Not Exactly a Permanent Tee Time

As the Des Moines Register is not on my mustread list, this article slipped through the cracks. Check these quotes about Kerry Wood:

(Kerry) Wood always wears No. 34 while on temporary rehabilitation assignments in Des Moines.

...

"I always hold No. 34 back," said Iowa Cubs media relations director Jeff Lantz, whose job description includes divvying out the uniforms when a new batch of 24 players show up each April.

Lantz keeps No. 34 in his office, just to make sure no one gets it by mistake. As long as Wood is a Cub, No. 34 will remain on permanent hold.

"I made doubly sure it was around when I saw during spring training that Kerry was on the disabled list," Lantz said. "Any time a major league guy starts the season on the DL, I try to hold their number back, because if they come here, they can wear a number that they're used to wearing."

...

Wood pitched in Des Moines on his way to major-league stardom in 1997 and '98. When he fires his first pitch tonight, he becomes only the fifth player to play for Iowa in six different seasons.

The others also are pitchers - Bart Johnson between 1974 and '79, Steve Rain between 1996 and 2001, Kennie Steenstra between 1993 and '98, and David Swartzbaugh between 1993 and '98.

I am soooo looking forward to Thursday.