Lotta Wood

Well, he looks to be in midseason form today (5 innings, 4 runs). I'm sure we'll hear a lot of BS about how he'll get stronger and better as he goes, at least until the next strain. Whenever Kerry Wood's name comes up, so does his contract status, which is a 13 million or so option for next year (team or mutual, not sure which). I have read a lot of things about letting him go, or signing him to a lesser contract. Since you know once he leaves the Cubs, he'll never be injured again, if I were the Cubs I would do this:

IF he doesn't get injured the rest of this year, and
IF he pitches like we think he should and
IF he will agree to a 2 year extension of between 6 to 10 mil a year (beginning 2008),
THEN I would pick up the 13 million option.

Now that I've solved the Wood issue, next may be Prior.