CHICAGO -- Pitcher Kerry Wood was told in a meeting with Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts that he could be a part of the organization for as long as he likes after his playing days are over, according to a major league source.
The meeting took place before Wood, then a free agent, signed a one-year, $1.5 million to re-join the Cubs on Dec. 17. After the meeting, Wood told his agent to accept the Cubs' offer, leaving two-year, $10 million offers from other teams on the table.
The Ricketts family noted that Wood was selling his home in Scottsdale, Ariz., and moving his family back to Chicago, his baseball home for 10 seasons.
A radio report on Wednesday stated that Wood, 33, was promised a broadcasting job in the future. According to a major league source, Ricketts and Wood never got into exactly what Wood would do in the future for the team after he retires.
Bruce Levine covers baseball for ESPNChicago.com and ESPN 1000.