Cubs say goodbye to Kerry Wood

Cubs say goodbye to Kerry Wood
November 13, 2008 at 2:55 PM | Comments (73)

Pitcher Kerry Wood and the Cubs will part ways after 14 years with the organization, general manager Jim Hendry said today.

After acquiring a potential closer in Florida's Kevin Gregg this morning, Hendry announced the Cubs would not try to re-sign Wood, who will be able to accept free-agent offers from other clubs on Friday.

Hendry met this week with Wood and his agent, Pat Rooney, and told him the Cubs were going in a different direction.

"I think we all feel that Kerry is certainly deserving of a three- or four-year contract," Hendry said. "He's done everything this organization has asked for the last 14 years, been a warrior the last couple of years. He's come back and health-wise stood the test of time, taken the ball every day we needed, and had no hang-ups, except for (missing one month with a blister injury).

"We're just in a situation, as Kerry fully understands, that that length of deal, for the kind of salary he'd command right now, is not our first priority. We certainly have to finish our rotation, we have offensive situations to address, and by having the prominence that (Carlos) Marmol now brings to the table, it certainly doesn't come before the other needs we have. We felt it was time Kerry goes out and does what's best for him and his family, and gets a huge multi-year deal if possible."

Wood, who came up in the Cubs organization as one of the team's most heralded prospects ever, had the longest tenure of any Cubs player on the 2008 roster.

The Cubs sent Double-A prospect Jose Ceda to the Marlin for Gregg, a right-handed reliever.

Whether Gregg will be a closer, as he was in Florida, or a set-up man depends on if Marmol is ready to step into a more significant role.

Either way, the Cubs are trying to maintain their options as they head into the free agent season, which officially kicks off on Friday, when teams can makes offers to free agents outside their organization.