Cubs, Grabow agree on two-year deal
Veteran will continue to be team's top lefty setup man

CHICAGO -- The Cubs have agreed in principle on a two-year contract with left-handed reliever John Grabow, securing a key player in the bullpen.

Grabow, one of five free agents on the Cubs, was expected to finalize his deal Thursday, the last day the Cubs had exclusive negotiating rights. He had filed for free agency on the 12th day of the 15-day period.


The Cubs acquired Grabow, 31, on July 30 from Pittsburgh, along with Tom Gorzelanny, and he appeared in 30 games, posting a 3.24 ERA. Grabow set a career high in appearances in 2009, pitching in 75 games total. He held left-handed hitters to a .222 average.

Carlos Marmol, the Cubs' primary setup pitcher the past two seasons, was handed the closer's job in August, taking over for Kevin Gregg.

Gregg, who still wants to be a closer, also is a free agent and was not expected to be re-signed by the Cubs. The other free agents on the Cubs include Rich Harden, Chad Fox and Reed Johnson.

Chicago began the 2009 season with only Marmol returning to the bullpen from the previous season. Now, the in-house pool the Cubs can chose from as bridges to Grabow and Marmol include Sean Marshall, Angel Guzman, Justin Berg, David Patton, Esmailin Caridad, Aaron Heilman, and Jeff Stevens. John Gaub, Blake Parker and James Russell pitched in the Arizona Fall League, and will also get a look this spring.

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7 Million for a situational lefty?

God I wish I was born left handed.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

Why the everloving hell would anyone give him a closer spot?
He sucks at it.
Has sucked at it for mulitple years, and with multiple teams.
Still wants to be a closer . Is that arrogance or what?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I guess he figures if Grabow can get $7mil, he might still wind up a closer somewhere.

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I wouldn't mind seeing Gorzelanny coming back either..

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Given Lilly's shoulder, I think Gorzelanny will be back.

But the Cubs say he will be good by April, so ya know, they are always straight with us about injuries.

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Does your cat make too much noise? Try KITTEN MITTENS!


Charlie: Oh shit. Look at that door dude. See that door right there? That door marked 'Pirate'? You think a pirate lives in there?
Dennis: I see a door marked 'Private.'

it is hard to believe that any team would hire him on at this point to be a closer, but im not going to fault the guy for having desire to be a closer. i dont think that is arrogance, i think it is a guy who sounds like he still has some confidence in his ability. what is he supposed to do, advertise himself as a failed closer who would be better off as a mop-up man with no confidence or ability?

Once again, Jim Hendry overpaid for a player.

Agree. Berns just read a thing from his numbers website, and the guy basically said they overpaid him big time.

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Fuck Edwards and Zobrist

If in the future, the Cubs are 'one player away' yet they are unable to get that player due to payroll problems, Grabow's contract will not be the cause of those problems.

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I lean in this direction. The White Sox signed Scott Linebrink to a 4 year, $20 million deal a few seasons ago. Obviously, we didn't know he would be as bad as he has been, but didn't they reset the market for middle relievers? I believe several GM's were upset about that signing. Grabow got less, in both years and per year money and some of that is probably due to the market conditions, but I don't think the Cubs were outrageous here in their contract signing.

i continued to be baffled as to why the cubs are so high on this guy. he cant even get lefties out. whats the point of paying big money to a situational lefty that cant get the hitters hes being paid to get out

he is pretty good against lefties, isnt he? lefties were only hitting .222 against him last year.