Kerry Wood, Aramis Ramirez added to Cubs HOF |
This past weekend was exciting for Chicago Cubs fans as the annual Cubs Convention kicked off. A mix of player meet and greets, fun interactive activities and just a chance to meet your favorite Cubs players past and prescent, the Cubs Convention is a must for any Cubs fan.
As expected, most of the talk over the weekend was about the recent signing of Shota Imanaga and where the Cubs go next. Dansby Swanson made his point quite clear, as have millions of Cubs fans, as Cody Bellinger seems like the most prominent name out there. Swanson wants him back, the players and fans want him back, and he seems like a logical fit to land in Chicago long-term. Obviously, he is a Scott Boras client, which always comes with complications, but eventually, something has to give, and the longer Bellinger goes without being signed, the more likely he will land in Chicago as they have no problems playing the waiting game. However, other events were going on throughout the weekend, including the induction of two more members into the Cubs Hall of Fame. We call them heroes. They call them Dad. "We see the highlights ... I got to live it every day." Aramis Ramírez and Kerry Wood were emotional after getting inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame. “You play the game to win, right?” Both were significant parts of the organization for 14 combined seasons, and both were fan favorites from the moment they put on a Cubs jersey as Kerry Wood and Aramis Ramirez will forever be Cubs from this moment forward. Wood, also known as Kid K when he broke into the league in 1998, was an instant fan favorite, and some would make the case that he is one of the top five all-time favorite Cubs. Armed with a near triple-digit heater mixed with one of the nastiest breaking balls hitters ever saw, Wood was a different breed back in the late 1990s as he had some of the best stuff in the game. That stuff was on full display just one month into his MLB career when he took on the daunting Houston Astros lineup on a cold and Rainy May afternoon. Known for making pitchers' lives miserable, it was Wood who made their lives miserable as he struck out an MLB record 20 hitters and allowed just one measly infield single to Craig Biggio in what will go down as one of the most dominating pitching performances in MLB history. An Irving, Texas native, Wood had a fastball that scouts could only dream of, and his sky was the limit.
A special message from Justin Wood and Aramis Ramírez Jr. for the newest members of the Cubs Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/7aaQGIJKTw
Kerry Wood on Aramis Ramírez at the plate.
Kerry Wood highlights his biggest moments as a Chicago Cub. pic.twitter.com/eev3W9QHI3
Then came the arm issues that plagued him for most of his career, as his days as a starter were cut shorter than he would've liked. Wood then transitioned to the bullpen, where he was one of the best closers in the game during the 2008 season before hanging it up a few years later. Wood has always been a Cub at heart, and since the day he retired, he has continued to call this place home and spend a ton of time there. Now he can say he will be a Cub forever.
Unlike Wood, Ramirez wasn't originally a Cub as he broke into the league as a young and promising Pittsburgh Pirate prospect. Less than three years into his MLB career, Ramirez was on the move as he was traded to the Cubs during the second half of the 2003 season. He played a significant role in the Cubs' making it to the NLCS that season.
Following that season, Ramirez called Chicago home for seven more years before ending his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. During his eight seasons in Chicago, Ramirez will go down as one of the best 3B in team history and will rank right up there with Ron Santo in most categories.
Not considered a gold-glove caliber defender, Ramirez was very good with the glove and was even better than what people gave him credit for. However, his bat did most of the talking as he was not only one of the best hitters on the Cubs for quite a while, but also one of the most consistent especially in clutch situations.
Over 1,124 games for Chicago, Ramirez hit .294 overall, launching at least 25 homers in seven seasons and topping 100 RBIs four times. That is production this lineup has yet to have at the hot corner since Kris Bryant, and even he didn't reach those numbers as often as Ramirez did. Going further, His .531 slugging percentage with the Cubs is the third-best mark in team history behind only Hack Wilson (.590) and Sammy Sosa (.569). Ramirez also ranks fifth in Cubs history in OPS (.887) and seventh in homers (239).
To say he was one of the most productive hitters during the early 2000s would be an understatement as the moment he left saw the Cubs offense take a deep dive. Even though he haunted the Cubs for several seasons in Milwaukee, he was still a fan favorite, and now that he will be forever a Cub, Ramirez couldn't be happier about it.
“I love the Cubs,” Ramirez said. “I think I had the best years of my career with the Cubs. I love the city. My family loved the city. I love the fans. It couldn’t end up any better for me than to be a Cubs Hall of Famer.”
