Chicago Cubs happy to welcome back three friends
If you ask Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, there was nothing at all odd about seeing former Cubs lefty Travis Wood in the clubhouse Monday.
Wood, now a member of the Kansas City Royals, was invited back by the Cubs to be awarded his World Series ring. He joined fellow Royals teammates and ex-Cubs Jason Hammel and Jorge Soler in a pregame ceremony, presided over by Maddon, team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. All three players wore Cubs jerseys.
"Love it," Maddon said. "I just saw Travis in the food room. The weird thing about that is he belongs here. There's nothing awkward about it. That's not normal. When a guy from another team walks in your locker room, even though he may have been with you in the past, it's still awkward. But it's not with (Wood).
"I haven't seen the other guys, and I'm sure it's going to feel the same way with Jason and Jorge. Travis walked in. It's like, 'OK, how do you feel for today?' That kind of a thing. Very, very normal. Happy we're doing it. Happy we're doing it this way."
Wood met with Chicago reporters before the game in the Cubs' dugout.
"Last year is one to remember, for sure," he said. "I don't think anybody will forget it. I sure won't. It was fun.
"Seeing the guys and all the 'hi's' and 'miss you's' was pretty special."
Wood added he wasn't sure if he would get emotional during the ceremony. The Cubs obtained him at the start of their rebuilding process after the 2011 season. He went to the Royals last off-season as a free agent.
"Who knows, because I did see that, especially the guys who were invested and put in a lot of time," he said. "(Anthony) Rizzo was here pretty much throughout the whole thing. Regardless, it's going to be awesome. It was a long journey. To see the payoff, to be able to still be here to see the payoff is something I'll cherish."
Wood was among the most popular players among his teammates during his time in Chicago.
"I think it's just a combination of the closeness and just who he is," Maddon said. "His personality really draws you in. He is a wonderful teammate. He is easy to be with. He's so supportive of everybody around him. He's got all those attributes that you're looking for within a group setting."
Another roster move:
The Cubs activated relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. off the bereavement list and placed infielder Tommy La Stella on that same list. La Stella's grandmother died.
The move leaves the Cubs with a 13-man pitching staff, something Joe Maddon said the team will consider even after La Stella is activated. If that happens, either La Stella or outfielder Matt Szczur could lose his roster spot.