Kerry Wood
From BR Bullpen
Kerry Lee Wood
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 5", Weight 220 lb.
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[edit] Biographical Information
Kerry Wood is one of the great strikeout pitchers in baseball history, with 10.38 strikeouts per nine innings, ranking (as of the start of 2010) # 2 on the all-time list. In only his fifth major league start, Kerry struck out 20 Houston Astros on May 6, 1998. Wood, through 2009, has pitched 11 seasons with a record of 80-64 and 54 saves.
With Todd Walker, he is alleged to have destroyed Sammy Sosa's clubhouse stereo at the end of the 2004 season. Sosa had left Wrigley Field 15 minutes prior to the end of the season home finale.
He has never won more than 14 games in a single season, and has never pitched more than 214 innings in any season either, as he has been plagued by injuries, as was the case for his former teammate Mark Prior. He was reconverted to the bullpen in 2007 and became the Cubs' closer in 2008, saving 34 games and being named to the All-Star team.
Wood was the winning hurler in the 10,000th win in Chicago Cubs history, doing so on April 23, 2008 against the Colorado Rockies. With two outs in the 9th, he blew the save when Scott Podsednik singled and Ryan Spilborghs tripled, but Chicago scored in the 10th. Kip Wells took the loss.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1998 NL Rookie of the Year Award
- 1998 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 2-time NL All-Star (2003 & 2008)
- NL Strikeouts Leader (2003)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (2002 & 2003)
- 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 4 (1998 & 2001-2003)
- 30 Saves Seasons: 1 (2008)
| NL Rookie of the Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Scott Rolen | Kerry Wood | Scott Williamson |
[edit] Records Held
- Strikeouts, game (9 innings), 20, May 6, 1998 (tied)
