On Thursday, the Cubs and closer Carlos Marmol agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.125 million deal for the 2010 season, a payraise of over $1.5 million from 2009. The agreed upon figure was the exact midpoint between Marmol’s asking price of $2.5 million and the Cubs’ original offer of $1.75 million.
Marmol is happy about his new deal
Marmol was named the club’s closer in August of last year, going 11-for-11 in save opportunities and leading the team with 27 holds for the season. He will likely not have to compete for the job this season, as former closer Kevin Gregg was not offered a new deal and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Marmol becomes the seventh arbitration-eligible Cub to re-sign before reaching a hearing, with infielders Jeff Baker and Mike Fontenot, catcher Koyie Hill, right-handed pitcher Angel Guzman and left-handed pitcher Tom Gorzelanny agreeing earlier in January, and left-handed pitcher Sean Marshall agreeing to a $950,000 deal last week.
With those players signed, the only outstanding arbitration-eligble player for the Cubs is shortstop Ryan Theriot. Theriot is asking for $3.4 million in 2010, while the Cubs have countered with $2.6 million. Either way, “Riot” will be getting a significant raise from his 2009 salary of $500,000. If it gets to that point, the hearing will take place sometime before February 21. Read the rest of this entry →
Mike Martz will look to regain the magic of his days running the "Greatest Show on Turf."
Mike Martz is an offensive guru. He coached one of the most prolific offensives of all time in St. Louis, “The Greatest Show on Turf.” But he failed with San Francisco and Detroit, but it might have been because the players didn’t fit his scheme.
The key to his offense is the receivers and the offensive line. The Bears have some solid receivers in Devin Hester, Johnny Knox, Devin Aromashodu and Earl Bennett. I think with the right coaching and play calling they could be the best group in the league.
The offensive line could be the downfall for this team next season. With Chris Williams, Frank Omiyale, Olin Kreutz, Roberto Garza and Kevin Shaffer as the projected starters, I think they could be in trouble. When Williams was put into the lineup the line was much better, but the right side of the line is the real problem to me. Garza and Shaffer might not be worthy starters in the NFL anymore. Josh Beekman might be an option for the right guard position, but I think the Bears should look at the NFL Draft or free agency to find a solid lineman.
Mike Martz has the smarts and Jay Cutler has the arm, I really think it’s a good mix. Cutler needs the protection and time to get the ball down the field, but most importantly he needs to learn to throw the ball away.
Will the Bears be a much improved offense next season? The answer is most likely, but I don’t know if they will be a great offense. Mike Martz is the key to the success of not only Jay Cutler but also Lovie Smith’s job security. In the meantime Mike Martz should be very excited to work with this young group of up and coming stars mainly the quarterback Jay Cutler.
Jake Perper covers the Chicago Bears for Sports Then and Now. You can also check out his popular blog Bears Backer.
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The outcome of Super Bowl XX was never really in doubt as Walter Payton and the Bears dominated the Patriots.
Wow, has it really been 24 years? Jan 26, 1986. Super Bowl XX, at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tony Eason and the New England Patriots, against Jim McMahon and the Chicago Bears.
After watching the Super Bowl on TV as a kid, I couldn’t believe I was actually there to cover the big game in person. It was just my second year in television so I was still a little wet behind the ears.
At the time, I was working for Channel 9, WMUR TV in Manchester, N.H. and was in the Big Easy as part of the media contingent covering the Patriots.
That year the Pats were actually a surprise Super Bowl suitor given the teams they had the beat to get there. After finishing the regular season with a record of 11-5 and in third place behind the Dolphins and Jets in the AFC East, New England’s ticket to New Orleans consisted of three wildcard road wins against the Jets (26-14), Raiders (27-20) and Dolphins (31-14).
Ironically, Miami was the only team that season to beat the Bears, who arrived on Bourbon Street with a gaudy record of 18-1, following play-off wins over the Giants (21-0) and the Los Angeles Rams (24-0).
Yep, back to back play-off shutouts, but no surprise really when you consider at the time the Bears where in the record books as one of the best defenses ever in league history.
That year, the Bears, “46 Zone” defense, allowed the fewest points (198), total yards (4,135), and fewest yards rushing (1,319). They also led the league with thirty-four interceptions. Read the rest of this entry →
Andruw Jones has hit 388 home runs in 14 MLB seasons.
My son Mike suggested that the White Sox recent acquisition of Andruw Jones might want to be compared to the signing of Jermaine Dye six years ago.
Mike pointed out that it was generally viewed that Dye was on the downside of his career when he was picked-up by the Sox in December of 2004.
Dye’s 2003 season was plagued with two stints on the DL, as he hit a horrible .172 for Oakland with 4 four homers and 20 RBIs in 65 games. However he did improve his numbers considerably the next year, batting .265 while hitting 23 homers and driving in 80 RBIs.
The Jones downside has been going on for three consecutive years. In 2007, his last year with the Braves,Jones batting average dipped to .222, a 40 point drop from the year before, although his power numbers of 26 homers and 94 RBIs were good.
After signing with the Dodgers in December of 2004, there were high expectations in LA of the former Brave star. Yet Jones was on the DL three times in 2008 and hit a paltry .158 in 75 games, while hitting only 3 homers and driving in just 14 runs. Last year with Texas, Jones again had injury issues as he hit .214 for the year with 17 homers and 45 RBIs. Read the rest of this entry →
Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams was pronounced dead after being found unconscious.
In shocking news out of South Carolina, ESPN News has reported that Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams has passed away at the age of 26.
Greenwood County Coroner James T. Coursey told ESPN that Adams was taken to the emergency room at Self Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:00 a.m. ET Sunday morning.
No cause of death was immediately available and an autopsy will be performed Sunday by the Anderson County forensic pathologist.
A native of Greenwood and former star at Clemson University, Adams was the fourth player taken in the 2007 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was traded by the Buccaneers to the Chicago Bears in October 2009.
As a rookie, Adams played in all 16 games with eight starts. He registered six sacks and 27 tackles. The following season, he started all 16 games with 6.5 sacks and two interceptions, including one he returned 45 yards for a touchdown.
In 2009, Adams played five games for the Buccaneers before being traded to the Chicago Bears for a second round pick in the 2010 NFL draft. He played 10 games in Chicago and finished the season with 17 tackles, three pass defenses and one sack.
March 12, 1966- Bobby Hull scores his fifty-first goal, a National Hockey League record for regular season play, as he slaps a shot past New York Ranger goalie Cesare Maniago at the Chicago Stadium. The Hawks go on to win the game, 4-2.
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