WOOD FORGED BY THE FIRE CUBS CLOSE IN '03; ACE ONLY STRONGER.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

Damian Miller is a journeyman catcher. And what a journey it has been.

He caught Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling in Arizona, Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson in Oakland, and Mark Prior in Chicago.

There is a lot of potential Hall of Famers in that group and a few more Cy Young Awards waiting to be claimed.

But if you ask Miller who might top his list on any given night, well, that would be Kerry Wood.

``Probably the best stuff I've ever caught,'' said Miller, who played last season for the Cubs before signing with the A's. ``It is just electric. He can really embarrass guys.''

Wood has been embarrassing hitters since he joined the Cubs in 1998 and struck out 20 Houston Astros in just his fifth major-league start.

But it was Wood's two victories last October against Atlanta in the National League Division Series that cemented his place among baseball's best pitchers and has given long-suffering Cubs fans real hope for their first World Series title in 86 years.

During his time in Chicago, he has recovered from reconstructive elbow surgery, pitched through some painful Cubs summers and survived often-crushing expectations. Although he blew away the Braves last season, Wood also lost Game 7 of the National League Championship Series to the Florida Marlins when a victory would have sent the Cubs to the World Series for the first time since 1945.

All of it made him stronger and a leader. When he takes the mound tonight at Dodger Stadium, Wood is clearly the ace. On so many levels.

``He's a team guy,'' Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. ``Some guys may complain 'Hey man, get me some runs.' He never has complained about anything.

``And guys love playing behind him. To me that's one of the biggest compliments that you can give.''

But Wood's biggest problem is his teammates haven't been scoring for him. In his last four games, the Cubs have scored just nine runs, including being shut out in his last start against Arizona despite Wood allowing two runs and three hits in seven innings. Five days earlier, he struck out 10 and walked none and left with a lead after eight innings. The Cubs lost.

In April, he was ejected and later suspended for arguing balls and strikes in the ninth inning of a game he was leading. The Cubs lost that one, too.

Earlier in his career, those incidents might have had a lingering effect. Seven times in 2002 he left games with leads and wound up with no decisions. Although he appears low-key in person, Wood can be pretty volatile on the mound.

``I'm going to be competitive and show fire,'' he said recently. ``Losing (stinks), there is no doubt about it and I don't want to make it acceptable. But there are times you have to realize you can't win every game.

``If you've gone out in a 110-degree day and pitched your guts out for eight innings and you get a loss, sure you're going to be disappointed. But you have to realize that's part of the game. We're all part of the same team and we're all trying to win.''

That resolve never was tested more than last October when Wood lost Game 7 to the Marlins. The night before, the Cubs could have won the pennant with Prior on the mound. They had the lead late when a fan leaned in front of outfielder Moises Alou attempting to catch a foul pop. It would have been the second out. Instead the Marlins rallied, won the game, then took the series.

The Game 6 fiasco overshadowed anything that came later, but Wood was shattered. He had a lead in Game 7 and let it get away.

``I felt I let the team down, the organization down and the city of Chicago down. I choked,'' Wood said in spring training. ``You get home and it's just you and the wife. And she doesn't know what to say to you. We kind of just sat there and watched TV. But you flip to a sports station here and you see it, and you flip to the next sports station and you see the same thing. Then you go to bed.

``I wasn't on suicide watch or anything but it was a bad time. We got to the realization that yeah, it (stunk) that that particular game wasn't good but we had a great season and made a lot of people in Chicago happy. It was a great, fun year.''

The 2004 season appeared to have even more promise. The Cubs added power-hitting first baseman Derrek Lee from the Marlins. Exciting center fielder Corey Patterson was back after missing a large chunk of last year with a knee injury.

And Prior, coming off a Cy Young-caliber season, looked like he might wind up an even better pitcher than Wood.

But Prior, the former USC standout taken second overall by the Cubs in 2001, developed arm and Achilles-tendon problems during spring training and still hasn't pitched.

The two pitchers had developed a good relationship. Wood never felt threatened by Prior's sudden success. He became helpful in guiding Prior through the highs and lows of instant celebrity. And the ups and downs of rehab.

``We're on the same boat,'' said Wood, who signed a three-year, $32.5 million contract last winter. ``I was on his boat a few years ago when I was called up. There were all of the expectations thrown on me. Every time you take the ball, everyone expects a no-hitter.''

Prior has been working out at the Cubs' training facility in Arizona and threw a simulated game Monday. The club hopes he'll start June 4 against Pittsburgh.

``We're a couple of young and relaxed guys,'' Prior said. ``I think he was fine when I came in. If I was in his situation, I would have welcomed somebody else coming in. He was the main pitcher here. However, (the team) wasn't exactly winning (in 2002). I'm sure he was happy to have some support. For a while, he was pretty much the only guy around.''

Miller said Wood's maturity on the mound has been bolstered by his attention to the details of his craft.

Many thought Wood blew out his elbow in 1999 because of the way his arm came slinging across his body throwing the slider.

Wood adjusted, developing more confidence in his curveball. He hasn't abandoned the slider, but eliminated much of the strain on the elbow through improved mechanics.

Wood also began watching videotape of himself and opposing hitters. Pitching became a mental game, even for someone with a 100 mph fastball.

``He really has an idea what he wants to do out there,'' Miller said.

Matt McHale, [phone]

matt.mchale(at)dailynews.com

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photo, box

Photo:

(color) Cubs ace Kerry Wood has lacked run support so far this season. In Wood's last four starts, Chicago has scored just nine runs.

Aynsley Floyd/Associated Press

Box:

KERRY WOOD CAREER STATISTICS