Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex Lapenia

Celtics Send Bulls Back to the Drawing Board

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:32:05 -0400

The Celtics sent the Bulls home back to Chicago on Saturday. Should they have their heads down?

Hell no.

They played a great seven game series against the defending champs. How many overtime games were there? Six. That's amazing, and it was an NBA record.

Granted the Celtics were without the "Big Ticket" Kevin Garnett, but the Bulls held their own, away and at home.

The Bulls played with a lot of heart and passion, and according to Kirk Hinrich, they played with energy and perseverance that they didn't even know they had.

We saw a glimpse of what Joakim Noah could do, after putting up a measly 6.7 PPG and only 7.60 RPG, in the playoffs he put up 10.1 PPG and 13.10 RPG. Not bad for the big man from Florida, but he needs to be more consistent.

Oh, and did I Mention?

Derrick Rose won Rookie of the Year, and what a great year he had. He was a leader on this Bulls team, and stepped up and made a difference. He's definitely someone the Bulls can build around in the future.

But going into the offseason, there are a lot of questions.

What's going to happen to Ben Gordon? Will he be back as a Bull, or will he test the free agent market?

Who will the Bulls draft? I'm hoping they draft another young big man, a four or a five and, the Bulls luck out this year with two first round picks, the 16th and the 24th (via Denver).

In a few mock drafts I've noticed that people have the Bulls picking Ty Lawson and Tyler Hansbrough. Nonetheless, they have the Bulls getting a guard and a power forward.

We'll see though, maybe the play of Noah has convinced the Bulls that he's their center. But with Brad Miller aging, we'll see what happens.

Vinny Del Negro should be proud of what he's done. The Bulls improved their overall record from last year by 6 games, and he led them to a 7th seed playoff berth, while taking the Celtics to 7 games.

Not bad for a guy who's got no real coaching experience, right?

The Bulls had a good year and there is only room for improvement. I hope to see big things from them next year.

Time To Jump on the Dallas Mavericks Bandwagon?

Alex Lapenia — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:51:33 -0400

Raise your hand if you thought San Antonio had this series in the bag.

I sure did.

Maybe I was a bit naive, but what happened to the no-nonsense Spurs team that I have come to love, deep down in my heart?

Yes, I am ashamed that I wrote off this talented Mavericks team. I thought the Spurs wouldn't have a problem taking this series. Boy, was I wrong.

With a 3-1 series lead, the Mavericks are on the brink of eliminating a hurt and tired Spurs team.

Throughout this series, the Mavs have outplayed the Spurs, in convincing fashion, and even stole a game in San Antonio.

The most convincing win of this series—and the most embarrassing for the Spurs—came in game three, when Dallas dismantled San Antonio 88-67. It was so embarrassing that Spurs coach Greg Popovich benched all five of his starters, the last one leaving the court after only playing 21 minutes.

The Spurs cannot rely on Tim Duncan and Tony Parker (the only two San Antonio players who are averaging double-digit scoring in this series) alone. Without Manu Ginobli, the Spurs have been limp. They can't get the job done, and if they don't start realizing that and making serious adjustments, they can say goodbye to one of the last few playoff runs that they have left in the tank.

The Mavericks have been a great example of a team playing together and working the ball around to find the best shot. They play hard defense and they're good at hustling. Jason Terry just won the NBA's Sixth Man Award. Josh Howard is finally healthy and playing up to expectations (19 PPG, 1.5 APG, 5 REB), and former NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki is playing like, well, Dirk Nowitzki (16 PPG, 2 APG, 8.5 REB).

Game four is Tuesday. Can the Spurs pick it up and win a big one at home? Or will the Mavericks send the San Antonio into the offseason? Tune in folks—hopefully, this one will be a nail-biter.

Are You a Good Or A Bad Fan? How Much Is Too Much?

Alex Lapenia — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:14:52 -0400

Now please don't get me wrong, I am a fan and I will only root for my team, no questions asked there. But, sometimes people take it too far, almost to a point where things can get hostile.

(I apologize if the picture for this article offends anyone, I'm just trying to make a point.)

I was unfortunate enough to be at the Bulls playoff game tonight in Chicago, for Game 3 against the Boston Celtics.

It was all good fun, people were into the game with chants of "Let's Go Bulls!" and "Boston SUCKS!" which is a good atmosphere to be in. People were having a great time and it was a good environment for Bulls fans and Celtics fans, up until the fourth quarter.

The Bulls were down huge, about 35 points or so, and that's when things got ugly.

A couple of kids, maybe 17 or 18, were sitting in front of us and they were getting a little rowdy, maybe because of the people sitting in front of them who were now belligerently drunk, replacing "Boston SUCKS!" with chants of "F*** Boston!"

I'm all for occasional profanity, I think it comes standard whenever you go to a ball game, but this was taking it too far. The next thing I know, they're throwing food, and beer at people wearing Celtic colors and jerseys.

Now please excuse me if you think I'm out of line, but they weren't only throwing it at adults, these idiots were throwing it at kids. I'm sorry, but all a kid wants to do is enjoy the game and have fun.

Now picture yourself as a nine or 10-year-old watching your favorite team for the first time live, and all of a sudden an empty Nacho container with cheese still in it hits you in the head, or a plastic cup with beer splashes you in the face.

That doesn't sound like a fun time to me.

At that point, with 10 minutes left, we wanted to leave. The people that were the victims of this stupidity, were angry. Angry enough to leave their seats and confront the idiots who threw crap at them, one of them was even a Bulls fan.

We didn't care that it was a blow out, we just didn't want to get caught up in something we weren't apart of, and that to me is so wrong.

It almost makes you feel unsafe to go somewhere and show your team colors. I'm going to Cincinnati for a Cubs series, and it worries me because I know that there are idiots like this all over the world.

I think it's great if you're supporting your team, but to throw crap at other people is unacceptable to me. Respect people around you, by all means cheer on your team and boo the other, that's completely fine.

But to throw trash, and swear at another teams fans? Don't make it a hostile environment. They have a sign in the bleachers at Wrigley; "please keep the friendly confines friendly."

I think people need a reminder. I think they forgot how it is to be a real fan.

Who Would Be in Your Rotation?

Alex Lapenia — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:33:10 -0400

I hope the picture got your attention! And if you're reading this it did! If you could have any pitcher in your starting rotation who would you pick? Would you take a guy strictly because he's on your team? Would you not pick someone because he's on a rival team? A strike-out guy? A ground ball pitcher? A pop-up/fly out pitcher? A young guy? A veteran? Here's my take on my rotation.

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Starting Five: Who Would You Have?

Alex Lapenia — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:56:41 -0400

If you could have any five players in the NBA start for you, who would you have? Keep in mind, they have to be currently in the league right now, and they would be your starting five for years to come, do you take a young team, that might need time to develop? Or do you take veterans to take you to the top, really quickly? Who's in your fav. 5?

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When The Smoke Clears Who Will Be On Top? Round 1

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:08:47 -0400

With the 2009 NBA playoffs just getting underway, it's tough to try to see who will end up where, but we're going to try our best here. Who's going to advance in round 1? Will the Pistons upset the Cavs? Will the Hornets come back and beat the Nuggets? Can Chicago Pull away from the Celtics at home? Hopefully we can answer all of these questions, with some serious sports talk, and a little humor.

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Miami Dolphins Vault Back into the NFL

Alex Lapenia — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:21:59 -0400

The Dolphins were the laughing stock of the league in 2007, winning only one game the entire season.

You could say that this season has already been a step up, as they've doubled their win column from last year already. The Dolphins sit third in the AFC East and have a chance at winning the division and possibly a wild card this year.

A bold statement, I know.

But consider the facts: The Patriots are Tom Brady-less, and the Bills just lost their starting quarterback Trent Edwards, and the Dolphins...well, with Chad Pennington leading the offense and Ronnie Brown picking up where he left off last year, look for the Dolphins to come back with a vengeance this year.

Their record may stand at 2-2, but they have beaten two of the league's toughest teams in the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers. The Dolphins went into the game against the Pats with something to prove, and they silenced New England as the Patriots seemingly gave away the ball game.

They also stunned the Chargers, holding LaDanian Tomlinson to 57 yards total.

The keys to success

Before he was injured last season, Brown was the best running back in the league, and it looks like he hasn't missed a beat. He rushed for three touchdowns and threw for one while he single-handedly embarrassed the Patriots.

The Wildcat offense. If the Dolphins can master this offense, they will have defenses scrambling all over. It's a brilliant idea, and so far it has worked.

Prediction

If Ronnie Brown can stay healthy, and if the defense can stay consistent, this will be the dark horse of the league. Look for them to go 9-7 or 8-8.

Welcome back to the league, Miami.

The Chicago Cubs Go Back To the Drawing Board

Alex Lapenia — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:55:11 -0400

Signing overseas talent Kosuke Fukudome to a long term deal, sending away young prospects for big arm pitcher Rich Harden, adding a veteran bat in Jim Edmonds and the consistent bat of Reed Johnson have all added up to a first round exit in the playoffs.

Again.

As the Chicago Cubs once again walk away empty handed, the lovable losers, aren't so lovable anymore after another disappointing year. They have to be asking themselves, "What are we going to do now?"

Do they bring back players from this team such as Mark DeRosa, Edmonds, etc. or do they cut ties and try to bring in more talent via free agency or trade?

It's a tough decision considering they did win most the games in the National League with 97 victories. The Cubs had an excellent team this year. They had team chemistry and played exceptionally during the regular season. But one question remains, can they keep it going into the post season? By the look of things the answer is no.

The Cubs need to add another big bat to their line up. It needs to be a more consistent hitter who not only can hit in the regular season, but also after the regular season has ended. But the question is who?

Hopefully the playoffs will become a regular trend for the north-siders and hopefully the Cubs won't become the Braves, winning their division over and over and only have one World Series to show for it. But then again, one is better than none.

It should be a very interesting offseason as the Cubs will be figuring out the 2009-2010 opening day roster and the Wrigley faithful, along with this writer, will once again tell themselves that "This is the year."

Time to Jump On The Dodgers Band Wagon?

Alex Lapenia — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:20:05 -0400

Let's be honest here, many of us before the playoffs started on Wednesday, already wrote off the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Let's face it, the Dodgers playing the mighty Chicago Cubs? Who would have known now, that the Dodgers would have a commanding 2-0 lead beating the Cubs at Wrigley Field, defeating the National League Central Champs convincingly, 7-2 and 10-3, respectively.

The Dodgers may add another year to that 100-season World Series drought. The Dodgers come into the playoffs with the second lowest ERA in the league, but the Cubs lead the Dodgers in almost every offensive category.

But watching the Cubs in the post season so far, you wouldn't have known that. The Dodgers are playing like they have nothing to lose, and the Cubs are playing like they haven't played baseball before. Clutch at bats, and lights out pitching have been the Dodgers game so far, and the Cubs have been the complete opposite.

A red-hot Manny Ramirez, who is arguably one of the best pure hitters of his time, is taking his clutch bat and shaking the postseason up with two consecutive homers.

The superb pitching of ace Derek Lowe and "youngster" Chad Billingsly silenced the bats of Derek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto, and Alfonso Soriano and have sent the Cubs back to the drawing board.

The bullpen for the Dodgers include hard-throwing Jonathon Broxton and closer Takashi Saito, both of whom have been excellent in relieving and closing out the north-siders.

With exceptional play like this from the Dodgers, what's stopping them from making it to the big dance? The Brewers? The Phillies? If the Dodgers can embarrass the Cubs this badly, then a shift of power has slid in the N.L., right into the Dodgers lap.

But first things first. Can they send the lovable losers back to Wrigley for a long and disappointing winter?

The Chicago Cubs Still Can't get it Done in Wrigley

Alex Lapenia — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:23:17 -0400

Game two is in the books and the Cubs have once again choked. The Cubs are throwing away their season with the way they've been playing against the Dodgers. Alas the "Lovable Losers" can't seem to put their nickname to rest, as they once again may not make it out of the first round.

Can the blame be put on the pitching as it was in game one?

No.

The blame can be put on the bonehead errors made by the Cubs' defense. Simple ground balls to second baseman Mark DeRosa and Cubs gold glove first baseman Derek Lee were misplayed, and a poor choice to try and bare-hand a hard hit ball to Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot got away and led to a five run second inning.

The Cubs' offense once again did not show up to help out Cubs' ace Carlos Zambrano, who pitched a decent game. Alfonso Soriano is turning into our version of the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez who gets paid the big bucks to do nothing in the post season.

Hopefully the Cubs bring their 'A' game to L.A. because it's do-or-die time for Chicago and the Wrigley faithful. But can the Cubs win on the road in a hostile environment, as they leave the friendly confines?

The Cubs have Friday off and they had better reflect on the way they've played and adjust because it doesn't matter what your record is in the regular season. If you can't show up in the post season it doesn't matter what you did before that.

The Cubs will send out their young stud Rich Harden, who has been lights out, to try and get the 'W' flag waving over Wrigley as the Dodgers send Hiroki Kuroda to try and seal the Cubs' fate as the "lovable losers" and advance them to face the winner of the Phillies-Brewers series.

Rashard Mendenhall Good Enough To "Bury" His Hype?

Alex Lapenia — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 16:32:58 -0400

Rashard Mendenhall will take majority of the snaps this week for the injured Willie Parker against a very tough Baltimore Ravens defense.

Now, I "know" Rashard from personal experience; I went to Jr. High with him and his older brother Walter. Rashard was two years older than I was, but I've always been in his presence.

Hell I was in band with him—he played clarinet. In high school I had the pleasure and honor of watching Rashard run over the competition, and he even led us to the play-offs twice, and after he left in 2005, we have been in a drought ever since.

Rashard is known for his punishing running style, as he earned the nickname "The Undertaker" while playing at Illinois. He had a great Junior year, and ran like a madman against 7 All-American USC defenders in the Rose Bowl, despite losing.

He dropped late in the first round, where he fell into the Steelers lap.

Now going into the draft, Rashard was regarded by many as the best running back coming out of college. He's a bruising back who won't stop moving his feet, and sooner or later he'll get a chance to start somewhere in this league as the featured back. But, until that comes, look for him to give Parker some much needed rest.

So far "The Undertaker" hasn't been able to bury any people, but look for him to get some serious looks, as Big Ben may or may not be in action as well. The Ravens blitz almost as much if not more than the Eagles, so look for the Steelers to turn to him to set up the passing game.

Time to Jump on the Jay Cutler Bandwagon

Alex Lapenia — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:31:26 -0400

That's right folks, it may be time to jump on the bandwagon, and not necessarily the Broncos', but Denver's young stud quarterback Jay Cutler.

There's no arguing that it is early in the season. It's only week four. But you also cannot argue that he may be the hottest quarterback in the league right now. Tony Romo? Donovan McNabb? Anybody?

Cutler has 914 yards through the air which makes him second in the league behind Drew Brees. Eight passing touchdowns is good for second in the league behind only Philip Rivers.

It's impressive not only because he's doing better than the Manning brothers, McNabb, Romo, etc., but also because he's doing it with a supporting cast that is only slightly above average.

He doesn't have the play-makers that the Eagles, Cowboys, Chargers, Colts, or Giants boast. He does, however, have the exceptional play of young Brandon Marshall, rookie Eddie Royal, and young tailback Selvin Young.

This kid is the real deal, and I expect him to finish no less than third in the MVP voting. However, only time will tell if this kid can bring glory to the Broncos as the legendary No. 7 of the past has.

If he can prove himself against some tougher teams, he'll seal his place as the QB of the future.

Don't Put the Pats in the Past

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:43:02 -0400

The Patriots just got their butts handed to them. By the Dolphins. Yes, the Dolphins, and if memory serves me correctly a year ago they were "destroyed" by the Patriots.

But let's not get away from ourselves here. I'm not trying to take anything away from the Dolphins—namely Ronnie Brown, who had 30 points (four rushing touchdowns, one passing) all on his lonesome. The Patriots are a year removed from a Super Bowl and have most of their players still intact (minus some key players, like Asaunte Samuel and Donte Stallworthe).

Yes, Tom Brady is gone and out, and, yes, Matt Cassel is running this offense. He hasn't started a game since high school—that is true. But he's been in USC's system watching some great QBs such as Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer.

He has been in the Patriots' system long enough to watch and learn from Brady. He knows this system a lot better than you think. He isn't so helpless—look at Aaron Rodgers.

If you want to blame something on the Patriots, blame their running game. The Patriots have no sense of who they are when they run the ball. Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris have been splitting carries, and even LaMont Jordan has been taking some.

The Pats have no idea who their go-to back is. What was "supposed" to happen was that Maroney, who was injured for part of last season, was going to take majority of the snaps, and Morris was the goal line back. Ever since Brady went down, no one knows what is going on.

But the talent is still there.

The receiving corps is still intact. Randy Moss is going to be Randy Moss. He will be nowhere close to producing as much as he did last year. I look at him to put up some Calvin Johnson/Chad Ocho Cinco-like numbers from last year.

Wes Welker will give you pretty much the same numbers from last year, minus the TDs and yards. Jabar Gaffney is the man to look at as he came up huge in the last four games, with a TD in each.

Every defense has a bad week, just like every offense has a bad week (e.g. the Steelers' O-line against the Eagles on Sunday and the Oakland Raiders against any opponent). The Dolphins were a very underrated opponent matching up against the "mighty" Pats, and the Dolphins made them pay.

But look for the Pats to bounce back next week. They have something to prove. They're going to put 110 percent effort (which they should do every week) out there on the field.

The Patriots still have their coach. Bill Belichick a genius. The schemes and plays he puts together, the work ethic—the man is a machine. It might be true he needs talent to do it, as seen when he was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. But he does have talent in New England.

They won't be perfect, but still look for them to win 10 to 12 games.

As T.O. said: "Getcha popcorn." Because, in two weeks (bye in week four), the Patriots are coming back with a vengeance.

Jack Cust: Strike Out King of the AL

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:01:24 -0400

You're probably wondering from the picture if Jack Cust hit a homer, or a double to deep center field, or, hell, if he even just got a base hit. But don't be alarmed, Jack Cust is probably striking out again.

Jack Cust has broken a cherished record in Major League Baseball: Most Strike Outs in a Season (AL). Mr. Cust had a memorable day, and just like when Brett Favre took sole possession of whatever record he had last season, I hope they paused the game put up on the Mega TV.

"Congratulations, Jack Cust! 187 whiffs!" I hope people shook his hand, mothers went up to him with their children so he could kiss their foreheads, and confetti fell.

I hope in Oakland billboards will have a picture of him swinging with the ball just behind him! This guy either walks or hits, homers or strikes out, and I'm not joking! He is the proud owner of a .230 BA, 30 HR, 73 RBI, 0 SB.

I know people reading this will ask themselves: What about Ryan Howard?

You are quite right, though. Ryan Howard has the single season record in all of baseball, with 199 last season. Then again, ask yourself this reader: Does Jack Cust produce as well as Ryan Howard? (.245 BA, 46 HR, 141 RBI, 1 SB)

After looking at the numbers the answer is: No, Jack Cust doesn't come close to Ryan Howard's numbers. But again, congratulations, Jack! I hope this record lives on in the AL for years and years to come, so I can tell my children to story of Jack Cust the Whiff Master.

Do You Really Hate the White Sox? Or Is It Ozzie Guillen and AJ Pierzynski?

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:31:50 -0400

I'm a huge Cubs fan. I live on the North Side, which is only about 20 minutes away from Wrigley on a good day with no traffic on the highway, and it's not a bad train ride, either, on the red line. I hear all the time of people blasting the White Sox, but when I listen closer, it's always about Ozzie Guillen or AJ Pierzynski.

I'm by no means a "Chicago Fan," it drives me crazy when I hear people say it, but I respect the White Sox Organization. When they won the World Series, I wasn't happy for them, but I was happy for what it brought to the great city of Chicago.

I respect a lot of their players—Alexei Ramirez, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Nick Swisher, Carlos Quentin, Juan Uribe, Ken Griffey Jr., Bobby Jenks—but I also dislike many, and by many I mean one—A.J. "I like to run my mouth" Pierzynski.

I will in no way/shape/form root for the White Sox, but I wont run my mouth about them like a lot of other Cubs faithful. They have a great team, but they aren't well-liked because of Guillen—how many times has he argued balls and strikes?

It's ridiculous. You can't argue balls and strikes. Guillen also chased away Magglio Ordonez, who's one of the best outfielders in this business. He runs his mouth way too much, and in the news it's embarrassing to see what he has to say. He's always bringing down the team, which is beyond stupid.

Pierzynski, on the other hand, isn't liked by anyone (besides a handful of his teammates).

As a player, he is one of the best catchers in the league—his clutch hitting, his defense, and the way he calls a game is great. It's the person many have come to know and hate. He's arrogant, full of himself, and a lot of other words that can't really be mentioned.

How many times have we seen him break a bat, and walk (the speed he's going at it he may as well crawl) back to the dugout just to get a new bat.

There's no disrespecting this team—they have gobs of talent, a great squad overall—just get rid of Ozzie, he's too much of an idiot, and please mold Pierzynski into a better guy. Maybe Kenny Williams should give Bill Parcells a call, maybe he can change his attitude.

Dear Al Davis, Please Leave Now

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 09:16:40 -0400

Dear Al Davis,

You are no longer welcome here in Raider Nation. Please pack up your things and leave!

Sincerely,

Everyone

That's what every person in Raider Nation is thinking.

Al, at some point you can't blame your coaches for youe mistakes. It's not Lane Kiffin's fault that you overpay veteran players who haven't done anything (i.e. Ronald Curry), but boast a backup role on most teams.

You talked Javon Walker out of retirement. It’s true that he was a great receiver for the Packers and even for a year with the Broncos, but he is past his prime.

You drafted JaMarcus Russell and didn't even want to pay him?! Come on Al, your options were either Russell or Josh McCown. Hmmm, let's look at the logic here.

You've surrounded Lane with crap. There are a few diamonds in the rough, but besides those "diamonds" there are very few players who can even contribute at this point.

Instead of looking to fire Lane, maybe you should trade for some talent, or draft someone at a position that you may actually need. I'm not trying to take away from Darren McFadden, but Justin Fargas was great last year.

You draft great players whom you simply do not need. Maybe you should have sent some draft picks to Detroit to get a veteran player like Shaun Rogers who actually would have been worth the money you would be overpaying him.

Players have started going to the Raiders just to end their career so you end up signing old players who used to be great. Warren Sapp is a great example. He went to the Raiders because he knew you would overpay him.

Players playing for your organization should get out while they can! Unless, of course, you're a player past your prime or a career backup then maybe this place is for you! Moss, Rhodes, Jordan, Collins—they're all salvaging their careers elsewhere.

Raider Nation used to be proud to boast about their team. You're only five years removed from a Super Bowl!

Al, unless changes are made this year (and we're not talking about your coaches or your players, we're talking about you), Raider Nation won’t even look back at you when you leave. Be remembered as someone who turned this team around before he left, not someone who ran it into the ground. But sadly enough, it may be too late for that.

Or maybe a better option is to see if Mark Cuban wants to buy the Raiders. I'm pretty sure he knows how to spend his money the smart way.

Will Kerry Wood Be the Chicago Cubs' Closer Next Year?

Alex Lapenia — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:46:18 -0400

We all know that Kerry Wood has been a dedicated and committed player to the Chicago Cubs' organization. Along with fellow ace Mark Prior, he was the face of the franchise for five years (1998-2003).

To be honest, Wood was an amazing starter up until he 2004, when he went 8-9 with only 144 strikeouts, a year after totaling 266 K's. Then, what many Cub fans refer to as Wood's "dark age" began: He played in only 14 games from 2005-07.

Wood's value to the Cubs has since soared again. He appeared in 22 games as a reliever in 2007 as a reliever, and in 2008 he emerged as the Cubs closer. He has done a tremendous job in the role, converting 33 of 39 chances with a 5-4 record and a 3.36 ERA. He was voted to the All-Star Game, but could not participate because he was injured at the time.

The question the Cubs have to ask themselves is, how many years does he have left in the tank? After all, Wood was injured for most of the 2006 (4.12 ERA) and 2007 (3.33) seasons.

If they choose to part ways with Wood, the Cubs could turn to All-Star set-up man Carlos Marmol, who is still young and has plenty of filthy stuff, to fill the closer role. He has been a monster in the set-up role with a 2.72 ERA and 114 strikeouts (which is a ridiculously high total for a reliever) and has converted seven of nine save opportunities in 2008.

It will be interesting to see how the Cubs respond to Wood's contract year and if they continue to move forward with the future with Marmol or possibly Jeff Samardzija, or if they instead continue to roll the dice with the ever-loyal Kerry Wood.