Kerry Wood: A Lifetime Cub Retires In The City That Loved Him

By Tim Bearden in News on May 19, 2012 7:00PM

Watching Kerry Wood's 20 strikeout game was a highlight for any Cubs fan. It reminds us of better days at Wrigley and happier circumstances surrounding a now-faltering ball club. Wood decided it was time to hang up his mitt Friday, May 18, leaving a city nostalgic for better baseball.

Wood was called up to the majors in 1998 and labelled as one of the best upcoming pitchers in his day. He won the Rookie of the Year that year and blanked 20 Astros batters in one game. It was evident he would be a Cub for a long time—12 seasons to be exact.

Reminiscing about Wood has blossomed all over social media. On Twitter Jonathan Redd (@Reddcorn) said of Kerry Wood's pitching ability at 21: he "had the nastiest stuff I have ever seen."

Wood's fastballs and breaking balls left batters dumbfounded when he was on the mound. Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, unfazed by many pitchers, called Wood "a riddle." In a bases loaded, two out seventh or eighth inning he's the man the Cubs wanted on the mound. He had ways of making it happen, but injuries got the better of him throughout his career.

Wood, once perceived as a future Hall of Famer, could never overcome arm troubles enough to excel in the way other, less-talented pitchers did.

Wood's first arm failure came after his rookie season. In 1999 he missed the entire season due to a torn ligament in his right arm following working through an elbow sprain the previous season.

While this wasn't the end of Wood's career, you could almost see the writing on the wall. He would never be the exact same pitcher he once was. He returned to the starting rotation in May of 2000 and shined against the Astros, but faltered against the Pirates, showing a lack of control. He entered the DL that season again with tendinitis in his shoulder and it became clear he had been worked too hard too young.

Wood came off the DL and finished the season with a 4.80 ERA and 132 strikeouts, only his second season under 200 between 1998-2003. Following a 200+ strikeout season in 1998, Wood repeated that achievement between 2001-2003 averaging 233 strikeouts for all three seasons. He was a fighter and conditioned to help his team in whatever way possible.

Wood helped the Cubs put together a memorable season in 2003 when they battled in the National League Championship Series to a 3-0 series lead over the Marlins. They later lost the series 4-3, but it was the closest they'd come to a World Series appearance in a long time and they claimed a pennant. Wood also appeared in the All-Star game for the first and only time in his career.

Following that season though, injuries plagued Wood once again. He strained his triceps, and it was the beginning of the end of his career as a starter. Wood had a brave spirit and fought through many injuries that would have psychologically impaired other pitchers, but he started to become a shadow of his 1998 rookie season.

In 2007 he transitioned from a starter to a reliever, which seemed to only postpone the inevitable retirement from baseball. He considered retiring that season after being placed on the 60-day disabled list due to soreness in his elbow, but again he returned to The Show and helped the Cubs to another postseason berth, which they repeated in 2008.

Wood's next two seasons were spent between the Indians and the Yankees. He was a reliever for the Yanks in 2010 midway through the season and posted a 2-0 record in 26 innings pitched once again showing the baseball world he wasn't quite finished yet. The Yankees opted not to resign Wood following that season and the Cubs picked him back up in 2011 for a steal with a $1.5 million contract. He returned to the city that had embraced him as a player, a person and a Cub. It was a bittersweet return as it was always known he wanted to retire a Cub.

In 2011 Wood struggled with the Cubbies. He was 3-5 with only one save and a 3.85 ERA. This season his ERA was 8.78 and he was again struggling with lingering injuries so he decided it was time to wave his hat one final time, and retire on May 18 during the Crosstown Classic.

He pitched only one out in one inning of that game, but it was an outing that will always be remembered by Cubs fans—especially those of us at the game. Kerry Wood's final strikeout-what a way to retire. As Dayan Viciedo went down swinging, Wrigley sprang to it's feet to applaud Wood one final time. The breaking ball that had plagued so many batters over the years got one more. That's the way any pitcher would want to leave.

Wood walked to the dugout, raised his hat, hugged his son and raised him in the air as Wrigley cheered their 12 season veteran. Their early century hero. Their ray of hope on the mound, no matter how brief it may have been. Wood retired a Cub and is beloved by the city that embraced him 14 years ago.

I feel lucky to have been at that game and am privileged to have watched Wood over the years. To that Mr. Wood, I wish you good luck.