There is a very thin line about being a closer. One pitch can make the difference. One play can get you out of a jam. One moment, when you are on the mound and the game is in the balance. That's why they get paid the very big bucks they do.
Mo Rivera loaded the bases and the BoSox threatened to steal a close game with their arch-rival, the NY Yankees. Trailing 2-1, The Red Sox had the bases loaded with no outs but Rivera got the 3 outs without allowing Boston to score another run and the Yankees won a squeaker 2-1. The Cubs were on top 4-2 thanks to an Aramis Ramirez 2 run-blast and seemed ready to put a dent in the St. Louis Cardinals' charge for the NL Central lead. Kerry Wood, the Chicago Cubs' closer came in in the bottom of the 9th, promptly walked the first 2 batters, gave up an RBI double, loaded the bases, got 2 big outs, and then couldn't put Rick Ankiel away. Ankiel hit a drive which tallied two runs, and like that, the Cubs gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th and lost the game.
It hurts to be a Cubs' fan, which is a huge understatement right now.
Rivera of the Yanks, who will surely go to the Hall of Fame, when his career is over, got the job done, and Kerry Wood, who will be a big factor in determining if the Cubs get reach the post-season in October, didn't.
Wood, who has been getting the job this year, had a bad game. Hey, no one is perfect. But Wood who has had the image of being unhittable and a lights out guy, showed that he's vulnerable. That's not to say that in the future, he can't show up big. But for Cubs' fans, this is not a good sign. For Chicago Cubs' fans, feeling downtrodden and disappointed is a way of life. Or way of rooting for the team. It would be beneficial if somehow, Wood could learn from this and start blowing hitters away again. Just don't blow out your arm.
