Out of the Woodwork
Published on August 3, 2011 under International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release
INDIANAPOLIS -- Tim Wood does not jog in from the Indians' bullpen to close a game with a heavy metal song blaring in the background. He doesn't have any animated pre-appearance rituals that other closers have. At 6-0, 180 pounds, Wood doesn't even look like a closer. But restraining from these closer norms has not prevented Wood from becoming one of the International League's best closers this season. Wood currently boasts 20 saves, which ranks second in the International League. The lights-out mentality Wood has displayed this season has drawn praise from Indians Manager Dean Treanor.
"His numbers are stupid," Treanor said. "It's automatic when you turn the ball over to him."
The numbers Treanor is speaking of are Wood's 20-for-22 conversion rate and 0.76 ERA in save situations as of August 1. Not too shabby for a guy who had just five career saves entering the 2011 campaign.
So why did Treanor decide to name Wood the Tribe closer in the beginning of the season' Two reasons.
"96 MPH fastball and 89 MPH slider---you don't see many guys with that kind of stuff," Treanor said. "I just wanted to show him some confidence and I think he's grabbed a hold of it and that's what I wanted him to do."
For Wood, adjusting to new roles on the baseball field is something he has become quite accustomed to.
A former prep football player, Wood admitted that he only started playing baseball in high school because one of his buddies was. Wood found a home playing center field and was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 44th round of 2002 MLB Draft.
But the Marlins didn't draft Wood as an outfielder. They wanted to turn the rocket-armed outfielder into a pitcher---a position Wood had never played.
Wood struggled early on as a pitcher, spending nearly six seasons in Single-A before working his way up to Double-A Carolina in 2008. By the beginning of the 2009 season, Wood earned a spot on the Triple-A New Orleans roster, putting the Tribe hurler one step away from an improbable route to the MLB.
A 3.18 ERA in 31 appearances for New Orleans was enough for the Marlins to give Wood his first major league call-up. The guy with no pitching experience who was taken in the 44th round seven years prior was now pitching in late-game situations in the Marlins' 2009 playoff push.
"You have people in the minor leagues telling you your stuff plays up there but then to actually go up to the big-league level, have success, and get people out is a huge confidence booster," Wood said. "Those guys are the best in the world. To be able to get them out is a huge confidence boost and pitching has so much to do with confidence."
Confidence behind a 96 MPH fastball was a successful combination for Wood, who bounced back and forth between New Orleans and Florida through the 2010 season.
A free-agent after 2010, Wood signed with the Washington Nationals that November. But following the 2011 Spring Training, the Nationals had to make some last minute roster cuts. Unfortunately for Wood, he was one of them. Just a week before the IL season was due to kick off and Wood was without a job.
But one man's trash is another man's treasure.
Wood signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing him to suit up for the Tribe on opening day. Unlike his lengthy transition period from outfield to pitching, Wood wasted little time settling into his new role as closer. A 1.93 ERA with eight saves in May proved Wood's value in the back-end of the Tribe bullpen.
"It's hard to price on a guy who comes in at the end of the game when guys are fighting, clawing and trying to do stuff to win ballgames and you got a guy that can come in there and close the game out, it's so huge," said Indians pitching coach Tom Filer. "It's like, 'Whew. Here we go. We got the Wood.
On June 3rd, Wood got a chance at redemption when the Tribe took on the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Nationals. Clinging to a 3-1 lead, the Indians turned to Wood to close the door in the ninth. It was Wood's turn to prove himself to the organization that let him go two months prior.
Just as he had been doing all year, Wood slammed the door one more time. The normally reserved Wood let out a triumphant display of emotion when he struck out Chiefs catcher Jesus Flores for the final out.
It was just another example of how far the 44th round draft pick has come. He wouldn't have ever stepped onto a baseball field had it not been for his buddy in high school. He wouldn't have ever toed the rubber had the Marlins not taken a chance on an outfielder with a rocket arm. He wouldn't have ever gotten the chance to lead the Tribe had the Nationals decided they needed another reliever.
All Wood can continue to do is close out games for the Indians---but that might not be for long.
"You have to take advantage of having him here," Treanor said. "You don't know how much longer he's going to be here. He's going to get another shot with Pittsburgh and I have to believe that that's the shot he's going to get to stay there."
International League Stories from August 3, 2011
- Knights Come Up Short vs. Durham - Charlotte Knights
- Bulls Make It Three Straight, 5-3 at Charlotte - Durham Bulls
- Out of the Woodwork - Indianapolis Indians
- G-Braves Paint the Park Purple on August 13th - Gwinnett Stripers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
