Burnt Wood (Wednesday)

	Kerry Wood has yet to win more than 14 games in a season. AP

• So what if Wood had a bad outing today? He had a good outing last week that was blown by the bull pen. And JL, before you mention D-Train, think back to how he ran out of steam during the 2003 NLCS. If Alex Gonzalez doesn't muff an easy double-play ball, Wood is the series MVP.
-- John, Yorba Linda, Calif. (5:30 p.m.)

• Yeah, Wood gave them some innings today. But he also lost ... again. If the Cubs were serious about winning something other than "most suspensions in a season," they'd dump Wood's salary (the Mets would give him $600 million over five years and continue to finish in fourth place before the season even starts) and go get some guys with heart. Wood walks on the field and immediately searches for an excuse to lose.
-- Billy, Austin, Texas (4:37 p.m.)

• You may be a little off in your assessment of the Cubs' rotation. It is still very early in the year. Greg Maddux always starts slowly. As far as Wood is concerned, he is always near the top as far as opponent batting average and has led the league in that category several times. His biggest problem is the walk, but a certain Hall of Fame pitcher named Nolan Ryan gave up a few in his day. I believe Ryan led the league in that category more than once. That is usually a byproduct of being a strikeout pitcher. Take a look at Wood's WHiP. It is only .01 higher than Ryan's was for his career.
-- Chip, Fort Wayne, Ind. (4:05 p.m.)

• I agree. Wood is completely overrated. To some extent, I blame Larry Rothschild, who I think is a lousy pitching coach. Wood's best year was when Oscar Acosta was there and wasn't afraid to get in his face. Wood and Prior -- so far, much ado about nothing. What's Dusty Baker gonna use for an excuse this year?
-- Jackson, Chatham, Ill. (4:05 p.m.)

• Kerry Wood will continue his slide into what could have been, until he learns how to "pitch". With a teammate like Greg Maddux around you think Wood would suck up his pride and ask for help instead of watching his horrible mechanics undo what could be (and likely will be could have) a great pitcher.
-- Brad, Chicago (4:05 p.m.)

At least Wood gave the Cubs some innings today, pitching into the seventh, which will come in handy with the second game of doubleheader upcoming. As if on cue, Willis just polished off another shutout for the Marlins -- their second in as many days and third this season. Florida now has four complete games.
-- JL (3:30 p.m.)

• Kerry Wood has always been a chump. He walks too many, hits too many (curiously enough, he seems to consistently hit guys on the first pitch after giving up a home run), he leaves too many flat, straight fastballs in the middle of the zone. He doesn't help himself out with the glove either. The guy is mediocre, if he's even that good.
-- Billy, Austin, Texas (3:20 p.m.)

Would you buy a car from Kerry Wood? Maybe it's time the Cubs' "ace" take former broadcaster Steve Stone's suggestion that he adjust or go sell cars. Wood walked five Brewers in his first start of the season and is getting pummeled by the Padres today, allowing five runs in the first two innings. A little more than one week into the season, it appears the preseason hype surrounding the rotations of the Cubs and Yankees, just to name two, was a little overdone. The best rotation in the big leagues so far belongs to the Florida Marlins, who have three of the majors' five complete games this season. Here are the teams with the top five starters' ERAs heading into Wednesday's action:
1. Florida, 1.66
2. Chicago (AL) 2.44
3. Atlanta 2.83
4. Philadelphia 2.86
5. San Francisco 3.00
... 18. Chicago (NL) 4.82
-- JL (1:52)

More on closers

Adam, there are exceptions to your statement about closers being washed-up starters. In recent years ballclubs have taken to drafting college closers and keeping them in that same role. Oakland's Huston Street, Washington's Chad Cordero and Cincinnati's Ryan Wagner are three prominent examples.
-- JL

• All closers are simply washed-up starters with one good pitch. Fortunately, the best closer of the past few years, John Smoltz, has returned to a role that fits him better, as is witnessed by his 15 K performance on Sunday against the Mets.
-- Adam, Memphis, Tenn.

• This Boston fan still believes that Mariano Rivera is the best closer in history. It wouldn't have even been a discussion if he hadn't blown a few lately.
-- Walt, Boston

• Eric Gagne, because he hasn't had a chance to blow a save yet this year. There have been more blown saves than saves so far. This is quite amazing. I would also put Lidge right up there. Last year I predicted Houston would suffer when they got rid of Octavio Dotel. I wuz wrong!
-- Loring Ivanick, Tokyo, Japan

• The most feared closer would have to be Bob Wickman. Have you ever seen him standing on the mound? Players have to be afraid that he's going charge the plate and eat them!
-- Brandon Gunn, Cleveland

BoSox backlash

Any Tigers fans know if Pudge and Uggie are still doing their Magic-Isiah impersonation after games? Miami, huh? I heard they have had a couple of World Series parades down there in recent years, too.
-- JL

• If Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon's kiss after Game 4 of the series is "blasphemy," what does that make Pudge Rodriguez and Ugueth Urbina's kisses during the 2003 playoffs? On a (slightly) more serious note, Red Sox fans need to get over themselves with regards to Fever Pitch. It's not like they're the only team that's won a World Series in the past 86 years.
-- David Hill, Miami

Support for Lidge, K-Rod (Tuesday)

While many elite closers have struggled this season, Brad Lidge already has three saves and a victory. John Biever/SI

• The most feared closer? I'd say Eddie Guardado of the Mariners. After seeing him flame out this past weekend, I can't watch the game when he comes in. What? Oh, you meant most feared by hitters? Never mind.
-- Tom Pacher, Seattle (5:10 p.m.)

• I cannot believe nobody has mentioned Pittsburgh's Jose Mesa as the most feared closer in the game. You want consistency? He saved 43 of the Pirates' 72 wins last year with only five blown saves. You all are crazy. Ok, I am too. I was just kidding.
-- Josh, Gibsonia, Pa. (4:23 p.m.)

• Brad Lidge is the new-school best closer. No wonder Billy Wagner and Octavio Dotel were sent packing.
-- Brian Stertz, Tulsa, Okla. (2:45 p.m.)

Ryan, if you scroll down you will see that Nathan has my vote. You might want to rally up your Twins fans to come to his aid.
-- JL (2:59 p.m.) 

• I am surprised that no one has mentioned Joe Nathan. Granted it is hard to compare him to the likes of Gagne, but look at Nathan's numbers last year: 44 saves out of 47 opportunities and a 1.62 ERA. When Nathan comes into the game after control pitchers like Brad Radke, Johan Santana, and Joe Mays, it makes his 94 mph fastball look more like 97. That is why he was able to strike out 89 in just 72.1 innings in 2004. Maybe he isn't the most feared closer but he does deserve an honorable mention.
-- Ryan Batton, Rosemount, Minn. (2:20 p.m.)

• Even though he is on the disabled list, Eric Gagne is arguably the best closer of all time. Lidge may have K'd more guys but has he shown year in and year out that nobody is going to score on him? I'd need to see all these young guys have another year of success to prove themselves. Look at guys like Billy Koch, who had some great years with Oakland but was decimated while on the White Sox.
-- Mike DePaul, Chicago (1:01 p.m.)

• The closer role is inherently biased toward younger, stronger arms (with rare exceptions like John Smoltz). The most feared door-closers this year will be Lidge and Francisco Rodriguez, hands-down. K-Rod struck out the side for a save against Texas last night -- it was dazzling. And Lidge's power has already been mentioned. Young guys with power like that and control to match it are way more feared than the quickly-aging acts like Rivera and Gagne.
-- Steve, Fairfax, Va. (12:25 p.m.)

• As far as closers go Brad Lidge is about as tough as it gets. The scary thing is he will probably only get better. This being said, I do think Francisco Rodriguez is the nastiest releif pitcher out there. When he's on his curveball is impossible to hit. Once he matures I think he is going to be better than any of the current closers.
-- Patric Farrell, Tulsa, Okla. (12:23 p.m.)

Chris, As Brady pointed out, Lidge had just pitched three innings the day before in Game 6 of last year's NLCS against the Cardinals. Give Astros manager Phil Garner credit for using Roy Oswalt in relief of the Rocket in Game 7, but I still have to second guess the skipper's decision not to go with Clemens on three days' rest in Game 6 and then Oswalt as a starter in Game 7. That would have given him two chances to win one game.
-- JL (12:20 p.m.)

• If Lidge is so great, why wasn't he used in Game 7 of the NLCS, when he could have shut down the Cardinals' lineup and enabled the Astros to score the runs needed to take the lead?
-- Chris, Bangor, Maine (12:15 p.m.)

• Brad Lidge, hands down. He's got a 98 mph fastball and a wicked slider. Lidge set an NL record last year for strikeouts by a reliever. The worst thing about Lidge if you are an opposing team is that not only can he shut a team down in the ninth, but sometimes he comes into the game and pitches the eighth and the ninth. Look at the eight scoreless innings (with 14 strikeouts) he tossed against the Cardinals in the NLCS last year. Three of those came in Game 6 alone!
-- Brady Simmons, Houston (9:43 a.m.)

Most feared closers? (Monday)

What was that I said about Cordero not giving up many home runs? The closer virus struck again today -- the Rangers' reliever just gave up a bomb to Anaheim's Darin Erstad, blowing a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning and sending the game into extras. Also, with the Red Sox up 7-1 in the sixth, its doubtful we will get to see Mo today, which is probably best for all parties concerned.
-- JL (5:05 p.m.)
The Yankees and Red Sox are usually at odds, but today they share the same goal: Get the ball to Mariano Rivera. The formerly untouchable Yankees closer has blown four consecutive saves against the rival Sox, and you have to wonder what will be going on through his mind if this is a close ballgame throughout. (Speaking of which, how hilarious was that standing ovation Rivera just got at Fenway?) I'm usually riding shotgun on the "closers are overrated" bandwagon, but the carnage inflicted on the game's firemen in the first week has me second-guessing my stance. By my unofficial count, there were 14 ninth-inning leads blown by closers in the first week of the season; only 29 ninth-inning save ops were protected. With Rivera struggling and Eric Gagne on the disabled list, who is the most feared closer in each league? My vote goes to Minnesota's Joe Nathan in the American League (with a nod to Texas' Francisco Cordero, who allowed one home run in 71 2/3 innings last year) and Houston's Brad Lidge in the Senior Circuit.
-- JL, (3:05 p.m.)

Fever Pitch

• Count at least one Sox fan among those who felt that Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon sucking face on the field after Game 4 of the World Series was blasphemy; a true ruination of my most precious memory as a lifelong Red Sox fan. I can think of a dozen reason not to see this movie (starting with my personal feelings for its two stars), but I don't need any reason more powerful than that one moment. Shame on Fox and MLB.
-- Greg Danford, Burlington, Vt. (Tuesday, 12:45 p.m.)