Cub Rookie Wood Defies Current Hype

It’s clear now what the K in Kerry Wood represents.

Those 20 strikeouts by the 20-year-old Chicago Cub rookie in his one-hit, 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros Wednesday removed any doubt.

Veteran Toronto Blue Jay scout Gordon Lakey watched from a field-level seat behind home plate at Wrigley Field and said:

“You know, there’s a new term being used in baseball these days, ‘electric.’ As in, ‘This guy has an electric fastball,’ or ‘This guy has an electric curveball.’ Well, this guy ain’t electric, he’s nuclear. He’s the best first-year pitcher I’ve ever seen.”

After struggling against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Wood shut down the potent offenses of the St. Louis Cardinals and Astros. That was testimony to his mental toughness, Cub president Andy MacPhail said, adding that the performance against the Astros, who have the second-most prolific offense in the National League, was “arguably, the best in history.” Wood walked none and gave up only an infield hit.

MacPhail is not given to hyperbole and responded cautiously when asked if Wood, after five major league starts, was ready to be the Cub ace, filling that one critical void in his team’s bid to win a wide-open Central Division race.

“His toughness and ability may get him there, but I think it would be unfair to put that mantle on him at this point,” MacPhail said. “He’s going to dominate at times, but he may also struggle, as he did in L.A. You have to expect some of the inconsistency that comes with a good young arm.”

Regardless, MacPhail said, the contention that the Cubs were premature in recalling Wood after only one triple-A start this year “can now be put to bed,” and his addition to a rotation of Steve Trachsel, Kevin Tapani, Mark Clark and Jeremi Gonzalez “changes the complexion, I’m sure, of how people in our division look at the Cubs and elevates our potential.”

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Add Wood: He was the first player selected by the Cubs in the 1995 draft, the fourth pick overall. The three ahead of him: Nebraska outfielder Darin Erstad, by the Angels; Pennsylvania high school catcher Ben Davis, by the San Diego Padres, and Rice outfielder Jose Cruz Jr., by the Seattle Mariners. Only Davis has failed to reach the majors, but, at 21, he remains a top prospect, currently in double A.

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Joey Hamilton failed to hold a 3-0 lead in the Padres’ 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night. The addition of Kevin Brown was expected to remove some of the pressure on Hamilton and Andy Ashby, but Hamilton is 3-2 with a 5.69 ERA and testing the patience of pitching coach Dave Stewart, who says Hamilton isn’t fulfilling his capability and has no lock on a starting job.

“If we’re not getting what we need from our starters . . . you’ve got to shop for what you need,” Stewart said.

“He’s a quality pitcher, but we’re not going to be distracted from going to the playoffs and World Series.”