It would be a miracle

Keeping Wood as a mere role player won't be easy, but that's the only way it can work for the Cubs

When they start using words such as "miracle recovery" and "Kerry Wood" in the same sentence, you have to be suspicious. You see something for a decade and you learn to trust your eyes, your ears.

The words that go with Kerry Wood are disabled list, Mark Prior, rotator cuff, rehab and hot-tub injury. If it walks like Kerry Wood and talks like Kerry Wood ...

The words that go with Kerry Wood are disabled list, Mark Prior, rotator cuff, rehab and hot-tub injury. If it walks like Kerry Wood and talks like Kerry Wood ...

"All systems are go," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said, speaking about Wood with the confidence of someone who doesn't know better. "I think he'll do a real nice job."

"All systems are go," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said, speaking about Wood with the confidence of someone who doesn't know better. "I think he'll do a real nice job."

How confident are you with that?

Do you really want him back at all? Can you commit to him?

The Cubs moved into first place Wednesday night, winning 5-4 in a way that does not scream lovable losers. In the ninth inning, Matt Murton hit a fly ball to left field and was running so hard from the start that he reached second base. He went to third on a wild pitch. He scored the winning run on another wild pitch.

Six weeks ago, the Cubs were seven games under .500, 8￯﾿ﾽ games out of first. They're now in a virtual tie with the Milwaukee Brewers, one percentage point ahead.

"This is an exciting day for us," closer Ryan Dempster said. "We battled back from as far as we came."

The Cubs are doing things that are just so un-Cub like. They have spent so many years depending on Wood, building around Wood. And that didn't work. Now, they've gotten here without him.

But he arrived Wednesday after his annual barnstorming rehab tour through the minors. This time, it was Mesa to Peoria to Jackson, Tenn. I'm not sure what they're going to do with themselves in Des Moines, where the team annually hasn't given out his number in expectation of his arrival.

That wasn't a joke. They really haven't.

But Wood, who sat in the Cubs dugout in uniform, is expected to be available to play Friday against New York for the first time this year. He'll be a middle reliever. When he takes the mound, it's going to be a special moment. His persistence through all the pain has been amazing.

There will be a standing ovation because Wood has gone from the annoying, potential-failing, injury-prone guy to the guy who keeps fighting back.

"A lot of times fans don't stick with a guy that long," he said. "They've supported me through the whole thing. I appreciate it."

Deep in Cub fans' hearts, though, there is doubt. It's not just that he's always hurt, but also it's about what he stands for. He represents an era that never made it. It's an era the Cubs have moved on from.

The Cubs kept building teams around him and Prior, who would be out with his mysterious injuries. As soon as they got hurt, the season was over, and the Cubs would start rebuilding around them again.

You cannot commit to Wood. You can watch, wait and worry.

Wood isn't a 20-year-old phenom anymore, but a 30-year-old middle reliever. This time, the Cubs were built as if he'd never be here.

But he is now, it's August, and the Cubs are in a pennant race. Every piece is important.

"I don't know if I can affect it [the race] or not, but I plan on hopefully helping us continue to play well," Wood said. "I just want to be a piece of the puzzle."

That's what he'll be. At first.

He'll help out the bullpen in a limited way. He isn't taking Carlos Zambrano's place at the top of the rotation. He'll be at the bottom of the bullpen, an upgrade from Rocky Cherry.

And that sounds great in theory. But Piniella has been complaining about his starting pitchers ￯﾿ﾽ Rich Hill was bad again Wednesday ￯﾿ﾽ and is worried about how much his relievers have had to throw. He's even considering carrying 13 pitchers on the roster, an unusually high number, to keep the bullpen from burning out.

So how long will Wood, who's throwing 94 mph, really be a bit part?

Here's a prediction: Within two weeks, he'll be an important part of the bullpen. And the hype will build around him again.

"I don't know how much hype there will be with me coming and pitching one inning," he said.

This can get tricky for the Cubs. At what point does the team start counting on him to get the big outs? He's a veteran, and has been the leader of that clubhouse for years.

Here's another prediction: He'll get hurt again.

And what will happen to the relievers then? Will they start wondering who's going to fill his spot, looking around for a new leader?

Maybe that's getting carried away. But "Wood" and "miracle recovery" from rotator-cuff pain can do that to you.

Piniella said to start with baby steps. But in Wood's case, baby steps usually mean baby tendinitis.

Well, Prior is out for the year, having had surgery. But Wood joins the no-Wood/no-Prior era.

"I just want to slide right in and go unnoticed and unseen," he said, "and be part of the winning process."

It would be a miracle.