It has been a very interesting day for the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. After the Cubs and Marlins swapped Kevin Gregg for Jose Ceda, general manager Jim Hendry came out and said that the Cubs would not be re-signing Kerry Wood.

Wood is looking for a three to four year deal and Hendry said the Cubs just couldn’t give him that long of a contract the amount of money that he deserves. “We’re just in a situation — and Kerry fully understands — that length of deal for the kind of salary that he could command right now is not our first priority,” Hendry said during a conference call.

“We felt it was time Kerry goes out and does what is best for him and his family and get a huge multiyear deal, if possible,” Hendry said. “This is really the right thing to do. We’ve had some really honest conversations in the last week. We don’t have to get into how much I think of him, but at the same time I don’t think we could do for him right now what he deserves and what I think he’ll get going elsewhere.”

In 10 seasons with the Cubs, Wood compiled a 77-61 record with a 3.65 ERA and 1,407 strikeouts in 276 games. It will be a sore eye at Wrigley Field when you don’t see Kerry Wood in a Cubs uniform. Let’s just hope he signs with an American League team and gets the contract that he wants.