It's Official: Cubs Bring Back Wood

Kerry Wood is officially back with the Chicago Cubs.

The right-handed reliever passed a physical and inked a 1-year, $1.5 million deal to rejoin his former club. Before his agreement with the team, it was said that Wood was seeking closer-type money, which on average would be somewhere around $8 million per. Obviously, Wood pulled what I'm now terming a "Cliff Lee," and opted for less money to return to the team he loves. 

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Kerry Wood Close to Deal With Cubs

Looks like Mark Prior won't be reunited with his former teammate after all.

According to this article from David Kaplan of the Chicago tribune, reliever Kerry Wood appears to be on the verge of signing a deal with the Chicago Cubs, his former team of which he pitched for the first ten years of his career. No word yet on how many years the deal is for or the pay.

The article mentions that Wood has "made his home" in Chicago and that he wanted a deal that would be best for his family. He pitched many solid seasons in Chi-Town as a starter, and still has close relationships with many people in the Cubs' organization; it makes sense that he would opt to go there.

This is a bit disappointing to us fanatics, however, as many of us were hoping that the Yankees could bring Wood back to be the bridge to Mariano Rivera. I think we all appreciate the pitch job he did for us in the latter stages of last season, particularly his ALDS game 2 gem against the Minnesota Twins. But, all is not lost as the Yankees have a viable reliever in Joba Chamberlain.

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Yanks Offer Arbitration to Vasquez, Not Wood

Contrary to Brian Cashman's own statement yesterday to Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com, the Yankees did not offer arbitration to RHP Kerry Wood, but they did to starter Javier Vasquez. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported yesterday that Vasquez agreed to decline the offer in what is termed a "gentleman's agreement". This will allow the Yankees to receive a first-round draft pick as compensation.

According to MLB Rumors, Vasquez seems to be on the verge of securing a deal with the Florida Marlins who are the front-runners for the righty ahead of the Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies. MLB Rumors also reports that he has already turned down an offer worth $20 million for 2 years; team name was undisclosed.

Jeter, Pettitte, Rivera, and Lance Berkman were not offered arbitration as expected.

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Yankees Likely To Offer Wood Arbitration

Wallace Mathews of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the Yankees are likely to offer arbitration to right-handed reliever Kerry Wood.

Offering Wood arbitration signals the Yankees' willingness for possible negotiations that would bring Wood back, most likely to be the 8th inning set-up man for Rivera. He pitched well while in New York in 2010 and is seen as a viable option for the set-up role other than Joba Chamberlain. As per GM Brian Cashman:

"I'm thinking yes on Wood. We'll do them a favor. If we put them into an arbitration setting, then we can take them out and make a fair market value offer to them."

The "them" Cashman refers to are Wood, Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Austin Kearns. Of the five, Cashman says he's only looking to make an offer to Wood. The arbitration deadline is midnight tonight.

Sources also tell Jayson Stark of espn.com that the Yankees will offer arbitration to Javier Vasquez also, although he is expected to decline. If he does, the Yankees will receive draft picks as compenstion for him.

Gotta Go To Mo: Wood vs Chamberlain

As the hot stove begins to heat up, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at one of the storylines that is not getting much play thus far: the ever-essential bridge to Mariano Rivera.

To date, Mo still awaits his turn at the free-agent negotiating table as he and his agent have not yet notified the Yankees as to how many years he wants on his next contract. Most of what's been written in the blogosphere is that it will either be a one or two-year deal. Sounds about right considering Mo's age (he'll be 41 November 29), although, he hasn't shown much sign of slowing down. As I previously posted in What's Been Going On This Week, I don't think that Mo will make a big stink if the Yankees decide to give him a one-year deal; his "Yankee heart" may want more years, but his common sense will think better of it.

But Mo will surely be back, and so, what may probably be the more divisive backstory involving the closer is who'll pitch the 8th inning. The smart answer would be either Kerry Wood or Joba Chamberlain.

So who makes more sense? First of all, Kerry Wood is at present a free-agent also, so if the Yankees want to bring him back, they'll have to compete with all the other teams that are looking for a solid closer, which is what Wood is reportedly seeking to become. By compete, we know that means the Yankees will have to show Wood the money, and we know that the Yankees can do that better than any other team. At the right price, he may be willing to be the bridge to Mo.

Wood had a fantastic run with the Yankees in 2010 posting a 2-0 record in 24 game appearances, and a .069 ERA by allowing only two earned runs in 26 innings pitched. He had a great postseason as well, earning a .167 ERA with two holds for both games 1 and 2 of the ALDS. Wood is a seasoned vet, having been in the league since his rookie season in 1998 with the Chicago Cubs; he remained viable following Tommy John surgery in 1999. For his career, he has a 3.65 ERA with a WHIP of 1.26.

Then there's Joba, who some, but not many, believe the Yankees may want to use if they are not willing to pay Wood upwards of the $10 million he earned in 2010. In 73 games this year, Joba amassed a 4.40 ERA with a WHIP of 1.30. He had a better season statistically this year from last year by default, having only pitched as a reliever with fewer innings; his earned run totals dropped from 83 in '09 to 35 in '10, and he allowed 96 fewer hits this year. His career numbers post a 3.77 ERA with a WHIP of 1.36

Although Joba's numbers are far from terrible, what makes him a concern is the obvious drop in his velocity. According to fangraphs.com, the velocity on Joba's fastball--his best pitch--dropped from around 97 mph in 2007 to approx. 93 in 2010. So? Good hitters can nail almost anything over the plate at 95 or less. On YES Network's Hot Stove report yesterday, Fox sportswriter Bob Klapisch noted that Joba no longer possesses a "blow away" fastball and opposing players aren't "uncomfortable" anymore when he's on the mound. In essence, Joba  is not a sure bet to put hitters away.

All-in-all, the big guy is certainly no pitcher to cough at, and is as tough as they come when he's on his A-game, but the uncertainty of his prowess has caused many to grow impatient.

You gotta believe that the Yankees will do what they have to to try and secure Wood for 2011; his experience, maturity and proven mettle in the New York pressure cooker, make him the wiser option. I say try only because if Wood is adamant on closing, that might be the deal breaker. Klapisch mentions that in this scenario, the Yankees may have to promise Wood the closer role on Mo's exit, but there's no way of knowing when that will happen as Mo continues to defy the law of aging athletes.

Stay tuned...

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Puttin' Some Good Wood On It

When it was clear that Andy Pettitte would not be returning to the mound for the eighth inning in last night's game 2 of the ALDS, I must admit that I was a little disappointed. As I had predicted the day before, Andy sparkled once again, mind you with a few hitches in his giddyup, but he sparkled nonetheless. It would have been pretty cool to see him pitch through the eighth, thus handing the ball to Mariano Rivera to close. So, yeah, I was a little disappointed.

But like this ALDS series for the Minnesota Twins, my disappointment didn't last very long.

Kerry Wood proved to be the right call for Joe Girardi in choosing his eighth inning guy. In game 1, Wood pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing one hit, no runs, and one strikeout. In last night's game, he upped the ante by striking out two Minnesota batters and allowing no hits, pitching a full inning. He now sports a .167 ERA with two holds in this ALDS series.

In his postseason career as both a starter and reliever, Woods boasts a 3.52 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 38.1 innings over 10 games. Not too shabby for a guy who seemingly faded into obscurity following Tommy John surgery while a pitcher with the Chicago Cubs, after having been the toast of Chi-Town during his "lights out" rookie season in 1998.

Wood clearly tapped in to his old self, baffling Twins batters with a fastball that seemed to disappear once it reached the plate. He has a distinct "across-the-body" delivery which allowed for great depth of his pitches and deception of his breaking ball.

Three months ago, the Yankees' biggest issue was their bullpen. But since coming to the team, Wood has provided the depth and experience that makes this bullpen a force to be reckoned with down this stretch in these playoffs.