Kerry Wood

Source: www.bostonherald.com --- 14 days ago
MILWAUKEE - After the 2007 season ended and Kerry Wood became a free agent, he told general manager Jim Hendry to give him a contract he felt was fair and he'd sign it... ...

Source: www.bleedcubbieblue.com --- 21 days ago
If this was discussed elsewhere I apologize, but even then, I think it deserves its own mention. Yesterday, 104 year old Leo Hildebrand threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches. Mr. Hildebrand has been a Cub fan for 85 years. He was at Wrigley when Babe Ruth called his shot. Mr. Hildebrand has been through it all. Apparently, there was an article in the paper about him  as friends and relatives have been lobbying to get him to throw the first pitch. He had even been practicing. The Cubs weren't able to accomodate him, but did give him free tickets for yesterday's game. Enter Kerry Wood. As part of the free ticket compromise, Mr. Hildebrand and family got to go on the field and meet the players. Wood apparently took it upon himself and surprised Mr. Hildebrand by telling him he would catch Mr. Hildebrand's first pitch. So when Mr. Hildebrand got out of his wheelchair and threw the ball 30 feet to Wood, that was the culmination of a dream for the 104 year old gentleman and the big heart of Wood. As a sidebar to this, listening to the extended post game radio show yesterday, Billy Williams told a story about meeting Mr. Hildebrand before the game. He noticed that he appeared to be crying. Williams asked him if he was okay, and Mr. Hildebrand replied that he was crying because he wished his own father could have been there to see all this. As Williams said,  nothing could better describe being a long time Cub fan.     ...

Source: ballhype.com --- 29 days ago
Wood is definitely one of the better stories in baseball this season, but he’s penning a rather scary ending. The stats read ugly: 3 1/3, 7 hits, 7 runs, 3 walks and 2 homers. His ERA since the All-Star game is over 5. The Zoner posted 30 hours ago from zonersports.com [link] Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: MLB , Kerry Wood , Albert Pujols , Lou Piniella , Chicago Cubs , St. Louis Cardinals ...

Source: www.scout.com --- 7 days ago
The St. Louis Cardinals want a closer for 2009 and their GM plans to be “creative” this off-season. The Chicago Cubs’ Kerry Wood is an impending free agent. What could be more creative than putting Wood in Cardinal red? ...

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com --- 10 days ago
The worst seat in the house wasn't behind one of those pesky obstructions. It wasn't in the press overflow room, which had no view at all. It wasn't even an SRO spot along the railing in the 200 section. No, the worst seat in Wrigley Field on Wednesday evening was right behind the visitor's dugout, in the millionaires' seats, anywhere near freaking Tommy Lasorda. Can you imagine? You're a diehard Cubs fan, shelling out the equivalent to a year's tuition to the University of Chicago for your season tickets - tack on a year at DePaul for your playoff seats - and you have to sit behind Mr. Slim Fast, jiggling and jostling as his Dodgers rack up some screw-you runs. He was the Daniel Plainview of the North Side on Wednesday, drinking your milkshake, drinking it up. Dodgers 7, Cubs 2. If you're a Cubs fan, just stop there. That's all that needs to be said about this game, this culmination of every fan's nightmares, every sportswriter's sarcastic barb and every well-worn myth about the Cubs, the team that can't win the big one. History's proved it, time and time again. All that was missing on this cold night was a black cat wearing headphones knocking down Mark DeRosa's homer and Kerry Wood's arm falling off. The fun-loving Ryan Dempster took the loss. He took it pretty hard actually, telling reporters, "I really let the guys down today." Dempster was given the starting nod over Carlos Zambrano because he was 14-3 at home this year and ...

Source: blogs.chron.com --- 12 hours ago
5th place: Cincinnati Reds (74-88) A manager's job, now and then, Is to turn young kids into grown men But it's old men they'll be If they turn 'round and see Dusty's got no one up in the pen No word on whether Edinson Volquez took out a billion-dollar insurance policy on his right arm the day he was traded to Dusty Baker's Reds, but if he did, it wasn't warranted. Baker has been accused by some more strongly than others, of robbing years from the careers of promising hurlers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood through overuse in Chicago. But with his latest young strikeout machine, the 17-game winner Volquez, he wasn't nearly as shy about calling for the hook. Starts of 120+ pitches 2003: Prior 9 2003: Wood 13 2008: Volquez 1 As well as Volquez fared on that list, he did just as well on a related one, the number of pitches each pitcher threw above 120 that year. For instance, if a pitcher throws a 126-pitch game, he gets six for that game. Pitches over 120 2003: Prior 66 2003: Wood 61 2008: Volquez 1 And Volquez wasn't the only arm that Baker managed to protect this year. Forty-two NL pitchers made more than 30 starts, and here they are listed by outs recorded after the seventh. Outs recorded after 7th 1. Ben Sheets 37 1. Brandon Webb 37 3. Johan Santana 32 4. Cole Hamels 31 5. Tim Lincecum 30 ... 37. Brandon Backe 1 37. John Lannan 1 37. Edinson Volquez 1 40. Johnny Cueto 0 40. Greg Maddux 0 40. Ian Snell 0 By the way, in three months with M ...

Source: www.miamiherald.com --- 39 days ago
Geoff Blum hit a two-run homer off Kerry Wood in the 11th inning to send the Houston Astros to their seventh straight victory, 9-7 over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. ...

Source: blogs.trb.com --- 5 days ago
Was it something in the recipe? The Vienna Beef company honored the Chicago Cubs' pitching rotation with special edition hot dogs: the Dempster Dog (Ryan Dempster); Marquis Dog (Jason Marquis); Wood-ie Dog (Kerry Wood); Marmol Dog (Carlos Marmol) and Lilly Dog (Ted Lilly). The Cubs made an unceremonious exit in the first round of the MLB playoffs. The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, have won their first and only playoff series so far and will face the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series. Gallagher’s Steak House in Tampa has devised a number of dishes to honor the Rays: Popeye [Don Zimmer] Porterhouse; Calos Pena Crab Cakes; Jason Bartlett Beef Steak Tomato & Colossal Onion Salad; Akinori Iwamura Seared Ahi Tuna; Manager Joe Maddon-Mignon; Scott Kazmir New York Sirloin; and B.J. Upton Center Cup Pork Chops. Eat up. ...

Source: forums.footballguys.com --- 3 days ago
From By Nick Zaccardi / MLB.com: The focus shifts to Hendry. He and assistant Randy Bush will reflect on the season this week and reconvene in two weeks for organizational meetings. Among the first decisions is how big an effort to make to re-sign top free agents Dempster and Kerry Wood. "Obviously, you'd like to keep your good players," Hendry said. "We haven't even started the process." Would Dempster like to return for a sixth season? "Absolutely. I love it here," he said. "I love the city. I love playing here. Hopefully, everything works out. For right now, I'm worried about making a tee-off time somewhere." Wow....Glad to see you shaking off your half-### post-season performance Mr. Dempster We'll take him back though Will the Cubbies re-sign him with their high payroll? Will they sign him and/or Kerry Wood or neither? What other ball clubs will be interested? Thoughts? ...

Source: www.bleacherreport.com --- 9 days ago
Choking is the psychological and/or physical reaction to heightened expectations, even when those expectations are warranted due to, say, a 97-win regular season. Choking stifles even the best hitters and can be partial or complete, with partial choking allowing some, although inadequate, gasps of offense. Prolonged or complete choking results in a failure to advance in the postseason. Choking can be caused by: The unexpected re-introduction of a slumping player into the everyday lineup. Said player struck out three times and left four men on base on Thursday. See "Kosuke Fukudome". Uncharacteristic starting pitching performances by two 14+ game winners in two must-win games. See "Ryan Dempster" and "Carlos Zambrano." An NLDS record-tying four fielding errors on one's home field. See "Mark DeRosa," "Derrek Lee," "Ryan Theriot," and "Aramis Ramirez." A leadoff hitter batting .111 this postseason. See "Alfonso Soriano." An "untouchable" 1-2 closing combo giving up three runs in their first postseason appearance together. See "Carlos Marmol" and "Kerry Wood." A superior opponent with a seasoned postseason manager and roster. See "L.A. Dodgers", "Joe Torre," "Derek Lowe," and "Manny Ramirez." Choking, if caught early enough, can usually be treated by shuffling the lineup or a momentum-changing play. ...

Source: www.thegoodphight.com --- 12 days ago
As the Phillies wait to begin what they hope will be a deep playoff run, one of the players most responsible for their reaching the post-season  has been recognized  for an unexpectedly great season:  Cliff Lee, who won the American League leader in wins and ERA, and Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge, who converted 41 of 41 save opportunities to help the Phillies win a second consecutive National League East crown, are MLB.com's Comeback Player of the Year Award winners for their respective leagues. ... Lidge finished with 53 points and was followed by Kerry Wood of the Cubs (34), Ryan Ludwick of the Cardinals (27) and Jorge Cantu of the Marlins (23). ... Lidge was traded by Houston to the Phillies last November after going 5-3 with 19 saves and a 3.36 ERA for the Astros in 2007. The right-hander quickly showed he still had dominating stuff. Lidge had a 0.82 ERA in his first 12 save opportunities and retired 21 of 24 batters at one stretch. As the months went by, Lidge kept converting every opportunity. His reliability, especially after the Mets lost closer Billy Wagner to injury, was a key factor in the outcome of the division race. Lidge finished the regular season 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA and was 41-for-41 in save opportunities. His place as the most reliable closer in Phillies history became all but official. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no Phillies closer with 20 or more saves in a season had lasted an entire year without a ...

Source: www.bnd.com --- 39 days ago
Geoff Blum hit a two-run homer off Kerry Wood in the 11th inning to send the Houston Astros to their seventh straight victory, 9-7 over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. ...

Source: www.beyondtheboxscore.com --- 6 days ago
Only Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood are meaningful contributors eligible for free agency (sorry Jim Edmonds, Bob Howry, and Henry Blanco.) Given the market (read: insane money) thrown at starters and closers I'm not so sure either will return, although given their special circumstances it's more likely than, say, Francisco Rodriguez returning to the Angels. Wood in particular is probably a 95% guarantee to stay. Dempster on the other hand might test the market, given his unlikely season he could be looking at a handsome payday from the losers on Derek Lowe, A.J. Burnett, and CC Sabathia. The Cubs' needs include center and right field. It appears Kosuke Fukudome's average season will earn him a spot in the proverbial wine cellar. Best-case scenario for the Cubs would include landing an excellent defensive center fielder and letting their abundance of iffy outfielders (see: Fukudome, Reed Johnson, Micah Hoffpauir, Felix Pie, ect) battle for right field and the bench. Interesting that scenario could have the Cubs sliding Fukudome to center (their best outfield defender) where his offense would not be quite as exposed and his defense would be better than the aging combination of Edmonds and Johnson. Shortstop is a seemingly simple upgrade for a team with financial resources so rich. Ideally, the Cubs would renew their interest in Rafael Furcal from a few seasons ago and upgrade offensively and defensively over Ryan Theriot. Heck even O ...

Source: www.bleedcubbieblue.com --- 8 days ago
Thank you Chicago Cubs for the memories I had from April-September in 2008. -I got to go with my dad to Wrigley and see you win there for the first time in my life.  I am from NY and have a 0-41 lifetime record until that game. -I witnessed my first ever no hitter from inning 1 on TV with one of my favorite Cubs pitchers of all time. -I got to be in Wrigley and chant "Kerry, Kerry" in the 9th inning twice. -I got to see Kerry Wood pitch for the first time ever (he was always on the DL in NY). -I saw amazing comebacks and different heroes made all season. -I saw the Cubs stop the unstoppable Sabathia. -I actually got to produce a video with 2 Cubs players for my company and spend the day getting to know them.  Biggest highlight of the year for me. -I got to take my 8 year old cousin to Wrigley and see Rich Harden strike out 10.  She never went to Wrigley before. -I got to sing Go Cubs Go at Wrigley for first time ever.  Thanks for the memories.  I can wait until next year. ...

Source: ballhype.com --- 39 days ago
An interview with Kerry Byrne, the creator of Cold, Hard Football Facts. pressrow posted 7 hours ago from www.pressrow.net [link] Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NFL , Oakland Raiders , Washington Redskins , Super Bowl , ESPN , Sports Illustrated , Kerry Wood ...

Source: www.temple-telegram.com --- 39 days ago
Associated Press CHICAGO - Geoff Blum hit a two-run home run off Kerry Wood in the 11th inning to send the Houston Astros to their seventh straight victory, 9-7 over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. ...

Source: www.amazinavenue.com --- 9 days ago
Bob Klapisch writes that the Mets and Yankees could wind up in a bidding war with each other over the services of C.C. Sabathia. The Yankees have more money to spend, but the Mets can offer Sabathia the opportunity to step into the batter's box every fifth day. Sabathia is from California and many believe he is pining for a west coast return. He'll likely command a contract in the neighborhood of Johan Santana's (think six or seven years, $20-$25 million a year), but the thought of Santana and Sabathia starting 70 games next year is drool-worthy. The Mets are negotiating with Jerry Manuel to bring him back as manager. Jerry is playing hard-to-get, though the Mets are apparently unlikely to go beyond two years, $1.5 million or so. In the same article, David Lennon speculates that, should things fall apart with Manuel, the Mets might make a push to bring Bobby Valentine back to the states. While I have my doubts that Valentine is even interested in leaving Japan, if I thought he might consider it I would toss Manuel into the nearest dumpster and make my way to the Pacific Rim asap. Kevin Kernan jumps on the Francisco Rodriguez bandwagon. I think the money is better spent elsewhere, and would sooner hand out less money over less years to Kerry Wood (despite last night's flimsy effort) or Brian Fuentes. Despite his gaudy save totals, I find Rodriguez less appealing now than Billy Wagner was before the Mets signed him three years ago. ...