ESPNChicago poll question: is Kerry Wood in the Top 50 Cubs of all time?
It is an insult to the Cub legacy to vote yes.
As predicted, the admiration, dolting excess of pro-Wood media attention is on full bore.
But to even think Wood was the greatest Cub of all time???
Maybe the greatest disappointment of all time, as "Kid K" came to the majors with
the expectations of being the next Nolan Ryan.
But Wood's career was not even close to being considered a Hall of Famer.
He was not a dominate pitcher. As a starter, 86 wins is below average for time in the majors.
As a reliever, he was never a dominate closer with 63 saves. He stayed in the game longer
than most because of his dazzling start as a rookie and his old stats that he had a 95 mph fastball.
Power pitchers are the golden arms for general managers.
It is false praise to even consider Wood as one of the greatest Cubs of all time.
Take off the blinders, people. The objective evidence shows Wood may be a fan icon, but
not a great player.
Just look at the Cubs enshrined in Cooperstown. It is not easy to get voted in (ask Santo):
| Pete Alexander | 1918-1926 |
| Cap Anson * | 1876-1897 |
| Richie Ashburn | 1960-1961 |
| Ernie Banks * | 1953-1971 |
| Roger Bresnahan | 1900, 1913-1915 |
| Lou Brock | 1961-1964 |
| Mordecai Brown * | 1904-1912, 1916 |
| Frank Chance * | 1898-1912 |
| John Clarkson | 1884-1887 |
| Kiki Cuyler | 1928-1935 |
| Dizzy Dean | 1938-1941 |
| Hugh Duffy | 1888-1889 |
| Dennis Eckersley | 1984-1986 |
| Johnny Evers * | 1902-1913 |
| Jimmie Foxx | 1942, 1944 |
| Clark Griffith | 1893-1900 |
| Burleigh Grimes | 1932-1933 |
| Gabby Hartnett * | 1922-1940 |
| Billy Herman * | 1931-1941 |
| Rogers Hornsby | 1929-1932 |
| Monte Irvin | 1956 |
| Fergie Jenkins * | 1966-1973, 1982-1983 |
| George Kelly | 1930 |
| King Kelly * | 1880-1886 |
| Ralph Kiner | 1953-1954 |
| Chuck Klein | 1934-1936 |
| Tony Lazzeri | 1938 |
| Fred Lindstrom | 1935 |
| Rabbit Maranville | 1925 |
| Robin Roberts | 1966 |
| Ryne Sandberg* | 1982-1997 |
| Ron Santo* | 1960-74 |
| Al Spalding | 1876-1878 |
| Joe Tinker * | 1902-1912, 1916 |
| Rube Waddell | 1901 |
| Hoyt Wilhelm | 1970 |
| Billy Williams * | 1959-1974 |
| Hack Wilson * | 1926-1931 |
| * Played more games with the Cubs than any other team. | |
There is 38 players right there.
And there are the players on the HOF ballot like Lee Smith and Bruce Sutter.
And there are hundreds of other good players who were All-Stars and had long, productive careers who played with the Cubs like Rick Monday, Bill Buckner, Don Kessinger, Gabby Harnett, Rick Reuschel, all were clearly better than Wood.
How Wood's name gets into the discussion of greatest Cubs of all time shows the lack of baseball intelligence. Which is probably the explanation why the Cubs continue to draw with really bad teams; with players who also have limited baseball intelligence on the diamond. Maybe that is the Cub fan connection that keeps the franchise in limbo: hoisting praise on mediocre stars.
