Unbelievable! The payroll is so tight Hendry couldn't afford Wood accepting so they lose the opportunity to get 2 draft picks when he signs with another team. 11 years with the organization and he walks away for NOTHING. Nice general managing Hendry.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... Id=rss_chc

That's awful. If he accepts it, there's virtually no risk because it's just a one year deal. If he declines it and signs with another team, they get the two picks. Terrible.

_________________
"Tubby? Oh yes, Tubby."

They say they're worried about spending because new ownership might want to cut cost, but from what I hear in the press, no sale is going to happen anytime soon, so why use that as an excuse? Why, because the Cubs are destined for failure, that's why.

people, people...Wood will break down next season. C'mon now...

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

If it seems unbelievable then maybe theres something we dont know. I give the portly one a little benefit of the doubt.

Yeah I think it is best to just cut ties with Wood and have it be a clean break.....pun intended. The worst thing would be for some team to do a physical on him find something wrong in that shoulder and then the Cubs are rehabbing him again for the 7th or 8th time in his career.

_________________

It's not just the Cubs. The Yankees declined arbitration on every one of their potential free agents. So they get nothing for Abreu, Pettite, Giambi, etc. when/if they sign with other teams. It's really not that big of a deal.

_________________

Wood meant more to the Cubs than any of those guys did the Yankees. And they invested certainly more time, and perhaps even more money than the Yankees did for the above 3 players.

_________________

so wait...you're saying they should have offered him arbitration?

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

I'm saying they would have been better off keeping Wood- a 1 or 2 year incentive laden deal- than shelling out $50 mil for Dempster.

_________________

It's a HUGE deal. The Yanks declined those players because they are going to UPGRADE those positions and they don't want to risk them accepting arbitration. Have the cubs upgraded the bullpen?? Is Kevin Gregg an upgrade to Kerry Wood and Jose Ceda?? Hell no! This was a money move because Hendry painted himself in a corner with of all those awful back-loaded contracts. He loses his closer and the chance to help the organization in the future because he was short sighted. This is the kind of move that sets an organization back for a few years. How long was his contract extension??

You know what? THis team has failed in two straight playoff appearances. yeah, they got there, I am thankful for that. But no one on this team made it happen, even for one game, in two consecutive years.
I say I'm not married to anyone on this team. I'm not gonna sweat Wood. I wouldn't really get lathered up about anyone ont his team right now.
So like, Wood? Whatever.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

He didn't lose his closer. That's supposed to be Marmol. Gregg is intended to take Marmol's spot. This doesn't smell like a money thing.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

and how exactly does that help their starting rotation? I guess you're assuming they would have gotten Peavy, but that's not at all a safe assumption.

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

And Marmol really shined in his brief stint as closer last year huh.


Last I checked, starting pitching wasn't really a problem for the Cubs. Its inconsistent offense and no middle relief. Wood proved himself out of the pen in '07 and again as the closer the following season. To invest millions of $ and 11 years into a guy to let him walk away for nothing is beyond stupid.

You offer him arbitration. If he denies it, you get compensation picks. If he accepts, not a bad guy to have out in the pen.

_________________

That first stint is the hardest. He's going to get his reps this year.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I just had to look it up, 7 saves 2 blown saves. Not that bad Frank.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Wood is brittle and will break down yet again. It was not worth offering him the money to stay. He had some great moments as a Cub but his career was filled with dissapointments. Wood wasn't exactly a sure thing as a closer himself and for the money and years he was going to get it is better not to hitch your team's wagon to a closer who has had 5 arm surgeries. Pass. Super pass. Uber pass.

_________________

For the season, not bad. When he was the primary closer in June and July when Wood was not available:

0-2 7.63ERA 5H, 9BB, 9ER in 11 IP for June

1-0 3.96 10H, 5ER, 11BB in 11.1 IP

Thats a LOT of baserunners he allowed (35 in just 22.1IP), and those numbers are not good for a closer.
http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/stats/indiv ... statType=2

_________________

Wow for two months he was having a bad run. Clearly he is not capable of closing. Nevermind he converted 7 of 9.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

You want a closer who walked 20 batters in 22 innings, you can have him.

_________________

Arbitration only guarantees a 1 yr contract. If you're trying to put together the best team to win the WS Wood/Marmol/Ceda is better than Marmol/Gregg/???? Hendry weakened the bullpen and the organization with the way he handled this situation.

in the playoffs, starters had problems...and we didn't even get to tempertantrum Lilly. I guess you're saying the Cubs would have been better off not signing their best starter (bad in the playoffs) and replacing him with? Marshall? I don't disagree neccesarily with you on Wood. But you needed to resign your best starter if you could get him at a reasonable price. And they did. One less year and less money.

_________________
Ба́бушка гада́ла, да на́двое сказа́ла—то ли до́ждик, то ли снег, то ли бу́дет, то ли нет.

Are those all closer stats there Frank?
Walk em if you have to but convert the save. And 7 of 9 in his first ever stint in a pressure laden season? Not too shabby. He was going to have a rough July closing, setting up or otherwise, he was worn after the AS break. Even in 8th inning situations he was struggling at that time.
Now that he's right again? He's probably going to be a top closer in 2009. I bet he does better than Bobby Tanks.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I think Marmol will be a good closer. I wont bemoan the loss of K Wood but it does seem puzzling as to why they did this. They are intent on NOT having him. Why?

I don't know if they are all closer stats. I just know that he was the primary closer during that time when Wood had the blisters.

I get that everybody gets tired after the break, but whats your spin on the 7+ ERA for June?

_________________

This quote sums up K Woods time with the Cubs nicely
I felt I let the team down, the organization down and the city of Chicago down," Wood said. "I choked."

A lot of accountability, a lot of heart, but mostly huge dissapointment

Kerry Woods Game 7 pitching line
IP R H ER BB SO HR
5.2 7 7 7 4 6 1

I don't need to spin it. He was getting shitloads of appearances, and he was probably worn. He's not been used before like he was this last year. He had more appearances in 2008 than he did in his first two years combined.
Personally, I think he might have been tipping. It's fairly common for young pitchers to tip. He might have been doing so, but in July I think is when he started getting wild, IIRC which I may not be.
But I think he's going to be past those issues now and will have a pretty solid year. I think we're going to see him close, and I would imagine that he will be very good. Borderline great.

_________________
"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Just another piece of Championship (Meatball) Mountain.

_________________

You have precious little room in which to cast meatballs around, Frank.

_________________
Stupidity irritates the crap outta me... and yes, I irritate myself far too often.