Would you take a flyer on Kerry Wood? At how much?

[savafan]

From rotoworld:

The Cubs are expected to buy out their $13 million option on Kerry Wood for 2007.
Wood would receive $3 million in the buyout and then the Cubs will try to re-sign him for a much lower base salary with a deal that included many incentives. Wood, out of a sense of obligation, wants to return, but if another team dangles enough money and the promise of returning to the rotation in 2008, he'd have to take the offer.

If you were Wayne Krivsky, would you make an offer to try to lure Wood away from the Cubs? Perhaps to be the team's closer?

[TeamSelig]

I think you would have to be pretty creative if you wanted to get him (w/o throwing around money)

2 year deal

1st year: $2 million guaranteed
- 60 IP+ : $1 million
- 25+ saves: $500k
- 40+ saves: $500k
- ERA under 3.50: $1 million
- ERA under 3.00: $1 million
- All Star apperance: $500k
- Saves leader: $500k
* If 4 of these 7 incentive deals are made a 2nd year in the contract kicks in with the same incentive stipulations except the base salary is $4 million

So basically if he pans out and turns into a dominating closer, the maximum that we would have to pay would be $7 million (not bad for a lights out closer IMO)

The likely hood of him reaching all of the incentive goals would be pretty low I think... if he had a good season we could be on the hook for about $5 million which is okay by me..

I dunno, I'm bored lol

[Red Leader]

I'd offer him a spot in the rotation. At the minimum wage rate, what is it now $7.50 / hr?

[vaticanplum]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

I'd offer him a spot in the rotation. At the minimum wage rate, what is it now $7.50 / hr?

Kerry Wood will never be healthy, and I think he was a little overrated even when he was.

(BTW, minimum wage in Ohio is relatively low, $5.15 an hour. Well less than a dollar more than what it was when I was in high school over ten years ago.)

edit: Just looked it up, Ohio's $5.15 (which it shares with a handful of other states) is the lowest in the nation with the lone exception of Kansas, where it is $2.65 an hour. Rock!)

[Red Leader]

$5.15. Man, paying student loan bills don't seem so hateful anymore.

$2.65 / hr in Kansas? Why doesn't the local goverment just put up billboards that say "get out of our state?"

Anyway, I completely agree with you vaticanplum, as usual. Kerry Wood will never be healthy again. If he somehow lucks into being healthy, it won't be for more than 1 full season. No reason to pay a guy like that. That's a tremendous waste of resources and I'd only hope that the Cubs re-sign him.

[SultanOfSwing]

Not someone the Reds should take a risk on. Unless he agreed to a ridiculous incentive-laden contract (I mean less than $1m base), which will never happen.

Pass...

[Handofdeath]

Prone to giving up homers. Good but not great ERA. Horrible with RISP. Mediocre WHIP. I just don't think he's closer material and I too believe he's overrated. If he could show for one season that he could stay healthy, then I could see it. I just think his arm is shot and playing for Narron and the way he handles pitchers would kill him.

[RedsManRick]

I'd happily give Wood 2-3 million to start the year in the pen and see if he can't get it going. Just don't sign him as a guy you're expecting much from -- as the closer. Sure, maybe he's done, Paul Wilson style. But I'd rather find that out and have given it a try than to throw 2 million at some 4.40 ERA, 60 IP, 40 K, 30 BB wonder like we seem to do most years...

[Johnny Footstool]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

$2.65 / hr in Kansas? Why doesn't the local goverment just put up billboards that say "get out of our state?"

That's the lowest hourly wage for employees who are under 18 or for some reason are not covered by Federal Minimum Wage laws.

The "Get out of our state" signs were taken down five years ago in an attempt to increase the size of the gene pool and reduce inbreeding. Several special interest groups are suing to have them posted again.

But back to the topic at hand: yes, I would love to see the Reds take a chance on Kerry Wood. He has said he wants to be a closer, so I'd like to see Krivsky give him a contract similar to what TeamSelig posted, maybe with a little more guaranteed money to seal the deal.

[Krusty]

I expect Wood to wind up with the Rangers.

[reds44]

I would take a chance at him as a closer.

I've been saying for years he should be a closer.

[TheWalls]

Originally Posted by Red Leader

I'd offer him a spot in the rotation. At the minimum wage rate, what is it now $7.50 / hr?

Unfortunately, his shoulder is so bad from his awful mechanics that he cannot start next year, strictly bullpen.

Having said that, he'd be an interesting addition to the back of the pen.

[BigRed]

That's a tough one. Obviously you can't count on him to start. But as a reliever would he be able to go on back to back days or even 3 days in a row from time to time. It would definitely have to be an incentive laden contract with a higher option for the 2nd year depending on performance.

[Falls City Beer]

Pass. Sounds like a great big expensive headache to me. The Reds already have plenty of that.

[Heath]

Intriging for a few minutes....but pass.

The guy wants to start. He'd make a heck of closer with that arm. Just sayin'.