Comments on: Here’s A Thought: Go After Kerry Wood

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:19:50 +0000

No thanks. I just don’t trust him to stay healthy.

By: From Section 113

From Section 113 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:55:49 +0000

I agree with the ajority that Wood would be too expensive and a huge injury risk. Not to mention he doesn’t pitch well in defined roles, let alone in an undefined role.

I’d rather go after Springer or Cruz.

But I think losing a 1st round draft pick is not something to get too warked up about, supposedly this draft class is not that great and if we were to miss out of a 1st rounder this year would be the year. Alot of late 1st rounders (where we will be picking) might not be any better than a 2nd round pick.

By: Harry

Harry — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:18:27 +0000

I thought about his personality as not a good fit for the Phils—but I heard he was a good teammate in Texas—if he joins a winner like the Phils he may have a better attitude. An incentive laden 2-3 year deal for games played would be great for a guy that has a career .890 OPS against left handed pitching…Of course they could just go in with a lesser guy like Juan Rivera (cheap) in a platoon with Jenkins and then go for a big bat at the trade deadline if they are contending…

By: KM

KM — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:17:30 +0000

Don’t like the idea too much. Wood will probably only want to be a closer, which means he is going to want a multi-year deal north or 9 mil per season. I wouldn’t give 9-10 millions per year to a setup man when we have a couple guys on the roster that can do the job.

Also, I don’t think we could move him to the rotation, because injuries have been a concern his whole career while he was a starter.

By: NJ

NJ — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:54:31 +0000

I’d be more than happy to see Bradley fill the outfield void but I don’t want to see us wine, dine and give him a great offer to come here. I want to see him come here with the humility he had to go to Texas with and sure put money in the contract but I’d want to see escolators in whatever deal to guarantee he’ll play like he wants to be here. With Wood I just don’t see how we can justify a bullpen that with Tim’s suggested number for him would be somewhere around the $35m mark.

By: RichieAllen

RichieAllen — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:38:41 +0000

I think the 2 guys I WOULDNT sign for sure would be Bradley and Wood..If you look at Bradleys numbers,except for last year,he either hasnt been healthy or hasnt had a lot of at bats to have good numbers(probably because he was busy pissing off his mgr).Plus this guy is a cancer in the clubhouse.Why even take a chance on him?Not worth our consideration.
Kerry Wood has had 1 good year in the last 5…yes 1 in 5…Give him a one year contract based on incentives maybe..but he’ll get more than that from some team willing to take a chance.Why take a chance on this guy?….use Madson as the setup guy.

By: RichieAllen

RichieAllen — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:19:26 +0000

Doesnt Gabe Kapler double as a comedian?

By: Harry

Harry — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:36:30 +0000

Gotta be joking—wy tie up all that money in someone who has had one heathy season in the past 5 years? All they need are a couple Seanez like relief pitchers to shore up the ‘pen—or they could just bring up a couple pitchers from the minors to be long relievers.

Gabe Kapler would work—has a 886 OPS against lefties last 3 years. I’d like to see them get Milton Bradley for 2-3 years at 8 per but that is probably dreaming

By: mikemike

mikemike — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:17:43 +0000

GABE KAPLER IS A GREAT CHOICE TO PROTECT HOWARD

By: mikemike

mikemike — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:16:34 +0000

I think next season free agency should be one week to have boston, yankees, cubs dodgers spend and set the price and then the markets like us who can’t afford players get there chance.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:23:50 +0000

I do not like this idea at all. I would much, much rather have Jamie Moyer signed than Kerry Wood. If you’re worried about Romero being exposed after pitching outside the role of Left-on-Left specialist, I understand, but we already have Eyre. If you’re worried about Madson, maybe they can do set-up by committee. But my God, man – you’re talking about signing the next Kevin Millwood. Let’s tie up Cole and/or Jamie before we worry about anything else.

And in left field discussion: has anyone thought of signing a guy like Gabe Kapler? He isn’t a power guy but he can platoon with Jenkins and would make a good number-six hitter, and Werth could take the fifth spot.

By: mjkvol

mjkvol — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:37:39 +0000

What is there not to love about Madson as the set-up guy? “Too much exposure”??? I don’t think he’ll see a bigger stage than he was just on, and I’d say he held his own quite well, to say the least. Please leave well enough alone!

What is it with this free-agent frenzy? Exactly the thing that killed the Yankees late ’90′s run is what everyone seems to want here – overpaying for big names that aren’t necessarily going to help us, or who are huge risks for one reason or another. If we have to overpay, I’d prefer it to be for a good starting pitcher.

I don’t even want Burrell back, unless it’s on the cheap, and for no more than two years. We’ve seen his best, and thanks for the memories, but at this point I’d rather go with a platoon and spend the money more wisely than on a 7-inning guy who can’t run or play the field.

By: Evrybuddy Hits woohoo

Evrybuddy Hits woohoo — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:23:10 +0000

Not a chance. He is injury prone so that he can’t be a starter. We already have the best closer in baseball. Wood would not take a pay cut to be a setup man.

By: Lewisauce

Lewisauce — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:26:05 +0000

Tim, this brings up another question: why do you want to keep “rising star Ryan Madson from too much exposure”? Madson handled the pressure in the World Series; he can certainly handle it in May or June. He’s younger, cheaper, healthier. He’s earned the role of setup guy; let him keep the job.

If you want to sign someone as insurance, i.e. a veteran who’s been a setup guy and can do it again, go ahead. But not a guy with a glass arm who will want $30 million +.

By: Lewisauce

Lewisauce — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:21:49 +0000

If we’re going to way overspend on a FA pitcher, it shouldn’t be Wood. The guy’s just never healthy, and if you’re signing someone for big money, you had better know how they are going to fit on the team. In other words, we can’t spend $30 mil on a guy who might or might not be a setup man or starter. Nothing about this idea is worth it unless you can get him for cheap or for a short contract, and I think he’ll demand more than that.

That said, if we’re going to way overspend, Lowe is the guy. He’s been healthy most of his career, so he’s a better bet to stay healthy, and his role will be clearly defined for the money we are spending.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:13:47 +0000

Wood is definitely going to demand more money than he is worth as a set-up man. I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting him back in the rotation either, seeing his injury proneness.

By: Grrrumpy Miner

Grrrumpy Miner — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:48:07 +0000

Look out….Yankes offered 6/137.5 Mil for CC and may do high offers for AJ Burnett and Derek Lowe most likely for the simple purpose of overpricing them.If thats the case….would the Phillies break the bank to get any pitcher?Or do the continue course and speed to try and save a buck and do nothing.

By: J-Man

J-Man — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:21:33 +0000

Don’t sign Wood he’s too expensive and he’s always on the DL…Do a trade for Garrett Atkins and try and sign Derek Lowe or Ryan Dempster.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 03:50:08 +0000

Not much of a contribution for the money unless he is a starter, which he’s too fragile to become. No thank you.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:49:57 +0000

3 years is a lot. 1 year with incentives might do better. Speaking of fragile pitchers, what about Mulder? He has been hurt for the last 3 seasons with St. Louis and they let him go. He pitched on Oakland with Blanton, Zito, Hudson, Redmen & Harden – the guy was runner up for the CYA in the AL in 2001 and will be 31 this year.

If considering taking a chance on Wood, why not someone like Mulder who is now out of a job? 1 year deal, incentives if he posts certain goals.

Pitching is it people. Our Phils got there this year because of pitching (the biggest reason) and we must shore up the staff.

As much as we might miss him, Pat is going somewhere else and replacing him will not be the end of the world. With that extra 10-12 mil freed up, spend the money on Pitching.