Wood nails down the closer's job

MESA, Ariz. -- Kerry Wood is barely old enough to use the term "back in the day."

But back in the days when he was regularly reaching double figures in strikeouts as a starting pitcher, the talk was that Wood could make a great closer someday.

Wood admitted Monday he thought the same thoughts.

"Probably more so back then, when I was starting," he said a few hours after being informed by pitching coach Larry Rothschild that he had won the closer's job. "I was like, 'It would be fun to do that.' But I didn't ever think it would become a reality. I'm excited to have the job and looking forward to having a great season."

Wood's ascension to the closer's job caps a remarkable comeback from shoulder problems that began with surgery in 2005 but kept plaguing him in '06, limiting him to four games that year.

He returned late last season, appearing in 22 games. But he said it was too soon to be thinking about being the closer.

"Not so much, because last year, I was happy to be back," he said. "Obviously, toward the end of the season, I was feeling much better than when I first came back. The more I threw, the better I felt, the more comfortable I felt coming in. I never really thought about it last year."

Wood has pitched 10 innings, giving up 9 hits and 4 earned runs this spring. He has struck out 10 and walked no one.

The closer's job went to Wood over Bob Howry, who has struggled from time to time this spring, and Carlos Marmol, who has issued 6 walks in 8 innings. Still, Wood seemed to come away surprised.

"Yeah, a little bit," he said. "I didn't have any expectations coming in with the way everybody's been throwing the ball. For me, it could have been anybody down there."

A starting pitcher who burst onto the national scene by striking out 20 Houston Astros on May 6, 1998, Wood came back from elbow surgery the next year and remained exclusively a starter through 2004.

Now, he'll have to get ready to pitch almost every day.

"The physical preparation is going to be the same as what I've been doing," he said. "I'm still coming in for one inning. Physically, I probably won't change a whole lot as far as my routine goes. Talking with guys who have done it before, the mental preparation is probably more important anyway."

Wood added he'll have no special music for his entrance in the ninth inning at Wrigley Field.

"I don't think you can hear the music on our indoor-outdoor speakers," he said of the old ballpark.