Rozner: Man who drafted Chicago Cubs' Kerry Wood knew he would star

The 20th anniversary of Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game has brought back memories for millions.

But it's not 20-20 hindsight for the man who brought him to Chicago, for it was Al Goldis who all along believed there was greatness in the young Texas fireballer.

Goldis' only fear was that the right-hander would not fall to the Cubs at No. 4 in the 1995 MLB Draft. The Cubs' scouting director was nearly certain the Angels would take outfielder Darin Erstad with the first pick and that catcher Ben Davis would go second to the Padres.

His concern was with Seattle at No. 3.

"The more I saw Kerry Wood, the less I thought we were going to get him," Goldis said from his home in Florida. "There were a lot of scouts there the day he was pitching in a playoff game for his high school team.

"I already knew I loved him and I kept thinking, 'There's no way we're getting this guy.' I thought I was wasting my time being there. He had the best curveball I had ever seen, maybe since Lew Krausse, who went straight from high school to the majors."

There was no doubting Wood's ability, but it was his makeup that sold Goldis.

"He's pitching in this playoff game and there's a player on the other team riding Kerry from the other dugout," Goldis said. "He's yelling at him the entire game, calling him 'bonus baby,' and just all over him the whole time.

"Kerry never said a word. Then, the guy riding him came to the plate and the first pitch was right between the shoulder blades, probably 96 or 97 mph right at him. Ball hits him and rolls right out in front of the plate.

"Kerry walks slowly toward the plate, like there's gonna be a fight or something. This big, 6-foot-5 Texan just strolls in, looks at the guy and picks up the ball like nothing happened and walks back to the mound. Never said a word.

"I just shook my head. I was sure we would not get him at No. 4."

But the Mariners took Jose Cruz third, and the Cubs had their man.

"It was incredible," Goldis said. "Euphoria on our side. I loved everything about him. That's as excited as I've been on draft day."

Pretty strong words coming from the man who picked Frank Thomas, Jack McDowell, Alex Fernandez, Robin Ventura, Dante Bichette and Devon White, to name but a few in a storied career.

"Kerry was as tough as they come," Goldis said. "He and McDowell were the toughest pitchers I ever saw. Those are guys you just hope you can get on your team."

By the time Wood struck out 20 Astros hitters in May 1998, Goldis had moved on, but the moment he heard what was happening at Wrigley Field, he flipped on the TV and saw the last few innings.

"You're with another organization, but you still root for guys you care about," Goldis said. "You get to know them and their families and you want good things for them. You root for their success.

"They're part of you and you never stop hoping they do well. You just wish you were still there to be a part of it, but it doesn't happen that way in baseball."

Injuries derailed what might have been a Hall of Fame career, but Goldis never changed his opinion of what he saw when Wood was a high school phenom.

"That's a pretty rare talent and when you see it, you know it," Goldis said. "It's the nature of pitching that guys are susceptible to injuries and there's definitely luck involved, both good and bad.

"But I have no regrets about taking him, just regret that he got hurt. There's no doubt in my mind that he could have gone down among the best ever if he had been able to stay healthy.

"It's unfortunate that he couldn't, but he still did some great things. It's the nature of baseball that you wonder what might have been if he had been able to stay on the field."

That is as old as baseball itself.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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