood deserves chance to close with bang – Rick Morrissey, Chicago Tribune

The Wood Chronicles – Career Highlights – Chicago Tribune

Kerrying on without Wood, GORDON WITTENMYER, Chicago Sun Times

Kid K’s career symbolic of what Cubs are all about, RICK TELANDER, Chicago Sun Times

‘Good citizen’s’ spot in Cubs’ lore secure, Paul Sullivan, Chicago Sun Times

Cubs make sound baseball move – Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune

As Gregg arrives, Wood likely to depart, Carrie Muskat, MLB.com