Len Kasper just reported during the telecast that the Cubs are getting LHP Grabow from the Pirates, but did not say what the Cubs are sending in return.

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Appropriate. Cubs players have been GRABbing & OWing injuries all year.

Seriously though...another lefty in the pen cant hurt and may free up Marshall for a start here & there or whatever. Not a world series winning move...but should help round out the pen some.

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

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-"God is great. Beer is good. And People are crazy!"

On espn.com they are saying the Pirates might be throwing in Gorzelanny as well. Grabow has decent numbers but seems to give up the HR alot for a reliever. The pen needed a lefty its a solid if unspectacular move.

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The other thing that I don't like after doing a little more research is that lefties are hitting .275 against him with an obp of .362 and righties are hitting .234 with a .344 obp. Another lefty who can't get lefties out. Great.

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Here is the whole story. Looks like Kevin Hart just pitched his last game as a Cub...

Cubs acquire lefties Grabow, Gorzelanny


07/30/09 5:48 PM ET

CHICAGO -- Sean Marshall and the Cubs finally got some left-handed relief.



The Cubs acquired left-handed pitchers John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny from the Pirates on Thursday in exchange for right-hander Kevin Hart, and Minor Leaguers Jose Ascanio, a right-hander, and third baseman Josh Harrison.

Marshall had been the only left-hander in the Cubs' pen, and has appeared in 37 games this season, 29 of those in relief, and has a 1.25 ERA. During the Cubs' recent series in Philadelphia, Marshall joked with former Chicago pitcher Scott Eyre that he could use some help.

Grabow, 30, has a 3.42 ERA in 45 games for the Pirates, including 16 holds. Right-handers were batting .234 against him, while lefties were hitting .275.

Gorzelanny, a native of Evergreen Park, Ill., was pitching at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he was 4-3 with a 2.48 ERA in 15 starts. In his last outing Monday, he gave up two runs on seven hits over 6 2/3 innings and struck out six. He was with the big league team from mid May to early June before he was sent to the Minor Leagues.

The Cubs have had to deal with a string of injuries, most recently losing left-handed starter Ted Lilly (shoulder inflammation) and outfielder Reed Johnson (fractured foot). So far, they've filled in internally, but they don't have any left-handed pitching options in the Minor Leagues.

Chicago began the day a half game behind St. Louis in the National League Central.

It was the fourth deal of the week for the Pirates, who continued the overhaul of their organization.

Hart, 26, pitched on Thursday and picked up the win, giving up three runs on six hits over six innings against the Houston Astros. He is 3-1 with a 2.60 ERA in eight appearances (four starts) with the Cubs this season.

Ascanio, 24, was 0-1, with a 3.52 ERA in 14 relief appearances for the Cubs, and went 2-4 with a 3.16 ERA in 12 starts at AAA Iowa. Harrison, 22, has batted .327 this season in stops at Class A Daytona and Peoria.

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I like the fact that we get Gorzelanny in the deal as well. I think he has a lot of upside, he had a pretty decent season as a starter for the Pirates a couple years ago.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Great, another left handed reliever that can't get left handed batters out.

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gorzellany reminds me of rich hill. showed promise and then just became a complete dud. but its always possible he can find it again.

Can we at least let the guy actually pitch in a Cubs uniform before we start bitching about him?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I hope he is great. I'm just looking at his numbers against left handed batters. The main purpose of lefties in the pen is to get out lefties, right?

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Hart: You wanted to see me skip?

Lou: Yeah, uh, great, uh, great game today. Really came through when we needed you with all of the injuries lately

Hart: Thanks skip. Just trying to do me part to help the team.

Lou: Yeah, that's the thing. You're gonna need to pack your stuff. We need to make a move for some new arms.

Hart: I understand. When I got called up, I knew I wasn't here permanently. Don't worry about me, I'm gonna go back to Des Moines and work my butt off and take with me this good outing - I'll be back before you know it! Iowa is not a fun place for a professional baseball player - but I understand it's just a hoop we all have to jump through.

Lou: Um, yeah. Maybe you'd better sit down.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I like this trade. Hart is blah and Ascanio is crap. Harrison looks like he could be a decent player but he's at least a couple years away. Grabow will immediately help the bullpen and Gorzo is a talented pitcher who can benefit greatly from the change of scenery.

I'm underwhelmed by this deal. Grabow and Gorzelany are not the caliber of pitcher I was hoping for. The Orioles traded George Sherrill to the Dodgers for 2 AA prospects. That was the kind of guy I was hoping for. Hell, I'm more excited to see what B.J. Ryan does at AAA, to see if he can recapture his form. He was a stud at one time, these two never have been special. It's a nice idea...getting another couple lefties, but I fear these are not the right guys.

I don't mind that they gave up Hart. I don't believe he's anything special. Ascaino may have the better future IMO. But I doubt they will rue this day because of what they parted with, but rather who they settled on getting in return.

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Go Cubs!!!!

It's an OK deal. Grabow just adds depth to the bullpen, but as a left handed specialist, nothing special.

In the last three years left handed hitters have around a .250 average against Grabow. By comparison left handed batters in the last three years hit around .240 against Marshall.

Grabow appears to be an improvement over Heilmann, so if we see less of Heilmann, the better.

I just found out this fact while going through some Cubs notes for today.

Former Pirates GM Dave Littlefield, now a special assistant to Cubs GM Jim Hendry, had scouted Gorzelanny, who did pitch for Pittsburgh from May 18-June 9, but only in relief. He was strictly a starter in the Minors. In fact, Gorzelanny picked up a win in relief against the Cubs on May 25.

I did not know that Littlefield was part of the Cubs organization but I think it explains why the Cubs were so high on Gorzelanny. Either way it is interesting.

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