Kerry Wood
Encyclopedia
Kerry Lee Wood is a National
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...

. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003.

Wood has struggled with injuries throughout his career, being placed on the disabled list 14 times in the 13 seasons of his major league career. He missed the entire 1999 season due to elbow surgery in spring training. In recent years, he has had three serious arm injuries, and started only a total of 14 major league games from Opening Day 2005 through the middle of 2006. Wood returned to the Cubs during the 2007 season
2007 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs' 2007 season began with the Cubs trying to rebound after a season in which they finished last in their division for the first time since .-Offseason:...

 as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...

, and served as the team's closer in 2008.

Early life

Wood became a phenomenon while attending MacArthur High School in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...

, for his first three seasons of high school baseball. He continued his domination of batters at Grand Prairie High School
Grand Prairie High School
Grand Prairie High School is a public high school in Grand Prairie, Texas, the seventh-largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and 17th-largest in Texas...

 in his final season as a high school player.

1995-1997

The Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 drafted Wood as the fourth overall selection in the 1995 Amateur Draft. He spent three years playing in the Minor League
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...

s. His best season in the Minors came in 1996, when he posted a 10-2 record for the Daytona Cubs
Daytona Cubs
The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...

. He also played for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...

. In 1997 he led all minor league pitchers in walks, with 131.

1998

A prospect in the minor leagues, Wood made his first appearance in the Major Leagues
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 on April 12, 1998. In his fifth career start, on May 6, he threw a one-hit, no walk, 20-strikeout shutout against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

, tying Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...

' record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game and breaking Bill Gullickson
Bill Gullickson
William Lee Gullickson is a former major league baseball pitcher who played for six different major-league teams, in Canada, the U.S...

's single-game rookie record of 18 strikeouts in 1980. To date, Wood and Bob Feller
Bob Feller
On December 8, 1941, Feller enlisted in the Navy, volunteering immediately for combat service, becoming the first Major League Baseball player to do so following the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. Feller served as Gun Captain aboard the USS Alabama, and missed four seasons during his service...

 are the only two pitchers to strike out their age in one game (at age 17, Feller struck out 17 batters in one game in 1936). Wood allowed only two baserunners: an infield single by Ricky Gutiérrez
Ricky Gutiérrez
Ricardo "Ricky" Gutiérrez a Cuban-American is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from through for the San Diego Padres , Houston Astros , Chicago Cubs , Cleveland Indians , New York Mets and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...

, and hit
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...

 Craig Biggio
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros . He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He...

. The single, off third baseman Kevin Orie
Kevin Orie
Kevin Leonard Orie is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. He is an alumnus of Indiana University, where he was a standout for the Hoosiers baseball team.-Chicago Cubs:...

's glove, was close enough that some fans lobbied to have it changed in scoring to an error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...

, which would have given Wood a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

. The game is considered by many to be the most dominant pitching performance in the history of baseball.

Wood finished the 1998 season with a 13–6 record; despite missing the last month of the season with elbow soreness, he easily won the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...

 award. He pitched one game in the playoffs, losing against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

.

1999–2003

During spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 of 1999, Wood underwent Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...

 to repair damage to the ulnar collateral ligament
Ulnar collateral ligament (elbow)
The ulnar collateral ligament is a thick triangular band consisting of two portions, an anterior and posterior united by a thinner intermediate portion....

 in his right elbow, missing the entire season.

Wood returned in 2000 and struggled to an 8–7 record, but the following season, he returned to form. In 2001, Wood went 12-6 with a 3.36 ERA. The following season, Wood finished 12–11 with a 3.67 ERA, but perhaps more important was the fact he did not miss a start all year long, setting career highs with 213.6 innings pitched and 33 starts. He rang up 217 strikeouts each season.

In 2003, Wood continued to improve, setting career highs with 266 strikeouts, 14 wins (as part of a 14–11 record), a 3.20 ERA, and two shutouts. He threw the fastest fastball in the majors among starters, averaging 95.4 miles per hour. He also walked 100 batters and surrendered 24 home runs, also career highs, but was selected as a National League All-Star and helped lead the Cubs to the playoffs.

Wood earned two wins in the Divisional Series against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 and was the starter in Game 3 of the 2003 National League Championship Series
2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...

, which the Cubs won in extra innings. However, the Cubs lost in seven games to the eventual World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...

 champion Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...

. In the decisive Game 7, Wood hit the first home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...

 by a pitcher in a NLCS
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...

 game since another Cub, Rick Sutcliffe, did so in Game 1 in 1984
1984 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1984 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisBob Dernier led off the game for the Cubs with a homer, and things went steadily downhill for the Padres as Chicago romped to a crushing 13–0 win in their first postseason game since 1945. Gary Matthews also homered in the first...

. However, the Marlins won the game 9-6. Wood was the losing pitcher and the Cubs were eliminated.

2004–2006

Wood went just 8-9 during the 2004 season and was sidelined for nearly two months with a strained triceps.

In 2005, Wood continued to struggle. On August 31, 2005, Wood underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the season. During Spring Training in 2006, Wood suffered several injuries which required an additional surgery (on his knee) and time off shortly after that to recover from injuries sustained falling out of a hot tub. On May 18, 006, Wood returned to the Cubs' pitching rotation when he started and lost a home game against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...

. In June, Wood returned to the DL
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...

 with a sore shoulder. The following month, the Cubs announced that Wood had sustained a partially torn rotator cuff
Rotator cuff tear
Rotator cuff tears are tears of one or more of the four tendons of the rotator cuff muscles. A rotator cuff injury can include any type of irritation or damage to the rotator cuff muscles or tendons....

 which was likely to keep him from pitching again for the rest of the year. At the end of the 2006 season, the Cubs exercised their option on Wood's contract and bought out the remaining $13M.

2007–2008

With his long history of injuries and inability to stay in the starting rotation, Wood accepted the Cubs offer to return as a relief pitcher in 2007. Wood attempted to sustain a regular throwing schedule and appearances during Spring Training games. However, Wood was placed on the 15 day DL with soreness in his elbow and was then moved to the 60 day DL. Wood considered retiring if he continued to have pain in his throwing arm. He began playing catch on May 21. In his first rehab assignment in Cubs Rookie Ball, he struck out all three batters he faced. On July 24, he pitched 1 inning with the Single-A Peoria Chiefs
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....

, throwing 9 pitches. He made back-to-back appearances on July 26 and July 27, throwing his fastball between 92-94 mph with no discomfort.

The Cubs activated Wood from the 60-Day Disabled List on August 3, causing many to believe that he would make his actual return on that day. In the seventh inning, however, Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...

 opted to send Bob Howry
Bob Howry
Bobby Dean Howry is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-Early life:Howry attended Deer Valley High School in Arizona,then he attended McNeese State University and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants...

 to the mound, and most fans, eager to see Kerry back on the hill, mistakenly gave Howry a standing ovation, only to realize moments later it was actually not Wood. Piniella later stated he wanted Wood to receive a "softer landing", or in other words, make his return in a game where the Cubs have a comfortable lead over their opponents. Wood made his return on August 5, with the Cubs trailing the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 by four runs. He pitched a single inning, during which he allowed one hit, and struck out another batter. Piniella praised Wood's performance, stating "He threw the ball real good", and "His breaking ball had some bite to it, and he threw it up there about 93-94, about what we expected". He remained healthy appearing in 22 games and posting a 1-1 record with a solid 3.33 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

.

He was generally limited to one inning per outing, not appearing in games on back to back days, though he did pitch in both halves of a double header on September 15. Wood was a major contributor to the Cub's NL Central Division Championship down the stretch in late September, earning a win and 8 holds. Wood filed for free-agency on November 11, 2007, though he suggested that he wanted to remain in pinstripes for the 2008 season. Despite multi-year offers from other teams, Wood agreed to a one year, $4.2 million deal with the Cubs.

Wood, along with Bob Howry
Bob Howry
Bobby Dean Howry is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher.-Early life:Howry attended Deer Valley High School in Arizona,then he attended McNeese State University and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants...

 and Carlos Marmol
Carlos Marmol
Carlos Agustín Mármol is a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.-Minor league career:Mármol started his career as a catcher/outfielder...

, competed for the role as the Cubs' closer after Ryan Dempster
Ryan Dempster
Ryan Scott Dempster is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Dempster bats and throws right-handed. He has been both a starter and a reliever in his career.-Professional career:...

 was moved to the starting rotation. After posting a 2.84 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...

 in the spring, Wood won the job. He recorded his first career save April 3, 2008 with a win over the Brewers. Wood recorded 34 saves in 39 opportunities, 82 strike-outs and a 1.12 WHIP
Walks plus hits per inning pitched
In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base...

. He was selected to the 2008 MLB All-Star Game as a relief pitcher on July 6, 2008 along with six other teammates.

Wood was placed on the 15-day DL on July 24, 2008 with a blister on his right index finger. He returned to throw a scoreless inning against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

 on August 5, 2008.

On November 13, 2008, after acquiring closer Kevin Gregg
Kevin Gregg
Kevin Marschall Gregg is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.-High school career:...

 from the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...

, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry
Jim Hendry is da greatest white guitar player there ever was. both herman li and thomas dookul and brandon co-oper agree...

 announced that the organization did not plan on re-signing Wood. He had previously requested a multi-year contract with the team, but was deferred due to financial reasons. Wood stated he wished to remain with the Cubs, but also wanted to continue playing baseball.

Cleveland Indians

On December 13, 2008, Wood signed a two-year contract with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

.

Cubs fans showed their appreciation for him by giving him a standing ovation when the Cleveland Indians played at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...

 on June 19, 2009. During the 2010 season, Wood was placed on the disabled list until May 8 due to an upper back muscle strain. On July 17, 2010, Wood was placed on the disabled list for the 14th time in his major league career, this time due to a blister on his right index finger.

New York Yankees

Wood was traded from the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

 to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

 on July 31, 2010 for Andrew Chive, Matt Cusick, and cash. With the Yankees, he went 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 24 games, including 21 straight scoreless appearances, and served as the bridge to Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...

 in the 2010 postseason.

The Yankees announced on October 27 that the club had declined to exercise their option for Wood for 2011.

Return to the Chicago Cubs

On December 16, 2010, Wood agreed to a one year deal worth 1.5 million with the Cubs. Wood reportedly turned down offers for long-term deals from several other teams worth more money due to his desire to keep his family in Chicago.

MLB records

  • Fastest to reach 1000 strikeouts in MLB history (in appearances): 134 games
  • Fastest to reach 1000 strikeouts in MLB history (in innings pitched): 853 IP
  • Strikeouts in a 9-inning game: 20 on May 6, 1998 (tied record with Roger Clemens
    Roger Clemens
    William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...

     and Randy Johnson
    Randy Johnson
    Randall David Johnson , nicknamed "The Big Unit", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 22-year career, he pitched for six different teams....

    )

Personal life

Wood is married to Sarah Pates of Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...

. The couple has one son, Justin, and two daughters, Katie and Charlotte. Until 2008, the family resided in Old Town
Old Town, Chicago
Old Town is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, bounded by the Ogden Ave. right-of-way on the northwest, Larrabee Street on the west, Clybourn Avenue on the southwest and Division Street on the south and Clark Street on the east and northeast. It spans across eastern parts of the community areas...

 neighborhood of Chicago.

During spring training in 1999, Wood was caught by police urinating on a public wall.

While playing for the Cubs, the Woods hosted a celebrity bowling tournament called Kerry Wood's Strike Zone, which also featured a silent auction that raised over two million dollars.

See also


External links

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