Kerry Wood (baseball player)
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Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977 in Irving, Texas) is an American baseball player. A right handed pitcher, he plays for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.
Wood, a high school phenom, was drafted by the Cubs in the first round (4th overall) of the 1995 Amateur Draft. A much-hyped prospect in the minor leagues, he made his MLB debut in 1998. He wasted no time showing the world his talent when in only his fifth career start on May 6, 1998 he hurled a one-hit 20-strikeout shutout against the Houston Astros (which tied the Major League record for single game strikeouts), which is known as one of the best games ever pitched in MLB history.
Wood finished the 1998 season with a 13-6 record, and despite missing the last month of the season with elbow soreness, easily won the National League Rookie of the Year award. Wood did return to pitch one game in the playoffs that year against the Atlanta Braves, but suffered the loss. That would be his last appearance in a Cubs uniform for more than a year. In spring training of 1999, Wood underwent Tommy John surgery to repair damage to the ulnar colatteral ligament in his right elbow. Returning in 2000 Wood struggled to an 8-7 record before returning to form in 2001. Since then Wood has matured, being selected as an all-star in 2003.
Known for his upper-90s fastball and his ability to get strikeouts, he has teamed with fellow righthander Mark Prior to form a 1-2 punch that led the Cubs to the 2003 NLCS which they lost in seven games (in spectacular fashion) to the eventual World Series champion Florida Marlins.
The 2004 season was a trying one for Wood and the Cubs. Featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the baseball preview issue (the accompanying text predicted the Cubs would win the World Series), Wood went just 8-9, and was sidelined for nearly two months with a strained bicep. Critics would harp on the fact that Wood never has won more than 14 games in a season.
The Cubs led the Wild Card race by two games with a week to go in the season, when the wheels came off on their season. The Cubs lost seven of their last nine games to finish 89-73, two games behind Houston.
Wood lost two of those games, including a 3-2 loss to New York on Sept. 26. Wood allowed three runs in the first inning before settling down for the next six innings. He also lost an Oct. 1 decision to Atlanta 5-4, as light-hitting Dewayne Wise and opposing starting pitcher Mike Hampton each hit two-run homers off of him. That loss pushed the Cubs to the brink of elimination.
Wood was also associated with some locker room controversy two days later when star right-fielder Sammy Sosa departed Wrigley Field 15 minutes into the Cubs' season finale. Several Cubs teammates were angry with Sosa for quitting on his teammates, and an unidentified teammate destroyed the star's stereo with a baseball bat. Speculation immemdiately centered on the hot-tempered Wood, as well as second-baseman Todd Walker. Both players have denied the allegation.
Wood is married to the former Sarah Pates of Waukegan, Ill.
External link
- Kerry Wood's career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com (http://baseball-reference.com/w/woodke02.shtml)
- ESPN.com: Kerry Wood (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?statsId=5982)ja:ケリー・ウッド