Relief Pitcher
Chicago Cubs
Profile
2008 Season StatsGMWLBBKERA14213134.80 Lou Piniella is not making a call to the bullpen.The Chicago Cubs manager said Kerry Wood is still the team's closer despite blowing three saves in his last four chances.
Wood's latest blown save was Thursday. He blew a two-run lead as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied for a 4-3 win.
"I've got confidence in Kerry," Piniella told reporters. "Look, these things are going to happen. You don't want to see them happen. You don't like when they happen. That was a tough loss for us, real tough loss.
"Look, they happen. But Kerry's our closer, and that's the end of the story."
Wood's journey to the bullpen has been a long one.
At the end of that 1998 season, his first in the big leagues, Wood missed the final month with a strained elbow ligament, but returned to pitch in the playoffs when the Cubs lost to the Braves. His elbow gave out the next spring and he missed the entire 1999 season after Tommy John surgery.
He eventually made his way back with three double-figure victory seasons from 2001-03 and helped pitch the Cubs to the playoffs five years ago, where a meltdown in the NLCS cost them a trip to the World Series. But from 2005-07, he battled shoulder problems, even having arthroscopic surgery at one point.
When it looked like another surgery might be necessary last year after he started the season on the disabled list, Wood went out to throw in an attempt to pinpoint the pain in his shoulder. Miraculously it had disappeared. He rejoined the Cubs in the bullpen last August and this spring won the closer's role.
Piniella: Soriano to bat leadoff in Thursday return
Soriano comes off DL, bats leadoff vs. Brewers
