Why Kerry Wood Should Be Willing to Take Whatever the Chicago Cubs Offer

Look, I understand that baseball is a business. But after all the many millions the Cubs have paid Kerry Wood, you mean to tell me that the right-hander is still haggling over money?

Let's be clear on one point here. I like Kerry Wood. I happen to like him a lot. As a fan, I celebrated his rise to stardom and was saddened over his sudden fall from fame following elbow surgery.

But let's face it, Cubs fans, Wood owes the Cubs. No, he doesn't have to do anything, but to me, if he's the stand up guy we think he is, why would he argue over money at this point in his career?

Wood said this was the place he wanted to be. He took far less money last offseason because he said this was the only team he wanted to play for.

He said he would retire if the cubs didn't want him back. And yet, now, he's supposedly entertaining other offers.

I just don't get it.

Now, I know that things have changed since Wood returned last season. Jim Hendry is gone, replaced by the combination of Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer.

But this is still the same great city he calls home. He has that same charitable foundation here that he said he wanted to come back to.

And it's the same fans that adore him, warts and all.

Speaking of warts, here is the point that really gets me going. Wood has played with the Cubs for 11 years now. In between, he spent some time with the Indians and New York.

However, Chicago has been where he has played for the vast majority of his career. And those "warts" I speak of are the many injuries he's suffered and the many days he has spent on the disabled list.

That he always seems to get hurt is not his fault. But guaranteed contracts are just that—guaranteed—and as far as I know, Wood never offered to give any of that money back.

And he has made a fortune, nearly $70 million so far. How much money does a guy really need?

Plus, according to ESPN's Bruce Levine, Cubs owner Tom ricketts assured Wood "that after his career ends he'll have a job with the Cubs for as long as he wants to be associated with the team."

Yet we hear reports that Wood is not close to signing with the Cubs, and the issue appears to be related to his salary.

Not only that, but he's reportedly being pursued by team such as the Phillies.

Now, before you point out that maybe Wood wants to win a ring before he retires, I would ask you why, then, did he leave the Yankees to take a sweetheart deal with the Cubs?

Did Wood actually believe the Cubs were going to win the World Series last year? And even factoring in the rebuilding that Theo and company are doing, it's still the Cubs we're talking about.

Wood had to know it wasn't very likely the Cubs were going to win in his lifetime after going over a century without winning. I mean, really, what were the chances, regardless of regime change?

May I remind you that he has been on the disabled list 15 times in 14 seasons and has not put together a full, injury-free season since 2003?

Yet for all of the time the Cubs have paid him while on the DL, all of a sudden it's about money?

Hey, I will still have respect for Wood no matter what decision he makes. But I don't have to like it.

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