Big Mike, your last fascinating blog on the shortened pitching careers of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior made me empathize with Cub fans.
I say that, because, without knowing the details, it sounds like Cub management simply failed to take a “hands-on,” supportive approach with Wood and Prior. I don’t mean cheerleading; rather, I refer to the Cubs being “on top of things” and ready, at every turn, to take steps to protect the arms of these “stud” pitchers.
I’m guessing the Cubs weren’t even equipped with or committed to a pitching program that automatically includes monitoring the health, condition and status of each pitcher during the season and off-season.
The Red Sox, in recent years, have done a good job in this area, and, I cannot imagine Wood or Prior being treated as they were if they had been in Boston. The Red Sox make their mistakes too, BUT, they do so with a pitching program in place.
What the hell was Cub management doing while Wood kept using the “damaging” pitching motion? What were they doing before the surgeons found all the damage in Prior’s shoulder?
It sounds – without all the details – that the Cubs were the most responsible party and should have taken A LOT of heat for it. Now, I assume that happened to a large degree, but, the ultimate answer is for the team to do what the Red Sox did a few years back – which is to invest a lot more in their whole pitching program. I refer mainly to proactive steps pitchers take to avoid injuries — such as the Red Sox’ shoulder strengthening program, which has attracted praise. Supposedly, one reason John Smoltz chose to try things out with the Sox was that he had such confidence in their pitching program – and, like others, he respected John Farrell, the Sox pitching coach.
I could give many examples of the Sox’ attentivenss to pitchers’ needs. For example, arranging for the surgeon to stitch Curt Schilling’s ankle tendon together so he could pitch Game 6 of the 2004 ACLS; or, helping Jonathan Papelbon alter his routines and motion to protect his arm; or, shutting down Daisuke Matsuzaka last year when his arm wasn’t right and requiring him to work out all summer and strengthen his shoulder.
My key question for the Cubs today is: Have they learned big lessons from the Wood/Prior stories and improved things by now? If the answer is NO, then maybe Cub fans have to revolt a bit and DEMAND better management.
I have to say: This story makes me want to unite in support of Cub fans in demanding more. The Cubs need to adapt that old John F. Kennedy slogan: “We can do better!” (“bettahh,” as JFK said it, with Boston accent)
