According to multiple reports on Thursday morning, the Cubs agreed to terms with lefty John Grabow on a two year contract ... financial terms were not disclosed. The new contract is rumored to be worth between $7 and $7.5 million over two seasons.
John Grabow is expected to be the primary setup man for Carlos Marmol in 2010.
Updated - 11/20/09 - The deal is now official. The Cubs and John Grabow have agreed to terms on a two-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Carrie Muskat , the contract is worth $7.5 million.
Will update as more information becomes available ...
Updated - 3:11pm C.S.T. - With Information from ESPN Chicago
Updated - 3:11pm C.S.T. - According to a report from Bruce Levine, the deal has been agreed upon and is thought to be worth $7.5 million. The re-signing of John Grabow will be made official no later than Friday ... Tom Ricketts and Crane Kenney still have to sign-off on the deal.
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Well that means we have two lefties out of the 'pen.
Right now we have 4 potentials.
Grabow/Marshall/Gorzelanny/Gaub.
So there IS trade material.
blahhh...
If he is the "primary set-up man" then are we to believe that Lou isn't going to play match-ups? Yeah right. Does that make Guzman the 7th inning "bridge"? If that is the case, and I don't believe it will last, then it makes sense to have at least one other lefty in the pen for the situational move, since Grabow is the primary or 8th inning guy, which I don't believe...o did I mention that already. No more use for the Wagner rumor at least!
Jinx
Why is Grabow being touted as our #1 set up man???? Lefty specialist, Lefty set-up yes, but MAIN set up???? I question the slotting of him in the bullpen ranks.
In my discussion about winning I mentioned that you need some guys in the bully to be "Lights out". To me Grabow does not fit that bill. To me Grabow is Mike Remlinger redux....a valuable piece to a bullpen, but not a shut down, bases loaded 1 out need a K guy.
Nasty Boys, Marmol-Wood, Rivera-Wettland the list goes on...But Grabow-Marmol does not fit that mold.
Does Guzman? I tend to lean towards yes. He has out pitches, and I think after last year's experience he will emerge.
Does Caridad? I have to admit I did not see enough, but he seems to be penciled in for next season.
Does Cashner? They need to decide immediately if he is a pen man or a starter. The Cubs really need to stop this flip flopping crud with pitchers.
This is where getting a solid middle relief guy, or if possible a set up man (Think Rafael Soriano, or Mike Gonzalez)in a trade would be greatly beneficial.
But the overall point is, I really hope Hendry is not penciling Grabow in as our set up man with the true belief that he is the bridge between middle relief and Marmol. If that's the case then we are gonna have fun holding onto leads again next year.
To the tune of "Row your Boat"
Walk,Walk,Walk your man gently on the paths...Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily pitching is just a dream!!!
They gave Lincicum the Cy Young. Shoulda given him a haircut. He looks like a woman.
i wish we had that woman
Look-a-like:
K.D. Lang = Tim Lincecum
:-)
Lincecum is fillipino on his mother's side.
Haha...a woman!!! You're right....cut your hair son!!! I'm not sure about this Grabow. I think he'll be fine, but I just don't want to think he's "money" everytime he's in to hold it for us. Plus just because he's a lefty? Come on, any decent hitter, especially in the big leagues can hit a lefty or righty. That's why they're there. I just don't like "playing by the book" to be a winning club.
Yeah, you look like a freak, sonnyboy! You don't look respectable...
what are we, Yankees????
Personally I support flying your Freak Flag. The kid is, well a damn kid! AND the best pitcher in the NL! Live it up.
Effeminate or not, Tim Lincecum is dominant, and the brightest pitching talent in baseball...
That being said, now that Mike Remlinger is signed, serious question to ponder, especially given that FUC#@$# OFFENSE was the big problem last year, is what have we done there, but to contemplate for an emotional and mental ephiphany by Milton Bradley... not much... I'll say it again
Jim Hendry is a doofus
How many people are currently on the Cubs 40 man roster? I counted 30 and I am not sure that is right.
Thanks
32 by my count...no additions yet.
Catchers: Koyie Hill, Geovany Soto
First Baseman: Derrek Lee, Micah Hoffpauir
Second Baseman: Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, Aaron Miles
Third Baseman: Aramis Ramirez, Jake Fox
Shortstop: Ryan Theriot, Andres Blanco
Outfielders: Alfonso Soriano, Kosuke Fukudome, Milton Bradley, Sam Fuld, Tyler Colvin Pitchers: Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny, Jeff Samardzija, Sean Marshall, Carlos Marmol, John Grabow, Angel Guzman, Esmailin Caridad, David Patton, Justin Berg, Jeff Stevens, Neal Cotts
I have 31 by my count now, Thanks Suzy.
Check that ...it's Marcus Mateo you missed.
I posted that already but Mateo is expected to come off along with Neal Cotts. Do they have to say the whole 40 man roster today,.
As Neil said in is article the roster has to be updated and set by midnight tonight for the rule 5 draft for the rule 5 draft...Dec,10th.
I have 33 now, add Mitch Atkins and Marcus Mateo.
OK Waldo, with bleary eyes from counting
spots...I concur...33 roster spots.
Another pitch...Juan Mateo was on there a second ago.
James Adduci, catcher Welington Castillo and pitchers John Gaub, Blake Parker, and Rafael Dolis to the 40-man roster