Trainers Question Kerry Wood to Guage Readiness

Trainers were questioning Cubs hurler Kerry Wood on Saturday to determine how he felt following his 85-pitch, five-hit, five inning rehabilitation appearance the night before in DesMoines, IA. A crowd of 13,830, the largest ever for an Iowa Cubs game, turned out to see a Kerry Wood who for most of his deliveries appeared to have lost nearly 10 mph off the standard fastball he has been accustomed to throwing throughout his injury-marred nine-year major league career. Still, it appeared Wood will be in good enough condition to start against the Washington Nationals on Wednesday as Wood did break the 90-mph threshhold several times and topped out at 93-mph once, if you believe the gun. The gun's accuracy seems questionable as Wood appeared a sluggish, solitary shadow of his former self, struggling not only to throw hard but with his control as he walked four. Fifty-four of his 85 pitches went for strikes, however. Of course, Wood was credited with drawing the huge crowd, a record number that likely will be eclipsed Sunday when Mark Prior appears for a rehabilitation start.