...exactly the same as "bad." And for the money, it's a wonderful contract. Much better than the money they're paying Joel Piniero.

They have no healthy QUALITY starting pitching.  Three perpetually injured starters.  Pujols is one snap throw from wrecking his right arm.  They need to shut it down and blow it up.  I don't know why they would spend the money on Lohse.  So I agree with Al why not go with anyone down on he farm?

its going to be a great season for Cubs fans. Not only will the Cubs contend, but the Cardinals will be putrid!

:P

And I'm not convinced paying half his salary and a six pack we wouldn't be raping the Cards!

If we assume rightfully so that Z is our 1, Lilly is our 2, Hill is our 3 and Lieber is our four how bad is Marquis as a 5?

Honestly What was the w-l of an average 5 era and innigs pitched and how would Marquis compare.  All kidding aside I think as a number five he has to stack up much better than most.

Getting Cesar "Bad touch" Izturis was a coup too!!!

I heard Pat and Ron on WGN radio mention that if Lohse gets traded he nets $500,000.

If he ends up being traded he should give 250 to his agent.

DIE RED SCUM .. and .. STAY DEAD

why would the Cardinals sign Lohse if they aren't going to contend?

Two reasons: 1 - save innings on a bullpen that may contain two young fireball pitchers (Garcia and Motte) and so that the Cardinals don't find themselves in situations that Aaron Miles has to pitch again. 2 - Midseason trade. If he is even league average at the deadline, teams with injured starters or weak backends of the rotation will be looking for someone that is decently reliable. The Ed Wade's of the world have shown time and time again that if they have any talent left in their farm system, they can be fleeced for even a mid-level prospect.

Kyle Lohse isn't going to be the difference between any team winning the division or not, there isn't a Cardinals fan that honestly believes that. The point is that Lohse is a value signing. Teams blackballed Boras this off-season (has everyone forgotten his big name players leaving him after their teams threatened not to resign them?) and Lohse was left on the market for longer than he probably should have. If Livan Hernandez and Carlos Silva both could make more money, sooner in the off-season, then Lohse IS a bargain.

And for whomever said the Cardinals have no healthy quality starting pitching, did Adam Wainwright get hit by a bus this morning that I didn't hear about.

Good luck to the Cubs this season and enjoy the new site.

Cheers St. Louis!

thanks for dropping by to read VEB. It's great to read other sites to get a feel for what their fans are thinking every now and then. BTW, though I have no love for the Cubs, I think this is really a very good site. Congrats!

As to your post above, if you think that I "tried to make Lohse seem like a good pitcher", you need to reread the thread. He isn't great. Hell, he isn't even good but, as many of your fellow posters pointed out, he is better than most of our rotation. Do we have anyone ready to do what Lohse will do? Doubtful. We do have some bottom end and middle of the rotation pitching prospects but they likely won't be ready until midseason, at best.

And, yes, I did compare him to other pitchers such as Arroyo, Suppan, Barry Zito, Livan Hernandez and others -- each, BTW, who is signed for more money and, almost always, more years than Kyle Lohse. I also point out that his $ per win shares (from '07) is lower than every other free agent signing this offseason.

Is Lohse great? No, but his contract is better than Livan's, better than Paul Byrd's, and better than Tom Glavine's. And this may be an unsolicited swipe but, as I was comparing his '07 to other pitchers, I pointed out that his FIP was lower than the great Carlos Zambrano's last year. Maybe that's the line that really drew your ire. Am I saying that he's a better pitcher than Zambrano? Certainly not, particularly in light of the fact that Zambrano wasn't really Zambrano for much of last year. But it does illustrate the fact that you pretty much know what you'll get w/ Lohse and, despite being mediocre, is better than everyone but Wainwright in our rotation and, for just over $4 M and 1 year, is a very good signing. I find it hard to believe that you have some quarrel with that.

In any case, great work over here at BCB. And though Lohse will make a good trade candidate in July, I would have rather had Jon Lieber (though you guys can keep Marquis, thanks a bunch!). Keep checking in from time to time over at VEB and I will here as well. Best of luck this year. You guys should be the team to beat.

trading Marquis is going to be a mistake.