TUESDAY: Baker might make a call, but Reds GM Walt Jocketty admits that Wood is likely to find offers to close elsewhere.
MONDAY, 11:03pm: Dusty Baker plans to give Wood a call and see if he might be interested in setting up Francisco Cordero in Cincinnati.
7:55pm: According to MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat, the Cubs declined to offer arbitration to Type A free agents Kerry Wood and Bob Howry. The Cubs decided they could not take on the financial risk of Wood accepting, as they’re tight on payroll. Trading him might’ve been difficult, as he would’ve been a 10-and-5 player. It seems that payroll forced the Cubs to make the questionable baseball decision to pass on a one-year deal for Wood.
Wood now has an advantage on the market over Francisco Rodriguez and Brian Fuentes – he won’t cost a draft pick to sign.
