Anno Catuli
World Series Dreaming
- Joined:
- Jun 3, 2011
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January 10, 2012
Recently, there has been much debate over whether or not Chicago Cubs President Theo Epstein and General Manager Jed Hoyer should re-sign fan favorite Kerry Wood to pitch for the Cubs again for the 2012 season. At the moment, there remains some serious doubt that he will be a member of the Cubs roster come spring training when pitchers and catchers report February 18. If you were to be taking a straw poll of Cub fans, you would see that a majority of them want to see Wood come back for another season of Cubs baseball, to give them at least someone they know and love on the team for the upcoming season.
However, this is the new Cubs, and frankly I do not think Epstein or Hoyer really care what Cub fans want, and despite what they say to the media, I do not really think they care. They understand the Cub fans emotion and love affair with their former players, but will not take that into considering who should or should not be with the team going forward. Look no further than what they did with Ryne Sandberg when they were looking for a new manager. They knew quite well that he was the fan favorite for the job, but they never even considered him a possibility for the job. In fact, they never even offered to give him an interview. The same will likely be true with Wood, which means he likely will never again pitch for the Cubs.
We have all heard about the sweetheart deal that he gave former Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry last year, returning to the team that gave him his shot for a below market deal which paid him $1.5 Million in 2011. We have also heard the rumors about the extra clauses which were included about his working for the team after his retirement. Fans say that the Cubs owe Wood the fair market deal that he is seeking, because of the loyalty that he showed to the team last off season. Many fans, though not all, believe that the Cubs should pony up and offer him the $4 Million that he is reportedly seeking according to a Philadelphia news source.
There is one thing the fans who believe the Cubs owe Wood something need to know. These are not the “Lovable Losers” that we all grew up with. Theo and Hoyer are not Hendry. They do not care who you are or what you have done for the ball club in the past. They do not care if you are the most beloved Cub of all time. Remember, they said they want to create a new tradition with the Cubs, and to distance themselves from the past. All they care about is what a player can do for you going forward. They were not the ones that signed Wood to the below market deal, so they do not owe Wood anything at all. They should not take that into consideration when negotiating a deal with him. If they do not think the team needs an aging relief pitcher making upwards of $4 Million in 2012, which will likely be a losing season, they will not have one, and Wood will be free to find his contract elsewhere if he does not want to play for a low fee again.
If Wood wants to play next year, and is unhappy with the Cubs offer he is free to go back on what he said last year. If you do not remember what he said, allow me to paraphrase his comments. He said that he wanted to retired with the Cubs, and if they chose not to sign him after the 2011 season then he would retire. The time might be coming for fans to see if he is a man of his word, or if he just wants to continue playing. Personally, I would not hold anything against him if he chose to continue and end his career elsewhere. I will never look down on anyone who wants to continue his career and end things on his terms.
If 2011 was indeed the last we see of Wood in a Cubs uniform, then allow me to say that watching him play ball on the North Side was a pleasure. He was one of my favorite Cubs, and some of his games will forever live on in my heart and memory. His 20 strike out game, his playoff wins in 2003 as well as his game seven home run which was hit in a losing effort. But none of those memories matter to Epstein or Hoyer, nor should they.
Recently, there has been much debate over whether or not Chicago Cubs President Theo Epstein and General Manager Jed Hoyer should re-sign fan favorite Kerry Wood to pitch for the Cubs again for the 2012 season. At the moment, there remains some serious doubt that he will be a member of the Cubs roster come spring training when pitchers and catchers report February 18. If you were to be taking a straw poll of Cub fans, you would see that a majority of them want to see Wood come back for another season of Cubs baseball, to give them at least someone they know and love on the team for the upcoming season.
However, this is the new Cubs, and frankly I do not think Epstein or Hoyer really care what Cub fans want, and despite what they say to the media, I do not really think they care. They understand the Cub fans emotion and love affair with their former players, but will not take that into considering who should or should not be with the team going forward. Look no further than what they did with Ryne Sandberg when they were looking for a new manager. They knew quite well that he was the fan favorite for the job, but they never even considered him a possibility for the job. In fact, they never even offered to give him an interview. The same will likely be true with Wood, which means he likely will never again pitch for the Cubs.
We have all heard about the sweetheart deal that he gave former Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry last year, returning to the team that gave him his shot for a below market deal which paid him $1.5 Million in 2011. We have also heard the rumors about the extra clauses which were included about his working for the team after his retirement. Fans say that the Cubs owe Wood the fair market deal that he is seeking, because of the loyalty that he showed to the team last off season. Many fans, though not all, believe that the Cubs should pony up and offer him the $4 Million that he is reportedly seeking according to a Philadelphia news source.
There is one thing the fans who believe the Cubs owe Wood something need to know. These are not the “Lovable Losers” that we all grew up with. Theo and Hoyer are not Hendry. They do not care who you are or what you have done for the ball club in the past. They do not care if you are the most beloved Cub of all time. Remember, they said they want to create a new tradition with the Cubs, and to distance themselves from the past. All they care about is what a player can do for you going forward. They were not the ones that signed Wood to the below market deal, so they do not owe Wood anything at all. They should not take that into consideration when negotiating a deal with him. If they do not think the team needs an aging relief pitcher making upwards of $4 Million in 2012, which will likely be a losing season, they will not have one, and Wood will be free to find his contract elsewhere if he does not want to play for a low fee again.
If Wood wants to play next year, and is unhappy with the Cubs offer he is free to go back on what he said last year. If you do not remember what he said, allow me to paraphrase his comments. He said that he wanted to retired with the Cubs, and if they chose not to sign him after the 2011 season then he would retire. The time might be coming for fans to see if he is a man of his word, or if he just wants to continue playing. Personally, I would not hold anything against him if he chose to continue and end his career elsewhere. I will never look down on anyone who wants to continue his career and end things on his terms.
If 2011 was indeed the last we see of Wood in a Cubs uniform, then allow me to say that watching him play ball on the North Side was a pleasure. He was one of my favorite Cubs, and some of his games will forever live on in my heart and memory. His 20 strike out game, his playoff wins in 2003 as well as his game seven home run which was hit in a losing effort. But none of those memories matter to Epstein or Hoyer, nor should they.
