Chicago Sports Then and Now

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 →

Cubs fans will be seeing a lot of that image

The Cubs’ playoff hopes for the next few seasons took a major hit on Tuesday when the St. Louis Cardinals re-signed left fielder Matt Holliday to the richest deal in their history.  Holliday, who hit .353 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs in 63 games with St. Louis last season, signed a 7-year, $120 million deal, the biggest contract this offseason by nearly $40 million.

In an offseason full of little moves made by the Cubs, the Cardinals outdid them with one big one, as they secured themselves protection for the best hitter in baseball for the better part of the new decade.  The Cubs cannot be considered favorites to win the NL Central in 2010 or 2011 now, as St. Louis’ core of Pujols, Carpenter, Wainwright and now Holliday are locked up through then.

While the Cubs’ 1-2 punches of Lee and Ramirez and Zambrano and Dempster are solid, they are no match for what the Cardinals now have to offer.  So while the next two seasons on the North Side will likely be a competition for the NL Wild Card, there is reason to be optimistic for the future.  Two main reasons stand out: Read the rest of this entry →

Big Z is here to stay

In the wake of the Milton Bradley fiasco and resulting trade rumors, another name that has popped up in the rumor mill is Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano.   Zambrano, who signed a 5-year $91.5 million extension during the 2007 season, has been mentioned by multiple media outlets as a potential trade item for the Cubs.

Not that the Cubs would ever entertain trading Zambrano, but in case they did, his performance Friday night in San Francisco is every reason why they should forget the idea.

When in control of his emtotions, Zambrano is one of the best pitchers in the game.  He might be just 9-6 on the season, but his ERA is just 3.69.  He has allowed more than 3 ER in a start just 5 times on the season, and 3 of those have been in Cubs victories. Read the rest of this entry →

Carlos Zambrano earned his sixth win of the season at Washington.

Taking matters into his own hands, Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano was the difference both on the mound and at the plate as the Cubs posted a 3-1 win for their second straight over the Washington Nationals.

Zambrano pitched five solid innings, allowing only an unearned run, to get his sixth victory of the season. He struck out six batters and scattered four hits.

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