Lou Piniella is sticking with his story that Ryan Dempster is his closer, even with Kerry Wood seemingly ready to take the reigns should Dempster struggle. With the numbers Dempster has been putting up during Spring Training, can you blame him?
While all the hype has been focused around Wood’s impressive spring outings (which are made less impressive solely because of an inning of bad luck which led to a grand slam), no one has noticed that Dempster has been quietly stellar this spring. Dempster is currently sporting a 2.25 ERA, having only given up 1 earned run in 4 innings pitched. He has also struck out 5 batters and has (more importantly) walked only one.
Dempster is also one season removed from being one of the better closers in baseball. He has 59 saves to Wood’s zero.
So why am I still rooting for Wood to close?
Dempster is a likable enough guy. He is at least man enough to own up to his mistakes and acknowledge when he isn’t pitching well, and he’s at least a big enough drunk to streak the streets of Wrigleyville.
But he’s not Kerry Wood. For a guy unfairly labeled in the media as fragile and disappointing, Wood has nearly obtained Cub legend status for many fans. Because Wood is the type of guy who gets hurt exactly because he’s so tough. Wood is the Black Knight of Cub history.
He’d pitch armless and legless for the Cubs. In a world of Lance Briggs’s Briggses Briggses’s Armstrongs, Wood gave the Cubs a hometown discount for 2007. Wood gave us memories like the 20-K game, Wood v. Clemens, and the 2003 NLDS. Hell, he was only pitcher to show up for the 1998 NLDS.
It would certainly be nice if both Dempster and Wood have the stuff to be successful closers. But if only one of them is able to get guys out in the 9th, I sure hope that one is Wood.
I support Kerry!
- Big Z is ducking calls from his agent (already linked above) and flashing his boobs at the Sun-Times after taking a tumble on the basepath the other day. Also mentioned in the article is the battle between Ronny Cedeno and Tomas Perez for
suckiest guy on a 25-man rosterbackup middle infielder. - Today’s leader in the race for the 5th starting spot is a tie! Wade Miller and Angel Guzman are in a dead heat.
- If you can stand ESPN’s answer to Dateline NBC, “Outside the Lines” is scheduled to air a story about the Cubs’ own Moonlight Graham, Adam Greenberg.
Come back here in get what’s comin’ to ya! I’ll bite your legs off!
“I support Kerry!”
Uhhhh….let’s hope you mean Kerry Wood, and not John “Easter Island Head” Kerry. Uggghhhh….just gives me the shakes thinking about it.
Briggses.
Also, grammar supports non-John too.
Wheeeee!!!!!!!!
(A kiss for you too, Andy)
The Black Knight of Cub History.
That’s fabulous stuff. You guys make me forget that ol’-what’s-his-name guy that used to post stuff on this site.
I pitched 9 innings in Game 2 of the ’98 NLDS and gave up one run.
Yeah, it was the tying run in the bottom of the ninth. Shut up.
Screw you, Mulholland.
I totally fucked that game. I suck.
We had four games to go…DOH! I was 18 and drunk COME ON!
So, who’s got more sack….Lance Briggs or me?
I think that Adam Greenberg deserves to retire the title “Mr Cub”
Wait a damn minute here.
Even I support Wood. Heh… I said wood. I’m gunna write that one down. They don’t call me the clubhouse funnyman for nothin’.