Wood could begin rehab stint soon
June 9, 2005
BY MIKE KILEY STAFF REPORTER
No one was willing to predict if Kerry Wood would go on a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues, perhaps as soon as this weekend, if his right shoulder bounces back without pain after he threw 45 pitches Wednesday in a simulated game at Wrigley Field.
Jose Macias and Enrique Wilson were the only hitters against Wood and didn't do much damage. As usual, Wood's effort was praised, and the only cautionary remarks were about the aftereffects.
"It's good he felt good today, but it's more important how he feels the next couple days,'' Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "His command of the fastball was real good considering that he hadn't been out there in a long time. The slider was good. The curve will be the last thing to come.''
Wood has sought to smooth his delivery and relieve stress on his arm and shoulder by not throwing across his body. He felt he was successful in doing that Wednesday in the majority of his deliveries.
"I tried to take what had been working on on the side and take it out there,'' Wood said. "Just trying to keep it a little more smooth. Sometimes, depending on the situation in a game, you want to try to do a little more and end up jumping. I'm trying to keep everything the same, regardless of the situation in the game.
"The ball was jumping today. I can't complain. If everything feels good the next couple days, we'll make a decision.''
Wood said it hasn't been discussed whether he would pitch at Class AAA Iowa or elsewhere in the farm system. Manager Dusty Baker said a decision should come Friday on whether to have Wood throw another simulated game or start a rehab assignment.
Staying smooth is easier than it sounds in the heat of competition.
"He gets the adrenaline going in games, and things change sometimes,'' Rothschild said. "He has figured some things out delivery-wise that can help. That's the point he was at most of '03. He needs to be on the mound to smooth things out, and he hasn't been able to do that much in the last year.
"We need to get him back where he's on the mound enough and settles in and straightens some things out. Different things can change as you try to create the power. He is going to accelerate into a different mode with a hitter standing there.''
Mark Prior played catch again Wednesday as he seeks to get the remaining inflammation out of his right elbow.
"As the soreness leaves, we will accelerate the program, which hopefully will be in the next few days,'' Rothschild said.
THE SMOKING GUN: While Sammy Sosa contends in a Sports Illustrated story that there was no videotape of his car leaving the players' parking lot at Wrigley Field before the final game of last season, Cubs insiders say Sosa is misinformed.
The Cubs went public with the information about the time-sensitive tape on the day after the season. Team officials were reacting to Sosa telling the Sun-Times that he had left Wrigley in the seventh inning and that a flap about his absence was no big deal.
If Sosa's advisers are telling him that no tape ever existed, they aren't giving it to him straight.
IT'S OFFICIAL: Veteran left-hander Glendon Rusch, who pitched Tuesday against Toronto, has bumped rookie left-hander John Koronka from Sunday night's assignment against Boston. Baker had said he was reluctant to put Koronka in the national spotlight with ESPN telecasting that game. Koronka is expected to pitch Monday against Florida.
June 9, 2005
BY MIKE KILEY STAFF REPORTER
No one was willing to predict if Kerry Wood would go on a rehabilitation assignment in the minor leagues, perhaps as soon as this weekend, if his right shoulder bounces back without pain after he threw 45 pitches Wednesday in a simulated game at Wrigley Field.
Jose Macias and Enrique Wilson were the only hitters against Wood and didn't do much damage. As usual, Wood's effort was praised, and the only cautionary remarks were about the aftereffects.
"It's good he felt good today, but it's more important how he feels the next couple days,'' Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "His command of the fastball was real good considering that he hadn't been out there in a long time. The slider was good. The curve will be the last thing to come.''
Wood has sought to smooth his delivery and relieve stress on his arm and shoulder by not throwing across his body. He felt he was successful in doing that Wednesday in the majority of his deliveries.
"I tried to take what had been working on on the side and take it out there,'' Wood said. "Just trying to keep it a little more smooth. Sometimes, depending on the situation in a game, you want to try to do a little more and end up jumping. I'm trying to keep everything the same, regardless of the situation in the game.
"The ball was jumping today. I can't complain. If everything feels good the next couple days, we'll make a decision.''
Wood said it hasn't been discussed whether he would pitch at Class AAA Iowa or elsewhere in the farm system. Manager Dusty Baker said a decision should come Friday on whether to have Wood throw another simulated game or start a rehab assignment.
Staying smooth is easier than it sounds in the heat of competition.
"He gets the adrenaline going in games, and things change sometimes,'' Rothschild said. "He has figured some things out delivery-wise that can help. That's the point he was at most of '03. He needs to be on the mound to smooth things out, and he hasn't been able to do that much in the last year.
"We need to get him back where he's on the mound enough and settles in and straightens some things out. Different things can change as you try to create the power. He is going to accelerate into a different mode with a hitter standing there.''
Mark Prior played catch again Wednesday as he seeks to get the remaining inflammation out of his right elbow.
"As the soreness leaves, we will accelerate the program, which hopefully will be in the next few days,'' Rothschild said.
THE SMOKING GUN: While Sammy Sosa contends in a Sports Illustrated story that there was no videotape of his car leaving the players' parking lot at Wrigley Field before the final game of last season, Cubs insiders say Sosa is misinformed.
The Cubs went public with the information about the time-sensitive tape on the day after the season. Team officials were reacting to Sosa telling the Sun-Times that he had left Wrigley in the seventh inning and that a flap about his absence was no big deal.
If Sosa's advisers are telling him that no tape ever existed, they aren't giving it to him straight.
IT'S OFFICIAL: Veteran left-hander Glendon Rusch, who pitched Tuesday against Toronto, has bumped rookie left-hander John Koronka from Sunday night's assignment against Boston. Baker had said he was reluctant to put Koronka in the national spotlight with ESPN telecasting that game. Koronka is expected to pitch Monday against Florida.
