Kerry Wood remembers former Cubs general manager Jim Hendry coming to him during the 2003 season about acquiring Aramis Ramirez from the Pirates. Wood had a simple response.
“I said we should probably get him yesterday,” Wood said. “[Ramirez] is probably the best third baseman we’ve had since [Hall of Famer] Ron Santo.”
The Cubs acquired Ramirez and center fielder Kenny Lofton in July of that season, and they reached the National League Championship Series.
Given their contributions to that team, it’s only fitting that Wood and Ramirez were inducted together into the Cubs Hall of Fame on Sunday.
“Never in a million years did I think that this would be a possibility, to be on a list of the guys we’re joining today,” Wood said. “It’s obviously a huge honor and just humbling.”
Ramirez played in 1,124 games for the Cubs, slashing .294/.356/.531 with 239 home runs. He was one of the best hitters in Cubs history.
“He could just drive in runs,” said manager Craig Counsell, who managed Ramirez with the Brewers in 2015. “He was a contact hitter with some power is how I would describe him.”
Counsell said Ramirez was a dangerous hitter in the middle of the lineup with a propensity for clutch hits. Counsell’s playing career overlapped with Wood’s, so he got to face the right-hander.
Counsell said Wood “spun the ball in a way that nobody could spin the ball.” Wood is best remembered for his major-league-record-tying 20-strikeout game in 1998.
The two played for other organizations, but each had an affinity for Wrigley Field.
“First time walking into this field,” Wood said, “it was just such a different, overwhelming feeling, walking up here and seeing the field for the first time and knowing that you’re going to be a part of this organization and go out on that field and compete.”
Before the 2016 World Series victory, the 2003 team was the closest the organization had gotten to breaking the curse. Ramirez and Wood had memorable moments in that playoff run. Ramirez said his favorite memory was hitting the first playoff grand slam in Cubs history in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Marlins. Wood said his home run in Game 7 of the series was his favorite.
Both said the atmosphere during a playoff game at Wrigley was just special. Wood said Hendry’s trade for Ramirez gave the team the jolt it needed.
“It was such a huge trade for the city of Chicago,” Wood said. “We were on the verge of trying to change the mindset of what it is to be a Cub, and [Ramirez] specifically coming over, it’s a game-changer, not just for that season but for the future of the Chicago Cubs.”
NOTES: Right-hander Julian Merryweather (right knee tendinitis) will throw a bullpen session at Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday. If that goes well, his next step would be game action.
υ Left-hander Justin Steele (left elbow tendinitis) will travel with the team to Los Angeles and continue throwing.