Friday, May 18, 2012

It's hard to "K" goodbye.

Kid K finished off his career in the only way he knew how.

By striking out one last batter.

Congratulations Mr. Dayan Viciedo you are now an answer to a trivia question. 

Kerry went out on his own terms which can't be said very often.  Too many times players hang on for one last chance at glory.  Heck the Cubs are notorious for trying to "capture lightning in a bottle" with players before. 

It rarely works. 

I have great respect for players who are aware enough of themselves and realize when the heat is gone and it is time to walk away.  Kerry had a good career with the Cubs and will be remembered as such. 

I was so excited when he was finally called up from the minors and Cubs fans everywhere were finally going to witness the fire from Kid K's arm.  He wowed us with his fastball and mesmerized us with his curveball.  He had hitters baffled at times and was a pure power pitcher. 

Everyone loves the strikeout. 

It was nevermore evident in his fifth start of his career when  he faced the Houston Astros in 1998.  I can still remember sitting at home and watching him mow down Astro after Astro after Astro.  He was so dominant that day that he struck out 20 batters.  He only gave up 1 lonely hit which was a scratch dribbler that barely made it out of the batters box.  It was one of the most amazing performances I ever witnessed and it made Kerry Wood an All-Time Cub Player fan favorite. 

Kerry may not have lived up to the hype and never got the Cubs a long awaited World Series championship, but he gave it everything he had.

In 2003 he started Game 7 of the NLCS against the Florida Marlins and as we all know came up short.  But he gave his best try and even cranked a homerun to help himself out that I will never forget.  I am not ashamed to say that it made me cry thinking the baseball gods were maybe finally on our side.  It wasn't meant to be but he put his heart and soul out there. 

Kerry was a tireless worker and truly cared about the city of Chicago and its wonderful fans. 

In all of his accomplishments throughout his career what really stands out to me is how much he did in charitable work.  He was a good baseball player but he is an even greater person.  Every year you would hear about what he and his wife did in the off season for charity and giving back to the city.  He had a big arm and an even bigger heart.  If every player cared that much about others as he does the world would be a much better and happier place. 

So I will miss seeing him stare down hitters.

I will miss watching them looking at their bats like he made it disappear while striking them out.

And so that leaves only one thing left to say in honor of Kid K.

"One, Two, Three strikes you're out at the old ball game!"

7 comments:

  1. How good was Kerry Wood? Well, the most games he ever won in a season was 14, and that only once. He chocked away game 7 in the 2003 playoffs to go to the World Series.

    For any other team than the Cubs he would just be a footnote in that team's history.

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  2. Good article Doug. Good to see Mr. Smarmy himself "Elelven Rings" chime in with his two cents of worthless dribble right on cue.

    Do yourself a favor, quit worrying about the Cubs and find a dictionary as soon as possible. Third Grade called and you're wanted back after P.E. for a sit-down with your spelling teacher.

    Kerry Wood was a fantastic pitcher that obviously never lived up to his God-given potential and ability...we know that. He also was a good ballplayer who always fought his way back from trip after trip to the disabled list. His 20 K performance in 1998 is still viewed by many a baseball historian as one of the most dominant pitching performances ever. 2 All-Star appearances, the 1998 Rookie of the Year, and a Major League record. We should all be so "mediocre".

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  3. Thank you both for your comments. I embrace the different opinions from all my readers. Keep them coming.

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  4. First you seem to be a lot more worried about me than I am the Cubs.

    Ever hear of Tom Chaney who struck out 21 batters for the Washington Senators in 1962. I don't think any fan of that team is still obsessed over a mediocre pitcher who had one good game.

    And, yes Wood chocked away the game that kept the Cubs out of the World Series, and name calling and whining will never change that fact.

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  5. I am a Reds fan so I don't care about Kerry Wood, but I also teach
    English and the work "chock" is a block or wedge placed under something else to keep it from moving.

    So, Eleven Rings is right when he said Wood blocked or chocked the Cubs from moving on to the Series, and I am suspect he knew that and was setting a trap for someone less fluent in the English language than he.

    If I were Eleven Ring's teacher I would give him straight A's.

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  6. I don't believe it was the usage of the word "chock" that was in question. Rather, it was the spelling of his own so-called name "Eleven Rings" that was in question. Take a look.

    And let's not bring up a game for a long defunct franchise in the Washington Senators and a "record" that isn't even recognized my Major League Baseball as a way to validate your whiny and constant vitriol towards the Cubs.

    For someone that isn't obsessed with the Cubs, and claims to be a Cardinals fan, your Cubs to Cardinals comment ratio is slightly out of whack.

    And who said Cub fans are obsessed with Wood? He had a nice little moment that was recognized by the fans at Wrigley and that's it. No one had a tinker tape parade for the guy. Lay off and gain a little perspective.

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  7. OOh, what an exciting life you Cub fans live, spending endless hours pouring over transcripts trying to find typos.

    Of course, I guess all Cub fans will do just about anything to keep their minds from thinking about those 100 plus years of no World Series rings.

    Trying to belittle the Washington Senators and Tom Chaney's record will not change the fact that the Cubs have not had a winner in over a century, and that there is nothing special about Wood.

    You certainly are defensive for someone who calls others names. I am a baseball fan and will comment on the Cubs or any other team anytime I want to.

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